Abstract
Zinc Oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles are suspected to produce toxic effects toward mammalian cells; however, discrepancies in the extent of this effect have been reported between different cell lines. Simultaneously, high levels of ultraviolet (UV-C) radiation can have carcinogenic effects. The mechanism of this effect is also not well understood. Due to similarities in phenotype morphology after cell exposure to ZnO nanoparticles and UV-C irradiation, we emit the hypothesis that the toxicity of both these factors is related to damage of cellular membranes and affect their sterol content. Wild-type Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO-K1) cells were exposed to ZnO nanoparticles or UV-C radiation. The amount of absorbed ZnO was determined by UV-visible spectroscopy and the changes in sterol profiles were evaluated by gas chromatography. Cell viability after both treatments was determined by microscopy. Comparing morphology results suggested similarities in toxicology events induced by ZnO nanoparticles and UV exposure. UV-C exposure for 360 min disrupts the sterol metabolic pathway by increasing the concentration of cholesterol by 21.6-fold. This increase in cholesterol production supports the hypothesis that UV irradiation has direct consequences in initiating sterol modifications in the cell membrane.
Highlights
Advances in the field of nanotechnology where nanoparticles are commonly used in catalysts, sensors, and photovoltaic devices [1,2,3], as well as in the biomedical field for nanovaccines, nanodrugs, and diagnostic imaging tools [4,5,6,7], may be associated with different health issues
UV-visible spectroscopy was used to determine the amount of Zinc Oxide (ZnO) that CHO-K1 cells absorbed after 24 h of exposure, by first determining the wavelength corresponding to the maximum absorbance of the ZnO nanoparticles dissolved in the F-12K medium
Exposure of CHO-K1 cells to ZnO nanoparticles and UV-C irradiation proved to be damaging in terms of cell viability
Summary
Advances in the field of nanotechnology where nanoparticles are commonly used in catalysts, sensors, and photovoltaic devices [1,2,3], as well as in the biomedical field for nanovaccines, nanodrugs, and diagnostic imaging tools [4,5,6,7], may be associated with different health issues. The potential health impact nanoparticles raise concerns the fact that they have been incorporated into products used on a daily basis, as well as in medical products. There are several factors that determine nanoparticle cytotoxicity: the size, shape, surface charge, hydrophobicity, and heavy metal content [8]. It is important to understand what happens on a cellular level after nanoparticles have entered the human body through inhalation, ingestion, or absorption through the skin. The smaller the nanoparticle, the more cytotoxic it becomes due to its high surface area to volume ratio. Some studies revealed that can nanoparticles pass through cellular membranes, but they can pass through the blood-brain barrier, which can result in organ deposition and interaction with biological systems and, alter the chemical biosynthesis [7,9,10,11]
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