Yonsei Med J.  2014 Mar;55(2):283-291.

Cytotoxic Potential of Silver Nanoparticles

• Zhang T
• Wang L
• Chen Q
• Chen C

Abstract

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been widely used in industrial, household, and healthcare-related products due to their excellent antimicrobial activity. With increased exposure of AgNPs to human beings, the risk of safety has attracted much attention from the public and scientists. In review of recent studies, we discuss the potential impact of AgNPs on individuals at the cell level. In detail, we highlight the main effects mediated by AgNPs on the cell, such as cell uptake and intracellular distribution, cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, and immunological responses, as well as some of the major factors that influence these effects in vivo and in vivo, such as dose, time, size, shape, surface chemistry, and cell type. At the end, we summarize the main influences on the cell and indicate the challenges in this field, which may be helpful for assessing the risk of AgNPs in future.

Keyword

Silver nanoparticles; cell effects; cytotoxicity; genotoxicity; immunological response; risk assessment

MeSH Terms

Chemistry
Family Characteristics
Humans
Nanoparticles*
Risk Assessment
Silver*
Silver

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Potential effects of AgNPs on cells and the major factors that mediate these effects.

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  Fig. 2 Cell effects induced by AgNPs depended on cell type. Lung fibroblast cells (IMR-90) and glioblastoma cells (U251) exposed to AgNPs at a low dose did not cause cytotoxicity, but could inhibit cell proliferation. AgNPs changed the morphology of both cells observed under environmental scanning electronic microscopes (A); however, they did not cause obvious cell death (IMR-90), as determined by Annexin V and PI assay (E): (A and B) Control IMR-90 cells and those exposed to AgNPs. (C and D) Control U251 cells and those exposed to AgNPs. Changes in cell cycle for U251 (F) and IMR-90 cells (G) exposed to AgNPs. Induced chromosomal aberrations in IMR-90 cells by 100 µg/mL of AgNPs determined by micronucleus analysis: control (H), AgNP-treated (I), the percentage of formed micronuclei in binucleated cells (J). Comet analysis to study DNA damage in U251 cells: control (K), AgNP-treated cells (L), and results of tail moment distances of DNA for both cells (M). *Represents p<0.05 compared with control. Adapted from Asharani, et al. BMC Cell Biol 2009;10:65.22 and AshaRani, et al. ACS Nano 2009;3:279-90.25

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  Fig. 3 Cytotoxicity and genotoxicity analysis of BSA-coated AgNPs in the cell line CHO-K1. TEM images of CHO-K1 cells when treated with 10 µg/mL of AgNPs for 6 h (A) and 24 h (B). For cells treated with AgNPs and Ag+, changes in mitochondrial activity (C) by CCK-8 assay and intracellular ROS levels (D) that were labeled by DCFHDA fluorescence density and determined by flow cytometry. DNA adducts induced by AgNPs and Ag+ after 24 h exposure (E). Methylmethanesulphonate (MMS) was used as a positive control. DNA oxidative adduct, 8-oxodG, that can be induced by AgNPs and Ag+ after 24 h exposure (F). Fluorescence microscopic images of micronuclei induced by AgNPs and Ag+ after 24 h exposure (G). Statistical significant difference from control is expressed as *(p<0.05) and significant difference between AgNPs and Ag+ in the same amount of silver is expressed as †(p<0.05). Adapted from Jiang, et al. Toxicol Lett 2013;222:55-63.27

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