New Approaches for Testing the (Geno)Toxic Activity of Nano-particles In Vitro

Abstract:The safety of nanomaterials, whether they are made of natural or artificial substances, represents a significant challenge because nanotechnology, as a young and up-and-coming field, is developing very quickly, while nanotoxicology and nanoecotoxicology are falling behind. Since the production, use, and consequently, the exposure of people to nanomaterials is increasing significantly, the acquisition of data on potential acute and chronic toxicity plays a crucial role. It is known that nanomaterials due to their high surface-to-volume ratio, high reactivity, and unique physical, chemical, and biological properties exhibit a greater risk of toxicity than the corresponding bulk material and that is why a comprehensive assessment of the toxicity of nanoparticles should always be done prior to their use. We develop 3D cell models as a new in vitro methodological approach for nanoparticle (geno)toxicity assessment to better understand the impact nanomaterials have on environmental and human health. Currently, as a part of our ongoing study, core-shell iron nanoparticles are being examined, where the core consists of FeO, and the shell is made of Fe3O4. So far, in vitro cyto- and genotoxicity were assessed in the human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2, using the ATP assay and the comet assay, respectively, but due to ongoing genotoxicity testing and reservations about data publishing, the results will not be presented in this scientific contribution.