Silver nanoparticles induce cytotoxicity, but not cell transformation or genotoxicity on Balb3T3 mouse fibroblasts

Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) are one of the most common nanomaterials (NM) present in nanotechnology-based products. In this work, the physical chemical properties of Ag NPs suspensions of 44 nm, 84 nm and 100 nm sizes and synthesized in our laboratory were characterized. The NM-300 material (average size of 17 nm), supplied by the Joint Research Centre Nanomaterials Repository was also included in the present study. In addition, their potential cytotoxicity was tested on Balb3T3 cell line by the Colony Forming efficiency, while their carcinogenic potential and genotoxicity were tested by the assessment of morphological transformation induction and micronuclei formation respectively. After 24 h of exposure, NM-300 showed cytotoxicity with an IC50 of 8 µM while for the other NM tested, values of IC50 were higher than 10 µM. After 72 h of exposure, Ag NPs showed size-dependent cytotoxic effect with IC50 values of 1.5 µM (NM-300), 1.7 µM (Ag 44nm), 1.9 µM (Ag 84 nm) and 3.2 µM (Ag 100 nm). None of the Ag NPs tested was able to induce either morphological transformation or micronuclei formation.

BROGGI Francesca;  PONTI Jessica;  GIUDETTI Guido;  FRANCHINI Fabio;  STONE Vicki;  PASCUAL GARCIA Cesar;  ROSSI Francois; 

2014-01-15

De Gruyter

JRC80504

2193-066X,   

http://www.degruyter.com/view/j/biomat.2013.14.issue-1-2/bnm-2013-0006/bnm-2013-0006.xml,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC80504,   

10.1515/bnm-2013-0006,