Aims of this study:
• Identify and describe effects of NPs on cell morphology in PC12 cells
• Establish dose-response relationship between NP concentration and cell death
• Study the potential of NPs to induce oxidative stress and generate cellular ROS
• Quantify differences in toxic potential of NPs of different size
• Compare the effects of similar exposure in two different batches of the same cell line
Methods
PC12 cells are a cancer cell line collected from the adrenal glands of Brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) with neuron-like structure. Cells were exposed to silica NPs of different concentrations and sizes (10 nm and 50 nm). Flow cytometer (ROS), MTT-assay (cell viability), Western blotting (protein expression), HOECHST/PI staining (apoptosis, necrosis) and neurite outgrowth kit, light, – confocal and phase contrast microscopy were used.
Results
• Differences in cell morphology were observed in samples exposed to NPs. Needlelike structures were seen.
• Lower cell viability was seen in cells exposed to higher concentrations of NPs of both sizes. SiNP10 seem to be less harmful to the cells than SiNP50.
• Oxidative stress and ROS seems to be increasing equivalent with increasing NP concentration.
• NPs size and varying concentrations seems to be important factors in cell survival, apoptosis/necrosis, ROS and oxidative stress formation and changes in cell morphology
• Differences were seen between the two cell batches i. e differentiation and differences in adhesiveness.
References
Feng, X., Chen, A., Zhang, Y., Wang, J., Shao, L., & Wei, L. (2015).
International Journal of Nanomedicine, 10, 3547-3565. doi:10.2147/IJN.S79892
Wang, F., Jiao, C., Liu, J., Yuan, H., Lan, M., & Gao, F. (2011). Toxicology in Vitro, 25(8),
1548-1556. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tiv.2011.05.019
