Comparative study of the cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of titanium oxide and aluminium oxide nanoparticles in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-K1) cells

A.L. DI VIRGILIO; M. REIGOSA; P. ARNAL; M. FERNÁNDEZ LORENZO DE MELE

JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS.

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Año: 2010 vol. 177 p. 711 - 718

0304-3894

<!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} p {mso-margin-top-alt:auto; margin-right:0cm; mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; margin-left:0cm; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:70.85pt 3.0cm 70.85pt 3.0cm; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to analyze the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of titanium oxide (TiO2) and aluminium oxide (Al2O3) nanoparticles (NPs) on Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-K1) cells using neutral red (NR), mitochondrial activity (by MTT assay), sister chromatid exchange (SCE), micronucleus (MN) formation, and cell cycle kinetics techniques. Results showed a dose-related cytotoxic effect evidenced after 24 h by changes in lysosomal and mitochondrial dehydrogenase activity. Interestingly, transmission electronic microscopy (TEM) showed the formation of perinuclear vesicles in CHO-K1 cells after treatment with both NPs during 24 h but no NP was detected in the nuclei. Genotoxic effects were shown by MN frequencies which significantly increased at 0.5 and 1 μg/mL TiO2 and 0.5–10 μg/mL Al2O3. SCE frequencies were higher for cells treated with 1–5 μg/mL TiO2. The absence of metaphases evidenced cytotoxicity for higher concentrations of TiO2. No SCE induction was achieved after treatment with 1–25 μg/mL Al2O3. In conclusion, findings showed cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of TiO2 and Al2O3 NPs on CHO-K1 cells. Possible causes of controversial reports are discussed further on.