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Cytotoxicity, permeability, and inflammation of metal oxide nanoparticles in human cardiac microvascular endothelial cells

Cytotoxicity, permeability, and inflammation of metal oxide nanoparticles

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Abstract

Wide applications and extreme potential of metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) increase occupational and public exposure and may yield extraordinary hazards for human health. Exposure to NPs has a risk for dysfunction of the vascular endothelial cells. The objective of this study was to assess the cytotoxicity of six metal oxide NPs to human cardiac microvascular endothelial cells (HCMECs) in vitro. Metal oxide NPs used in this study included zinc oxide (ZnO), iron(III) oxide (Fe2O3), iron(II,III) oxide (Fe3O4), magnesium oxide (MgO), aluminum oxide (Al2O3), and copper(II) oxide (CuO). The cell viability, membrane leakage of lactate dehydrogenase, intracellular reactive oxygen species, permeability of plasma membrane, and expression of inflammatory markers vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, macrophage cationic peptide-1, and interleukin-8 in HCMECs were assessed under controlled and exposed conditions (12–24 h and 0.001–100 μg/ml of exposure). The results indicated that Fe2O3, Fe3O4, and Al2O3 NPs did not have significant effects on cytotoxicity, permeability, and inflammation response in HCMECs at any of the concentrations tested. ZnO, CuO, and MgO NPs produced the cytotoxicity at the concentration-dependent and time-dependent manner, and elicited the permeability and inflammation response in HCMECs. These results demonstrated that cytotoxicity, permeability, and inflammation in vascular endothelial cells following exposure to metal oxide nanoparticles depended on particle composition, concentration, and exposure time.

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Abbreviations

NPs:

Nanoparticles

Fe2O3 :

Iron(III) oxide

Y2O3 :

Yttrium oxide

CeO2 :

Cerium oxide

ZnO:

Zinc oxide

Fe3O4 :

Iron(II,III) oxide

MgO:

Magnesium oxide

Al2O3 :

Aluminum oxide

CuO:

Copper(II) oxide

ECM:

Endothelial cell medium

HCMECs:

Human cardiac microvascular endothelial cells

LDH:

Lactate dehydrogenase

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

VCAM-1:

Vascular cell adhesion molecule-1

ICAM-1:

Intercellular adhesion molecule 1

MCP-1:

Macrophage cationic peptide-1

IL-8:

Interleukin-8

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by grants from the Shanghai Municipal Health Bureau (2008Y077) and the Sub-Project of the National Grand Fundamental Research 863 Program of China (2007AA021802 and 2007AA022004).

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200040, China

    Jing Sun, Dong Zhao, Fei Han Hun & Lei Weng

  2. Department of Hepatobiliary Pancreatic Surgery, The Huai’an First People’s Hospital Affiliated to Nanjin Medical University, Huai’an, Jiangsu, 223300, People’s Republic of China

    Shaochuang Wang

  3. Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200438, People’s Republic of China

    Hui Liu

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  1. Jing Sun
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  2. Shaochuang Wang
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  3. Dong Zhao
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  4. Fei Han Hun
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  5. Lei Weng
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  6. Hui Liu
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hui Liu.

Additional information

Jing Sun and Shaochuang Wang contributed equally in this study.

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Sun, J., Wang, S., Zhao, D. et al. Cytotoxicity, permeability, and inflammation of metal oxide nanoparticles in human cardiac microvascular endothelial cells. Cell Biol Toxicol 27, 333–342 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10565-011-9191-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10565-011-9191-9

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