Untargeted metabolomics analysis reveals the elicitation of important secondary metabolites upon treatment with various metal and metal oxide nanoparticles in Hypericum perforatum L. cell suspension cultures

In this study, the effects of treatment with Ag, Au, Cu, Pd, CeO2, CuO, TiO2 and ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) on plant secondary metabolism were tested using an untargeted metabolomic approach in cell suspension cultures of Hypericum perforatum L. Variations in the accumulation of secondary metabolites were observed in cultures after exposure to NPs. Overall, the number of compounds increased by metal NPs was higher than that of metal oxides. Among the metal and metal oxide NPs tested, Ag and CuO respectively induced the greatest changes in secondary metabolism. Ag NPs induced the cellular accumulation of bisxanthone (540.3 fold) gancaonin O (214.2 fold) and fusaroskyrin (98.6 fold). Compounds that were most induced by other NPs were: hyperxanthone C (Au), apigenin (Cu), emodin (Pd), emodin anthrone (CeO2), dihydroxydimethoxyxanthone I (CuO), quercetin (TiO2) and gallic acid (ZnO). The presented results show that the secondary metabolites elicited in H. perforatum vary between the types of NPs. [Display omitted] •Nanoparticles affect the phytochemical profile of Hypericum perforatum L. cell cultures.•Xanthones and their prenylated derivatives are strongly induced by nanoparticles.•Bisxanthone and gancaonin O are the most increased compounds in H. perforatum cells.•The compounds elicited in H. perforatum cells vary based on nanoparticle type.