Assessing Methods for Blood Cell Cytotoxic Responses to Inorganic Nanoparticles and Nanoparticle Aggregates

Inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) show great potential for medicinal therapy. However, biocompatibility studies are essential to determine if they are safe. Here, five different NPs are compared for their cytotoxicity, internalization, aggregation in medium, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, using tumoral and normal human blood cells. Differences depending on the cell type are analyzed, and no direct correlation between ROS production and cell toxicity is found. Results are discussed with the aim of standardizing the procedures for the evaluation of the toxicity. The cellular uptake of five different nanoparticles (NPs) is investigated in vivo with different types of human peripheral blood cells (lymphocytes, monocytes, granulocytes and erythrocytes), mouse macrophages, and human tumor cell lines (see image). The cytotoxicity, internalization, aggregation in medium, and reactive oxygen species production of the NPs are examined, and differences dependent on both NP and cell type are found.