The applicability of conventional cytotoxicity assays to predict safety/toxicity of mesoporous silica nanoparticles, silver and gold nanoparticles and multi-walled carbon nanotubes

摘要

Developing new, validated methods for screening of the effects of nanomaterials is a huge and expensive task. It is therefore necessary to try to employ already existing and validated methods, developed for chemicals. In the present study cytotoxicity of gold (Au) and silver (Ag) nanoparticles (NP), two different mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNP), and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) were investigated in BALB/c 3T3 fibroblasts, NR8383 macrophages, and U937 monocytes using standard assays, namely WST-1 and NRU. In addition, preliminary attempts were made to investigate ENM-mediated effects on cell motility as a potential end point for NP toxicity.