Cytotoxicity of nZnO and nAg to A549 cells influenced by environmental natural organic matters

摘要

The in vitro cytotoxicity of nano silver nanoparticles (nAg, 99 +/- 75 nm) and nano zinc oxide nanoparticles (nZnO, 27 +/- 7 nm) pretreated with citric acid (CA), tartaric acid (TA), and fulvic acid (FA) to human pulmonary adenocarcinoma cells (A549 cells), a common model cell strain, was investigated. The LC(50)values of CA-, FA-, and TA-nZnO (19-22 mu g ml(-1)) were higher than those of the pristine nZnO (15 mu g ml(-1)), and CA, FA, and TA depressed ROS levels and inhibited the apoptosis process induced by nZnO since they decreased Zn(2+)release from nZnO in culture medium. The LC(50)values of CA-, FA-, and TA-nAg (111-120 mu g ml(-1)) were lower than that of the pristine nAg (185 mu g ml(-1)), and CA, FA, and TA significantly improved the ROS levels induced by nAg by increasing the cellular uptake of nAg. Therefore, CA, FA, and TA decrease the cytotoxicity of nZnO while increasing the cytotoxicity of nAg.