Artikel
Impairment of the respiratory epithelium caused by zinc oxide nanoparticle exposure?
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Autoren
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Kai Fruth
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
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Susanne Duca
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
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Anne Hilliger
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
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Wolf J. Mann
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
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Juergen Brieger
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| Veröffentlicht: | 3. August 2011 |
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Gliederung
Text
Background: Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles are used in industrial products like wall paint, sunscreen, and are byproducts of combustion processes. An impairment of the respiratory epithelium by ZnO-nanoparticle exposure seems feasible. However, the exact mechanism of a potential cell damage has not been investigated yet. The formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by ZnO nanoparticle exposure might play a significant role and influence the cell viability of the respiratory epithelium.
Methods: ROS formation and cell viability of the epithelial cell line A549 was analyzed by fluorochrome staining after exposure to ZnO-nanopaticles (size: 4–5/15–18 nm; concentration: 0.1, 10, 100 µg/ml) over different periods of time, 4, 24, 48 and 72 hrs.
Results: The impact of ZnO-nanoparticles on the reduction of cell viability and ROS formation of the respiratory epithelium was time- and dose dependent. However, differences depending on the particle size did not reach significance.
Conclusion: ZnO-nanoparticle exposure seems to influence cell viabilitiy and ROS formation and might therefore be related to respiratory cell damage and diseases of the respiratory tract.
