Antiviral Properties of Cerium Nanoparticles

Abstract

According to the results of the study, the threshold limit values (TLVs) of CeO2, and Ce nanoparticles (NPs) for the culture of swine kidney embryonic cell line (SKECL) have been estimated. The TLVs are 0.1 μg/cm3 for Ce NPs, and 1 μg/cm3 for CeO2 NPs. All NPs were non-toxic for white mice at concentration of 2000 mg/kg, which opens up a perspective for the further use of these NPs in the development of antiviral substances. CeO2, and Ce NPs have decreased the titer of Teschovirus by 1.46-2 lg10 TCD50/ cm3 at TLVs at all stages of virus reproduction. Sensitivity of the strain Dniprovskyi-34 of species Teschovirus A, serotype Porcine teschovirus 1 (PTV-1), to solvents, proteolytic enzyme trypsin under the presence of CeO2, and Ce NPs has been studied. Under the presence of solvents, and trypsin, NPs decreased the infectious titer of the virus slightly by only 0.23 lg10 TCD50/cm3. CeO2, and Ce NPs have not shown antiviral activity under heating to 50 °C, either with the addition of 1 M solution of MgCl2 or without it, and did not cause significant decrease of infectious activity of the virus under pH values 2.0, 7.2, and 11.0 within 10 minutes exposition. Ability of CeO2, and Ce NPs to interact with viral particles, change their morphology, which can affect infective activity of the virus significantly, has been shown. Addition of CeO2, and Ce NPs to the antigen has caused the decrease of the titer of virus-neutralizing antibodies, though it remained high. The results of the studies can be used in development of disinfectants, and antiviral drugs.

Keywords

• cerium nanoparticles
• teschovirus a
• cerium dioxide
• antiviral activity
• virus inactivation
• electron microscopy