Genotoxicity and Immunotoxicity of Titanium Dioxide-Embedded Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles (TiO<sub>2</sub>@MSN) in Primary Peripheral Human Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMC)
Luca Di Giampaolo,
Gloria Zaccariello,
Alvise Benedetti,
Giulia Vecchiotti,
Francesca Caposano,
Enrico Sabbioni,
Flavia Groppi,
Simone Manenti,
Qiao Niu,
Anna Maria Giuseppina Poma,
Mario Di Gioacchino,
Claudia Petrarca
Affiliations
Luca Di Giampaolo
Specialization School of Occupational Medicine, University G. d’Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara, I-66100 Chieti, Italy
Gloria Zaccariello
Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems and Centro di Microscopia Elettronica “Giovanni Stevanato”, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155/b, I-30170 Venezia-Mestre, Italy
Alvise Benedetti
Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems and Centro di Microscopia Elettronica “Giovanni Stevanato”, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155/b, I-30170 Venezia-Mestre, Italy
Giulia Vecchiotti
Center of Advanced Sciences and Technologies (C.A.S.T.), University G. d’Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara, I-66100 Chieti, Italy
Francesca Caposano
Center of Advanced Sciences and Technologies (C.A.S.T.), University G. d’Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara, I-66100 Chieti, Italy
Enrico Sabbioni
Center of Advanced Sciences and Technologies (C.A.S.T.), University G. d’Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara, I-66100 Chieti, Italy
Flavia Groppi
Department of Physics, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 16, I-20133 Milano, Italy
Simone Manenti
Department of Physics, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 16, I-20133 Milano, Italy
Qiao Niu
Occupational Health Department, Public Health School, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030000, China
Anna Maria Giuseppina Poma
Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, I-67100 L’Aquila, Italy
Mario Di Gioacchino
Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, I-67100 L’Aquila, Italy
Claudia Petrarca
Center of Advanced Sciences and Technologies (C.A.S.T.), University G. d’Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara, I-66100 Chieti, Italy
Background: TiO2 nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) are the nanomaterial most produced as an ultraviolet (UV) filter. However, TiO2 is a semiconductor and, in nanoparticle size, is a strong photocatalyst, raising concerns about photomutagenesis. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) were synthetized incorporating TiO2 NPs (TiO2@MSN) to develop a cosmetic UV filter. The aim of this study was to assess the toxicity of TiO2@MSN, compared with bare MSN and commercial TiO2 NPs, based on several biomarkers. Materials and Methods: Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were exposed to TiO2@MSN, bare MSN (network) or commercial TiO2 NPs for comparison. Exposed PBMC were characterized for cell viability/apoptosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS), nuclear morphology, and cytokines secretion. Results: All the nanoparticles induced apoptosis, but only TiO2 NPs (alone or assembled into MSN) led to ROS and micronuclei. However, TiO2@MSN showed lower ROS and cytotoxicity with respect to the P25. Exposure to TiO2@MSN induced Th2-skewed and pro-fibrotic responses. Conclusions: Geno-cytotoxicity data indicate that TiO2@MSN are safer than P25 and MSN. Cytokine responses induced by TiO2@MSN are imputable to both the TiO2 NPs and MSN, and, therefore, considered of low immunotoxicological relevance. This analytical assessment might provide hints for NPs modification and deep purification to reduce the risk of health effects in the settings of their large-scale manufacturing and everyday usage by consumers.
