It is import to understand the potential risk that nanoparticles pose to humans because a wide range of nanoparticles of different types and different properties are currently being synthesized that need to be examined concerning their toxicity. As a constantly increasing amount of technological products become available to the customers, concerns have been raised regarding the harm and the potential health risk of nanoparticles. For this reason, we have developed a new cell based iterative in vitro testing system to examine any kind of nanoparticles towards their toxicity. Within our screening system different fluorescent dyes can be used to measure biological processes such as the active metabolism (indicating cell viability), DNA staining (indicating proliferation), the production of reactive oxygen species (indicating cellular stress) as well as gene expression. Concentrating on the possible adsorption of the nanoparticles into the human organism, via the skin and via the respiratory tract, the effects on different cell lines and human stem cells can be examined. Up to now, silver-, zinc oxide-, and titanium-dioxide nanoparticles have been examined regarding their toxic effect on different cell lines using the new iterative screening system. First results demonstrate a significant deterioration of the cell viability after cultivation with silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles whereas titan dioxide nanoparticles have not shown any toxic effect so far. Furthermore phase contrast studies revealed that zinc oxide treated cells lost their normal morphology into a rounded one and were detached from the surface.

Novel cellular screening system for nanoparticle safety testing

245th National Meeting (2013)

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