Nanoparticles Can Cause DNA Damage across a Cellular Barrier

Summary posted by Meridian on 11/6/2009
Source: Nature Nanotechnology
Author: Gevdeep Bhabra, Aman Sood, Brenton Fisher, Laura Cartwright, Margaret Saunders, William Howard Evans, Annmarie Surprenant, Gloria Lopez-Castejon, Stephen Mann, Sean A. Davis, Lauren A. Hails, Eileen Ingham, Paul Verkade, Jon Lane, Kate Heesom, Roger Newson & Charles Patrick Case

Researchers at the University of Bristol, United Kingdom, have shown that cobalt-chromium (CoCr) nanoparticles can damage human fibroblast cells across an intact cellular barrier without having to cross the barrier. Nanotechnology is a rapidly advancing discipline, particularly in the medical realm, and it is likely that humans will be increasingly exposed to synthetic nanomaterials with diverse properties. The researchers explored the growing concern over the ability of nanoparticles to infiltrate past specialized barriers by comparing the effects of direct and indirect exposure of cells to nanoparticles. The scientists grew, in the laboratory, a multilayer of human cells designed to mimic these specialized barriers, in order to determine if indirect exposure to CoCr particles damaged human fibroblasts. CoCr nanoparticles can be released internally in humans due to wear mechanisms associated with orthopedic joint replacements, and have been shown to have genotoxic and cytotoxic effects in human tissue culture, if directly applied above a certain threshold. The results of this study show that the amount of DNA damage in the cells behind the protective barrier was similar to the DNA damage caused by direct exposure to the nanoparticles. The authors conclude by saying that their results "...suggest the importance of indirect effects when evaluating the safety of nanoparticles. The potential damage to tissues located behind cellular barriers needs to be considered when using nanoparticles for targeting diseased states." The article can be viewed online at the link below.

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our team contact us site map	Nanoparticles Can Cause DNA Damage across a Cellular Barrier Summary posted by Meridian on 11/6/2009 Source: Nature Nanotechnology Author: Gevdeep Bhabra, Aman Sood, Brenton Fisher, Laura Cartwright, Margaret Saunders, William Howard Evans, Annmarie Surprenant, Gloria Lopez-Castejon, Stephen Mann, Sean A. Davis, Lauren A. Hails, Eileen Ingham, Paul Verkade, Jon Lane, Kate Heesom, Roger Newson & Charles Patrick Case Researchers at the University of Bristol, United Kingdom, have shown that cobalt-chromium (CoCr) nanoparticles can damage human fibroblast cells across an intact cellular barrier without having to cross the barrier. Nanotechnology is a rapidly advancing discipline, particularly in the medical realm, and it is likely that humans will be increasingly exposed to synthetic nanomaterials with diverse properties. The researchers explored the growing concern over the ability of nanoparticles to infiltrate past specialized barriers by comparing the effects of direct and indirect exposure of cells to nanoparticles. The scientists grew, in the laboratory, a multilayer of human cells designed to mimic these specialized barriers, in order to determine if indirect exposure to CoCr particles damaged human fibroblasts. CoCr nanoparticles can be released internally in humans due to wear mechanisms associated with orthopedic joint replacements, and have been shown to have genotoxic and cytotoxic effects in human tissue culture, if directly applied above a certain threshold. The results of this study show that the amount of DNA damage in the cells behind the protective barrier was similar to the DNA damage caused by direct exposure to the nanoparticles. The authors conclude by saying that their results "...suggest the importance of indirect effects when evaluating the safety of nanoparticles. The potential damage to tissues located behind cellular barriers needs to be considered when using nanoparticles for targeting diseased states." The article can be viewed online at the link below. The original article may still be available at www.nature.com/nnano/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nnano.2009.313.html As tagged by Meridian Institute: Health And Medical: Devices, Diseases Implications: Human Enhancement, Human Health Risks, Governance Nanomaterials: Metal Nanoparticle Regions: Europe Stakeholders: Government, Industry, NGO, Academia Minerals And Metals: Metals Related Forums: Health and Medical Metals and Minerals Human Health Risks and Worker Safety Governance print format	NDN Home Subscribe Manage Subscription Search News Archives Understanding Public Debate on Nanotechnologies: Options for Framing Public Policy -- The Innovation Society (2/8/2010) The Governance and Ethics Unit of the Directorate General for Research (DG Research) of the European Commission (EC) has published an overview paper on options for framing public policy on nanotechnologies. [More] UN Patent Filings Dropped for 1st Time Since 1978 -- ABC news (2/8/2010) The United Nations World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), an entity through which a company can, for a fee, file a request for patent protection in any or all of the 142 countries that have subscribed to the U.N.'s Patent Cooperation Treaty, reported that the number of international patent filings dropped last year for the first time since 1978. [More] TECHNOLOGY: Science Panel Probes Renewable Energy's Current Use of China's Rare Metals -- Environment & Energy Daily (2/8/2010) A United States House of Representatives Science and Technology subcommittee this week will hold a hearing on rare earth mineral production and the resource's role in the growing clean energy industry. [More] Nanofood for Thought -- Nature Nanotechnology (2/5/2010) This editorial, in the journal Nature Nanotechnology, is in response to the recent report, "Nanotechnologies and Food", released in January by the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee, United Kingdom, that criticized the food industry for failing to be transparent about its research into the uses of nanotechnologies and nanomaterials. [More] More News... Learn how to include these headlines on your own website by clicking here. Please email us if you require text-only versions of the daily emails.