Biological Monitoring of Inhaled Nanoparticles in Patients: An Appealing Approach To Study Causal Link between Human Respiratory Pathology and Exposure to Nanoparticles

Although necessary, in vitro and in vivo studies are not fully successful at predicting nanomaterials toxicity. We propose to associate such assays to the biological monitoring of nanoparticles in clinical samples to get more relevant data on the chemical and physical nature and dose of nanoparticles found in humans. The concept is to establish the load of nanoparticles in biological samples of patients. Then, by comparing samples from different patient groups, nanoparticles of interest could be identified and a potential link between a given nanoparticle type and toxicity could be suggested. It must be confirmed by investigating the biological effects induced by these nanoparticles using in vitro or in vivo models (mechanistic or dose-response studies). This translational approach from the bedside to the bench and vice versa could allow a better understanding of the nanoparticle effects and mechanisms of toxicity that can contribute, at least in part, to a disease.