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Interaction of Spherical Silica Nanoparticles with Neuronal Cells: Size‐Dependent Toxicity and Perturbation of Calcium Homeostasis
Author(s) -
Ariano Paolo,
Zamburlin Pollyanna,
Gilardino Alessandra,
Mortera Renato,
Onida Barbara,
Tomatis Maura,
Ghiazza Mara,
Fubini Bice,
Lovisolo Davide
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
small
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.785
H-Index - 236
eISSN - 1613-6829
pISSN - 1613-6810
DOI - 10.1002/smll.201002287
Subject(s) - calcium , homeostasis , calcium metabolism , biophysics , intracellular , nanoparticle , calcium in biology , apoptosis , chemistry , toxicity , cell growth , cell culture , microbiology and biotechnology , materials science , nanotechnology , biochemistry , biology , genetics , organic chemistry
The effects of Stöber silica nanoparticles on neuronal survival, proliferation, and on the underlying perturbations in calcium homeostasis are investigated on the well‐differentiated neuronal cell line GT1‐7. The responses to nanoparticles 50 and 200 nm in diameter are compared. The 50‐nm silica affects neuronal survival/proliferation in a dose‐dependent way, by stimulating apoptotic processes. In contrast, the 200‐nm silica does not show any toxic effect even at relatively high concentrations (292 μg mL −1 ). To identify the mechanisms underlying these effects, the changes in intracellular calcium concentration elicited by acute and chronic administration of the two silica nanoparticles are analyzed. The 50‐nm silica at toxic concentrations generates huge and long‐lasting increases in intracellular calcium, whereas the 200‐nm silica only induces transient signals of much lower amplitude. These findings provide the first evidence that silica nanoparticles can induce toxic effects on neuronal cells in a size‐dependent way, and that these effects are related to the degree of perturbation of calcium homeostasis.