Low-Dose Silver Nanoparticle Surface Chemistry and Temporal Effects on Gene Expression in Human Liver Cells

Silver nanoparticles induce liver inflammation through ferroptosis in zebrafish

As the most widely employed artificial nanomaterials, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been implicated in oxidative stress-induced liver injury. Despite these observations, the precise mechanisms underpinning AgNPs-induced hepatotoxicity have yet to be fully elucidated. This study embarked on an intersectional analysis of the GEO dataset (GSE139560), which encompassed murine liver tissues subjected to AgNPs, alongside datasets related to ferroptosis. Through this approach, three pivotal ferroptosis-associated genes (Arrdc3, Txnip, and Egfr) were identified. Further integration with disease model analysis from GSE111407 and GSE183158 unveiled a significant association between AgNPs exposure and alterations in glucose metabolism and insulin signaling pathways, intricately linked with the identified key ferroptosis genes. This correlation fostered the hypothesis that ferroptosis significantly contributed to the hepatotoxicity triggered by AgNPs. Subsequent Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) pointed to the activation of ferroptosis-associated pathways, specifically MAPK and PPAR, under AgNPs exposure. Examination of the miRNA-mRNA interaction network revealed co-regulated upstream miRNAs targeting these pivotal genes, establishing a nexus to ferroptosis and heightened liver susceptibility. Experimental validation employing an adult zebrafish model exposed to AgNPs from 90 to 120 dpf demonstrated elevated levels of Fe2+ and MDA in the zebrafish livers, along with conspicuous mitochondrial morphological alterations, thereby reinforcing the notion that AgNPs precipitate liver dysfunction predominantly through the induction of ferroptosis. These insights collectively underscore the role of ferroptosis in mediating the adverse effects of AgNPs on liver glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity, culminating in liver dysfunction. Overall, these results enhance the understanding of nanomaterial-induced hepatotoxicity and inform strategies to mitigate such health risks.

Assessing the Potential of Aconitum Laeve Extract for Biogenic Silver and Gold Nanoparticle Synthesis and Their Biological and Catalytic Applications

The adoption of green chemistry protocols in nanoparticle (NP) synthesis has exhibited substantial potential and is presently a central focus in research for generating versatile NPs applicable across a broad spectrum of applications. In this scientific contribution, we, for the first time, examined the ability of Aconitum Laeve (A. Laeve) crude extract to synthesize silver and gold nanoparticles (AgNPs@AL; AuNP@AL) and explored their potential applications in biological activities and the catalytic degradation of environmental pollutants. The synthesized NPs exhibited a distinctive surface plasmon resonance pattern, a spherical morphology with approximate sizes of 5-10 nm (TEM imaging), a crystalline architecture (XRD analysis), and potential functional groups identified by FTIR spectroscopy. The antibacterial activity was demonstrated by inhibition zones that measured 16 and 14 mm for the AgNPs@AL and AuNP@AL at a concentration of 80 µg/mL against Staphylococcus aureus and 14 and 12 mm against Escherichia coli, respectively. The antioxidant potential of the synthesized NPs was evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2-Phenyl-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl 3-Oxide (PTIO), and 3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) assays. Our findings suggest that the AuNP@AL effectively countered the tested radicals considerably, displaying IC50 values of 115.9, 103.54, and 180.85 µg/mL against DPPH, PTIO, and ABTS, respectively. In contrast, the AgNPs@AL showed IC50 values of 144.9, 116.36, and 95.39 µg/mL against the respective radicals. In addition, both the NPs presented significant effectiveness in the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue and rhodamine B. The overall observations indicate that A. Laeve possesses a robust capability to synthesize spherical nanoparticles, exhibiting excellent dispersion and showcasing potential applications in both biological activities and environmental remediation.

Nanomedomics

Nanomaterials have attractive physicochemical properties. A variety of nanomaterials such as inorganic, lipid, polymers, and protein nanoparticles have been widely developed for nanomedicine via chemical conjugation or physical encapsulation of bioactive molecules. Superior to traditional drugs, nanomedicines offer high biocompatibility, good water solubility, long blood circulation times, and tumor-targeting properties. Capitalizing on this, several nanoformulations have already been clinically approved and many others are currently being studied in clinical trials. Despite their undoubtful success, the molecular mechanism of action of the vast majority of nanomedicines remains poorly understood. To tackle this limitation, herein, this review critically discusses the strategy of applying multiomics analysis to study the mechanism of action of nanomedicines, named nanomedomics, including advantages, applications, and future directions. A comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanism could provide valuable insight and therefore foster the development and clinical translation of nanomedicines.

Metabolomics-derived biomarkers for biosafety assessment of Gd-based nanoparticle magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents

With the rapid development of nanotechnology and biomedicine, numerous gadolinium (Gd)-based nanoparticle MRI contrast agents have been widely investigated. Due to the unique physicochemical properties of nanoparticles and the complexity of biological systems, the biosafety of Gd-based nanoparticle MRI contrast agents has been paid more and more attention. Herein, for the first time, we employed an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight/mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-QTOF/MS)-based metabolomics approach to investigate the potential toxicity of Gd-based nanoparticle MRI contrast agents. In this work, NaGdF4 and PEG-NaGdF4 nanoparticles were successfully constructed and selected as the representative Gd-based nanoparticle MRI contrast agents for the metabolomics analysis. Based on the results of metabolomics, more metabolic biomarkers and pathways were identified in the NaGdF4 group than those in the PEG-NaGdF4 group. Careful analysis of these metabolic biomarkers and pathways suggested that NaGdF4 nanoparticles induced disturbance of pyrimidine and purine metabolism, inflammatory response, and kidney injury to a certain extent compared with PEG-NaGdF4 nanoparticles. These results indicated that Gd-based nanoparticle contrast agents modified with PEG had better biosafety. Additionally, it was demonstrated that the discovery of characteristic metabolomics biomarkers induced by nanoparticles would provide a new approach for biosafety assessment and stimulate the development of nanomedicine.

Unveiling potentially convergent key events related to adverse outcome pathways induced by silver nanoparticles via cross-species omics-scale analysis

The adverse effects of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been studied in various models. However, there has been discordance between molecular responses across the literature, attributed to methodological biases and the physicochemical variability of AgNPs. In this study, a gene pathway meta-analysis was conducted to identify convergent and divergent key events (KEs) associated with AgNPs and explore common patterns of these KEs across species. We performed a cross-species analysis of transcriptomic data from multiple studies involving various AgNPs exposure. Pathway enrichment analysis revealed a set of pathways linked to oxidative stress, apoptosis, and metabolite and lipid metabolism, which are considered potentially conserved KEs across species. Subsequently, experiments confirmed that oxidative stress responses could be early KEs in both Caenorhabditis elegans and HepG2 cells. Moreover, AgNPs preferentially impaired the mitochondria, as evidenced by mitochondrial fragmentation and dysfunction. Furthermore, disruption of amino acids, nucleotides, sulfur compounds, glycerolipids, and glycerophospholipids metabolism were in good agreement with gene pathway shreds of evidence. Our findings imply that, although there may be organism-specific responses, potentially conserved events could exist regardless of species and physicochemical factors. These results provide valuable insights into the development of adverse outcome pathways of AgNPs across species and the regulatory toxicity of AgNPs.

Implications of ferroptosis in silver nanoparticle-induced cytotoxicity of macrophages

Metal nanoparticles (NPs) are widely used in daily life and commercial activities owing to their unique physicochemical properties. Consequently, there is an increasing risk of daily and occupational exposure to metal NPs, which raises concerns regarding their health hazards. Programmed cell deaths (PCDs) have been clarified to be involved in metal NP-induced cytotoxicity, including apoptosis, autophagy, and pyroptosis. However, whether and how ferroptosis, a newly recognized PCD, contributes to metal NP-induced cell death remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the ferroptotic effects of two representative metal NPs, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), on macrophages in vitro. Our results revealed that AgNPs, rather than AuNPs, induced non-apoptotic PCD, accompanied by lipid peroxidation and iron homeostasis disorders, which are two hallmarks of ferroptosis, in macrophages. Treatment with a ferroptosis inhibitor (ferrostatin-1) and iron chelator (deferoxamine) reversed AgNP-induced PCD, corroborating the induction of ferroptosis upon exposure to AgNPs. Moreover, our results revealed that smaller AgNPs elicited greater ferroptotic effects on macrophages than larger ones. Importantly, ferroptosis in AgNP-treated macrophages was mainly triggered by AgNPs per se rather than by Ag ions. Overall, our study highlights the ferroptotic effects elicited by AgNPs in macrophages, which will promote the understanding of their cytotoxic effects and facilitate the safer design of metal nanoproducts.

Silver Nanoparticle Surface Chemistry Determines Interactions with Human Serum Albumin and Cytotoxic Responses in Human Liver Cells

Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) are synthesized with a diversity of surface chemistries that mediate biochemical interactions and physiological response to the particles. In this work, silver engineered nanomaterials (AgENMs) are used to evaluate the role of surface charge in protein interactions and cellular cytotoxicity. The most abundant protein in blood, human serum albumin (HSA), was interacted with 40 nm AgENMs with a range of surface-charged coatings: positively charged branched polyethyleneimine (bPEI), negatively charged citrate (CIT), and circumneutral poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). HSA adsorption to AgENMs was monitored by UV-vis spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering, while changes to the protein structure were evaluated with circular dichroism spectroscopy. Binding affinity for citrate-coated AgENMs and HSA is largest among the three AgENM coatings; yet, HSA lost the most secondary structure upon interaction with bPEI-coated AgENMs compared to the other two coatings. HSA increased AgENM oxidative dissolution across all particle types, with the greatest dissolution for citrate-coated AgENMs. Results indicate that surface coating is an important consideration in transformation of both the particle and protein upon interaction. To connect results to cellular outcomes, we also performed cytotoxicity experiments with HepG2 cells across all three AgENM types with and without HSA. Results show that bPEI-coated AgENMs cause the greatest loss of cell viability, both with and without inclusion of HSA with the AgENMs. Thus, surface coatings on AgENMs alter both biophysical interactions with proteins and particle cytotoxicity. Within this study set, positively charged bPEI-coated AgENMs cause the greatest disruption to HSA structure and cell viability.

Crosstalk between the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) as a key factor in the metabolism of silver nanoparticles in neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) cells in vitro

The potential usefulness of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in anticancer therapy has been postulated for many years. However, little is known to date about the exact impact of such NPs on intracellular detoxication pathways. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the impact of AgNPs on the AhR-PPARγ-CYP1A1 pathway in neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) cells. The obtained results showed a decrease in the metabolic activity of the SH-SY5Y cells at the 50 and 100 μg/mL concentrations with an increase in caspase-3 activity. An increase in the intercellular ROS production was observed at the 1 and 10 μg/mL concentrations. The co-treatment of the AgNP-treated cells with the AhR and PPARγ inhibitors abolished the effect of the tested AgNPs in the SH-SY5Y cells. In turn, the CYP1A1 activity assay showed a decrease in this parameter in the AgNP-treated cells. Moreover, the gene expression analysis demonstrated that AgNPs were able to increase the AhR and CYP1A1 mRNA expression and decrease the PPARγ gene expression after the 6-h treatment. In turn, an increase in the AhR and PPARγ protein expression was observed after 24 h. Summarizing, the study shows for the first time that AgNPs with a 5-nm diameter size are able to exert a cytotoxic effect on SH-SH5Y cells in a ROS-dependent manner affect the AhR-PPARγ-CYP1A1 pathway inter alia by inhibiting the activity of CYP1A1. This is important due to given present research approaches using such NPs as enhancer agents in the modern PPARγ inhibitor-based anticancer therapy.

Detection, prevention and treatment of COVID-19 and opportunities for nanobiotechnology

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the number of confirmed cases and deaths has increased globally at a dramatic speed. In view of the serious health threat to humans, this review discusses the state-of-the-art studies about fighting this disease. It summarizes the current strategies and recent advances in detecting, preventing, and treating COVID-19 and interprets the underlying mechanisms in detail. Detection of COVID-19 can be successfully achieved by multiple techniques such as polymerase chain reaction, computed tomography imaging, and nano-biosensing. Inactivated virus vaccine, nucleic acid vaccine, and different nanoparticles have been employed to effectively prevent COVID-19. A variety of agents such as antiviral agents, neutralizing antibodies, and nanotherapeutics have been developed to treat COVID-19 with exciting efficacy. Although nanobiotechnology has shown great potential in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of COVID-19, efforts should be made to explore new biocompatible nano-biomaterials to advance this field to clinical applications. Hence, nanobiotechnology paves a new way to detect, prevent, and treat COVID-19 effectively.

Antiviral Properties of Silver Nanoparticles against SARS-CoV-2: Effects of Surface Coating and Particle Size

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread rapidly and led to over 5 million deaths to date globally. Due to the successively emerging mutant strains, therapeutics and prevention against the causative virus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), are urgently needed. Prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection in public and hospital areas is essential to reduce the frequency of infections. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with virucidal effects have been reported. Therefore, we investigated the virucidal activity and safety of ten types of AgNPs with different surface modifications and particle sizes, in cells exposed to SARS-CoV-2 in vitro. The AgNPs could effectively inhibit the activity of SARS-CoV-2, and different surface modifications and particle sizes conferred different virucidal effects, of which 50-nm BPEI showed the strongest antiviral effect. We concluded that the efficacy of each type of AgNP type was positively correlated with the corresponding potential difference (R² = 0.82). These in vitro experimental data provide scientific support for the development of therapeutics against COVID-19, as well as a research basis for the development of broad-spectrum virucides. Given the increasing acquired resistance of pathogens against conventional chemical and antibody-based drugs, AgNPs may well be a possible solution for cutting off the route of transmission, either as an external material or a potential medicine.

Inhibition of DNA replication initiation by silver nanoclusters

Silver nanoclusters (AgNCs) have outstanding physicochemical characteristics, including the ability to interact with proteins and DNA. Given the growing number of diagnostic and therapeutic applications of AgNCs, we evaluated the impact of AgNCs on DNA replication and DNA damage response in cell-free extracts prepared from unfertilized Xenopus laevis eggs. We find that, among a number of silver nanomaterials, AgNCs uniquely inhibited genomic DNA replication and abrogated the DNA replication checkpoint in cell-free extracts. AgNCs did not affect nuclear membrane or nucleosome assembly. AgNCs-supplemented extracts showed a strong defect in the loading of the mini chromosome maintenance (MCM) protein complex, the helicase that unwinds DNA ahead of replication forks. FLAG-AgNCs immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry analysis of AgNCs associated proteins demonstrated direct interaction between MCM and AgNCs. Our studies indicate that AgNCs directly prevent the loading of MCM, blocking pre-replication complex (pre-RC) assembly and subsequent DNA replication initiation. Collectively, our findings broaden the scope of silver nanomaterials experimental applications, establishing AgNCs as a novel tool to study chromosomal DNA replication.

Manually curated transcriptomics data collection for toxicogenomic assessment of engineered nanomaterials

Toxicogenomics (TGx) approaches are increasingly applied to gain insight into the possible toxicity mechanisms of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs). Omics data can be valuable to elucidate the mechanism of action of chemicals and to develop predictive models in toxicology. While vast amounts of transcriptomics data from ENM exposures have already been accumulated, a unified, easily accessible and reusable collection of transcriptomics data for ENMs is currently lacking. In an attempt to improve the FAIRness of already existing transcriptomics data for ENMs, we curated a collection of homogenized transcriptomics data from human, mouse and rat ENM exposures in vitro and in vivo including the physicochemical characteristics of the ENMs used in each study.