Nanotoxicology: Towards Safety by Design

Zebrafish Models for the Safety and Therapeutic Testing of Nanoparticles with a Focus on Macrophages

New nanoparticles and biomaterials are increasingly being used in biomedical research for drug delivery, diagnostic applications, or vaccines, and they are also present in numerous commercial products, in the environment and workplaces. Thus, the evaluation of the safety and possible therapeutic application of these nanomaterials has become of foremost importance for the proper progress of nanotechnology. Due to economical and ethical issues, in vitro and in vivo methods are encouraged for the testing of new compounds and/or nanoparticles, however in vivo models are still needed. In this scenario, zebrafish (Danio rerio) has demonstrated potential for toxicological and pharmacological screenings. Zebrafish presents an innate immune system, from early developmental stages, with conserved macrophage phenotypes and functions with respect to humans. This fact, combined with the transparency of zebrafish, the availability of models with fluorescently labelled macrophages, as well as a broad variety of disease models offers great possibilities for the testing of new nanoparticles. Thus, with a particular focus on macrophage-nanoparticle interaction in vivo, here, we review the studies using zebrafish for toxicological and biodistribution testing of nanoparticles, and also the possibilities for their preclinical evaluation in various diseases, including cancer and autoimmune, neuroinflammatory, and infectious diseases.

Nanotoxicology and challenges of translation

This paper focuses on the processes of translation in nanomedical research practices and contributes to a context- and object-centred research agenda in Science and Technology Studies. In particular, it addresses how nano-specific issues in medical research are exacerbated by uncertainty and unpredictability. Analyzing the relationship between nanomedicine and nanotoxicology I discuss how scientists are involved in highly uncertain processes, which require a contingent and experimental approach to nano-objects in everyday laboratory practices. Consequently, the dealings with nanomedical materials evoke a reformulation of numerous traditional forms of toxicological knowledge and knowledge practices, and challenge the self-concept of toxicology as a testing discipline.