In-vitro cytotoxicity of nickel oxide nanoparticles against L-6 cell-lines: MMP, MTT and ROS studies

Functional Tea Extract Inhibits Cell Growth, Induces Apoptosis, and Causes G0/G1 Arrest in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Line Possibly through Reduction in Telomerase Activity

The functional tea CFT-1 has been introduced into China as a nutraceutical beverage according to the "Healthy China" national project. The effects on human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells remain unclear and were investigated with the functional tea extract (purity > 98%). The morphological changes in the cells were observed with microscopes. Cell proliferation, migration, cycle distribution, and apoptotic effects were assessed by MTT, Transwell assays, and flow cytometry, respectively, while telomerase inhibition was evaluated with telomerase PCR ELISA assay kits. The CFT-1 treatment resulted in cell shrinkage, nuclear pyknosis, and chromatin condensation. CFT-1 suppressed the growth of Hep3B cells with IC50 of 143 μg/mL by inducing apoptosis and G0/G1 arrest in Hep3B cells. As for the molecular mechanism, CFT-1 treatment can effectively reduce the telomerase activity. The functional tea extract inhibits cell growth in human HCC by inducing apoptosis and G0/G1 arrest, possibly through a reduction in telomerase activity. These results indicate that CFT-1 extract exhibited in vitro anticancer activities and provided insights into the future development and utilization of CFT-1 as functional foods to inhibit the proliferation of HCC cells.

The pulmonary effects of nickel-containing nanoparticles: Cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, carcinogenicity, and their underlying mechanisms

With the exponential growth of the nanotechnology field, the global nanotechnology market is on an upward track with fast-growing jobs. Nickel (Ni)-containing nanoparticles (NPs), an important class of transition metal nanoparticles, have been extensively used in industrial and biomedical fields due to their unique nanostructural, physical, and chemical properties. Millions of people have been/are going to be exposed to Ni-containing NPs in occupational and non-occupational settings. Therefore, there are increasing concerns over the hazardous effects of Ni-containing NPs on health and the environment. The respiratory tract is a major portal of entry for Ni-containing NPs; thus, the adverse effects of Ni-containing NPs on the respiratory system, especially the lungs, have been a focus of scientific study. This review summarized previous studies, published before December 1, 2023, on cytotoxic, genotoxic, and carcinogenic effects of Ni-containing NPs on humans, lung cells in vitro, and rodent lungs in vivo, and the potential underlying mechanisms were also included. In addition, whether these adverse effects were induced by NPs themselves or Ni ions released from the NPs was also discussed. The extra-pulmonary effects of Ni-containing NPs were briefly mentioned. This review will provide us with a comprehensive view of the pulmonary effects of Ni-containing NPs and their underlying mechanisms, which will shed light on our future studies, including the urgency and necessity to produce engineering Ni-containing NPs with controlled and reduced toxicity, and also provide the scientific basis for developing nanoparticle exposure limits and policies.

Nanoparticles for cancer therapy: a review of influencing factors and evaluation methods for biosafety

Nanoparticles are widely used in the biomedical field for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes due to their small size, high carrier capacity, and ease of modification, which enable selective targeting and as contrast agents. Over the past decades, more and more nanoparticles have received regulatory approval to enter the clinic, more nanoparticles have shown potential for clinical translation, and humans have increasing access to them. However, nanoparticles have a high potential to cause unpredictable adverse effects on human organs, tissues, and cells due to their unique physicochemical properties and interactions with DNA, lipids, cells, tissues, proteins, and biological fluids. Currently, issues, such as nanoparticle side effects and toxicity, remain controversial, and these pitfalls must be fully considered prior to their application to body systems. Therefore, it is particularly urgent and important to assess the safety of nanoparticles acting in living organisms. In this paper, we review the important factors influencing the biosafety of nanoparticles in terms of their properties, and introduce common methods to summarize the biosafety evaluation of nanoparticles through in vitro and in body systems.