Integrated approach to detect biological effects of exposure to Nanoparticles

ITQB- Seminar

Title: Integrated approach to detect biological effects of exposure to Nanoparticles

Speaker: Susana Cristobal

Affiliation: Dep. of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Sweden

Host: Mass Spectrometry Laboratory

Abstract:

Nanoparticles (NPs) and nanomaterials offer tremendous opportunities in
industry, medicine, and numerous other areas. However, the small size of
NPs, comparable with the molecular machinery of cells, can affect to the
cellular functions causing cyto- and genotoxicity. Therefore, the use of NPs
could provoke unknown risks to human and environmental health. The high
diversity of NPs indicates that the risk NPs pose will differ substantially
based on their specific properties. The aims of this project are: 1.The
complete characterization of different NPs by electron microscopy. 2.To
apply a yeast-based system to obtain information about cell viability, cyto-
and genotoxicity of exposure to NPs. This screening system could identify
and order in priority the physicochemical parameters resulting in biological
effects. 3. To develop an integrated OMICS approach to analyze changes at
the cellular level on primary cell cultures exposed to the selected NPs.
This strategy combines quantitative proteomics and lipidomics analyses, and
provides information about the cellular pathways altered, and the changes in
lipid and membrane fluidity after exposure. In this study, the toxic effects
of different sizes and concentrations of NPs (TiO2, ZnO, CuO, SWCNT, and
fullerene), and their respective bulk forms have been compared. The yeast
strain used is genetically modified and has a GFP fused to promoter RAD54
which is expressed upon mutagenicity. In addition, the viability of yeast
cell suspensions exposed to different concentrations of the test compounds
has been studied. Our preliminary results showed that the concentration and
physiochemical properties of the NPs define their toxicity in yeast cells.
More detailed information of the genotoxicity and cytotoxicity of the
compounds, and preliminary OMICS data will be discussed. In summary, our
approach combines: characterization of NPs, yeast-based screening of cyto-
and genotoxicity, and detection of the biological effects of exposure to
NPs. This project would provide knowledge of potential adverse effects of
exposure to NPs, but also explore an integrated strategy for the evaluation
of other emergent pollutant in human health.