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DOI: 10.1055/s-0033-1357053
Surface modifications of nanoparticles are crucial for their pro-inflammatory and adjuvant properties in a mouse allergy model
Background: In recent years engineered nanomaterials have been widely used in the fields of biomedicine, pharmaceutical, and manufacture industry and introduced into a variety of commercial daily products, such as textile, cosmetics and food packaging. The increasing use of nanomaterials, however, has raised the question whether these nanoparticles may lead to a human health hazard.
Aim: To assess the potential health hazard of NPs exposure in allergic airway diseases.
Methods: Mice were sensitized by four repetitive intraperitoneal injections of 1 µg OVA/alum over 42 days. Mice were then intratracheally instilled with plain or surface modified silica (SiO2), silver or zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) NPs at concentrations of 10 – 100 µg/mouse, followed by allergen aerosol-challenge (20 min; 10 mg/ml OVA). Twenty-four hours or five days later, allergic inflammation was measured by lung function analysis, cell differentiation of broncho-alveolar fluid (BALF), histology and determination of lung cytokines/chemokines.
Results: Silica and silver nanoparticles induced pro-inflammatory and adjuvant effects in vivo, highlighted by enhanced infiltration of inflammatory cells in the BALF, increased airway resistance, induction of a pulmonary Th2-cytokine pattern and by morphological and structural changes in the lung of sensitized mice. These effects were strongly attenuated by surface modifications with amino and phosphate groups for silica nanoparticles, or with citrate for silver nanoparticles. On the contrary, zirconium dioxide nanoparticles showed minimal enhancing effect on allergic airway inflammation.
Conclusion: Our data suggest that surface modifications of engineered SiO2 and silver nanoparticles mitigate their pro-inflammatory and adjuvant effect in allergic airway inflammation, paving the way for new strategies in the production of nanomaterials with lower health impact for humans.
Supported by German Federal Ministry of Education BMBF, NanoGEM Project, FKZ 03X0105 and Kuehne Foundation (CKcare)