JBIC Journal of Biological Inorganic Chemistry

, Volume 22, Issue 6, pp 893–918 | Cite as

Surface modification minimizes the toxicity of silver nanoparticles: an in vitro and in vivo study

  • Balaram Das
  • Satyajit Tripathy
  • Jaydeep Adhikary
  • Sourav Chattopadhyay
  • Debasis Mandal
  • Sandeep Kumar Dash
  • Sabyasachi Das
  • Aditi Dey
  • Sankar Kumar Dey
  • Debasis Das
  • Somenath Roy
Original Paper
First Online:
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

Currently toxicological research in Silver nanoparticle is a leading issue in medical science. The surface chemistry and physical dimensions of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) play an important role in toxicity. The aim of this present study was to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo toxicity of Ag-NPs as well as the alteration of toxicity profile due to surface functionalization (PEG and BSA) and the intracellular signaling pathways involved in nanoparticles mediated oxidative stress and apoptosis in vitro and in vivo system. Ag-NPs released excess Ag+ ions leads to activation of NADPH oxidase and helps in generating the reactive oxygen species (ROS). Silver nanoparticles elicit the production of excess amount of ROS results activation of TNF-α. Ag-NPs activates caspase-3 and 9 which are the signature of mitochondrial pathway. Ag-NPs are responsible to decrease the antioxidant enzymes and imbalance the oxidative status into the cells but functionalization with BSA and PEG helps to protect the adverse effect of Ag-NPs on the cells. This study suggested that Ag-NPs are toxic to normal cells which directly lead with human health. Surface functionalization may open the gateway for further use of Ag-NPs in different area such as antimicrobial and anticancer therapy, industrial use or in biomedical sciences.

Keywords

Silver nanoparticles Surface functionalization Toxicity Oxidative stress Apoptosis 

Abbreviations

AAS

Atomic absorption spectra

AgNO3

Silver nitrate

Ag-NPs

Silver nanoparticles

AO

Acridine orange

BSA

Bovine serum albumin

DLS

Dynamic light scattering

Et-Br

Ethedium bromide

FTIR

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

GSH

Reduced glutathione

GSSG

Oxidized glutathione

MDA

Malondialdehyde

MTT

3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide

NO

Nitric oxide

PBMC

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells

PBS

Phosphate buffer saline

PEG

Poly ethylene glycol

ROS

Reactive oxygen species

RPMI 1640

Roswell Park Memorial Institute (RPMI) 1640

SEM

Scanning electron microscopy

TEM

Transmission electron microscopy

TNF-α

Tumor necrosis factor alpha

XRD

X-ray diffraction

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Notes

Acknowledgements

The authors express gratefulness to the USIC, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore and CRNN, University of Calcutta for providing the facilities to execute these studies. We are heartily thankful to Dr. Dipankar Chattopadhyay, University of Calcutta, 92, A. P. C. Road, Kolkata-700 009, India.

Compliance with ethical standards

Conflict of interest

Authors declare that there are no conflicts of interests.

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Copyright information

© SBIC 2017

Authors and Affiliations

  • Balaram Das
    • 1
  • Satyajit Tripathy
    • 1
    • 5
  • Jaydeep Adhikary
    • 2
    • 4
  • Sourav Chattopadhyay
    • 1
  • Debasis Mandal
    • 1
  • Sandeep Kumar Dash
    • 1
  • Sabyasachi Das
    • 1
  • Aditi Dey
    • 1
  • Sankar Kumar Dey
    • 3
  • Debasis Das
    • 2
  • Somenath Roy
    • 1
  1. 1.Immunology and Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Human Physiology with Community HealthVidyasagar UniversityMidnaporeIndia
  2. 2.Department of ChemistryCalcutta UniversityKolkataIndia
  3. 3.Department of PhysiologySantal Bidroha Sardha Satabarsiki MahavidyalayaPaschim MidnaporeIndia
  4. 4.Department of Chemical SciencesAriel UniversityArielIsrael
  5. 5.Department of PhysiologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingUSA

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