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Cytotoxicity of semiconductor nanoparticles in A549 cells is attributable to their intrinsic oxidant activity

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Abstract

Copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) and cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanoparticles (NP) are next generation semiconductors used in photovoltaic cells (PV). They possess high quantum efficiency, absorption coefficient, and cheaper manufacturing costs compared to silicon. Due to their potential for an industrial development and the lack of information about the risk associated in their use, we investigated the influence of the physicochemical characteristics of CIGS (9 nm) and CdS (20 nm) in relation to the induction of cytotoxicity in human alveolar A549 cells through ROS generation and mitochondrial dysfunction. CIGS induced cytotoxicity in a dose dependent manner in lower concentrations than CdS; both NP were able to induce ROS in A549. Moreover, CIGS interact directly with mitochondria inducing depolarization that leads to the induction of apoptosis compared to CdS. Antioxidant pretreatment significantly prevented the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and cytotoxicity, suggesting ROS generation as the main cytotoxic mechanism. These results demonstrate that semiconductor characteristics of NP are crucial for the type and intensity of the cytotoxic effects. Our work provides relevant information that may help guide the production of a safer NP-based PV technologies, and would be a valuable resource on future risk assessment for a safer use of nanotechnology in the development of clean sources of renewable energy.

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Acknowledgements

This research project was supported partially by Project No. ICyT-DF 396/10.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Toxicología, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN (CINVESTAV-IPN), P.O. Box 14-740, Av. Instituto Politécnico Nacional 2508, Col. San Pedro Zacatenco, C.P. 07360, Mexico, DF, Mexico

    Vicente Escamilla-Rivera, Marisela Uribe-Ramirez & Andrea De Vizcaya-Ruiz

  2. Unidad de Microscopia Electrónica (LaNSE), CINVESTAV-IPN, Mexico, DF, Mexico

    Sirenia Gonzalez-Pozos

  3. Departamento de Ingeniería Eléctrica, CINVESTAV-IPN, Mexico, DF, Mexico

    Subramaniam Velumani

  4. Departamento de Biociencias e Ingeniería, Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigaciones y Estudios sobre Medio Ambiente y Desarrollo del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CIIEMAD-IPN), Mexico, DF, Mexico

    Laura Arreola-Mendoza

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  1. Vicente Escamilla-Rivera
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  2. Marisela Uribe-Ramirez
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  3. Sirenia Gonzalez-Pozos
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  4. Subramaniam Velumani
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  5. Laura Arreola-Mendoza
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  6. Andrea De Vizcaya-Ruiz
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Correspondence to Andrea De Vizcaya-Ruiz.

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Escamilla-Rivera, V., Uribe-Ramirez, M., Gonzalez-Pozos, S. et al. Cytotoxicity of semiconductor nanoparticles in A549 cells is attributable to their intrinsic oxidant activity. J Nanopart Res 18, 85 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-016-3391-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-016-3391-4

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