Volume 16, Issue 21 2000528
Full Paper

Mechanistic Differences in Cell Death Responses to Metal-Based Engineered Nanomaterials in Kupffer Cells and Hepatocytes

Xiang Wang

Xiang Wang

Division of NanoMedicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095 USA

California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095 USA

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Chong Hyun Chang

Chong Hyun Chang

California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095 USA

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Jinhong Jiang

Jinhong Jiang

California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095 USA

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Xiangsheng Liu

Xiangsheng Liu

Division of NanoMedicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095 USA

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Jiulong Li

Jiulong Li

Division of NanoMedicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095 USA

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Qi Liu

Qi Liu

Division of NanoMedicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095 USA

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Yu-Pei Liao

Yu-Pei Liao

Division of NanoMedicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095 USA

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Linjiang Li

Linjiang Li

California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095 USA

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André E. Nel

Corresponding Author

André E. Nel

Division of NanoMedicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095 USA

California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095 USA

E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]

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Tian Xia

Corresponding Author

Tian Xia

Division of NanoMedicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095 USA

California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095 USA

E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]

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First published: 26 April 2020
Citations: 48

Abstract

The mononuclear phagocyte system in the liver is a frequent target for nanoparticles (NPs). A toxicological profiling of metal-based NPs is performed in Kupffer cell (KC) and hepatocyte cell lines. Sixteen NPs are provided by the Nanomaterial Health Implications Research Consortium of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to study the toxicological effects in KUP5 (KC) and Hepa 1–6 cells. Five NPs (Ag, CuO, ZnO, SiO2, and V2O5) exhibit cytotoxicity in both cell types, while SiO2 and V2O5 induce IL-1β production in KC. Ag, CuO, and ZnO induced caspase 3 generated apoptosis in both cell types is accompanied by ion shedding and generation of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) in both cell types. However, the cell death response to SiO2 in KC differs by inducing pyroptosis as a result of potassium efflux, caspase 1 activation, NLRP3 inflammasome assembly, IL-1β release, and cleavage of gasdermin-D. This releases pore-performing peptide fragments responsible for pyroptotic cell swelling. Interestingly, although V2O5 induces IL-1β release and delays caspase 1 activation by vanadium ion interference in membrane Na+/K+ adenosine triphosphate (ATP)ase activity, the major cell death mechanism in KC (and Hepa 1–6) is caspase 3 mediated apoptosis. These findings improve the understanding of the mechanisms of metal-based engineered nanomaterial (ENM) toxicity in liver cells toward comprehensive safety evaluation.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest. IP developed by Dr. Nel was licensed to Westwood Bioscience and NAMMI Therapeutics by The Regents of UC. AN is co-founder, equity holder, and Executive Board member in Westwood Bioscience, Inc.

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