Early Nano Detection of Liver Toxicity and Injury

Abstract

Nanotechnology increases the biological applications of nanomaterials, especially in the field of nanomedicine. An efficient method for early detection of liver toxicity and prevention of irreversible damage is important. For developing a measurement of liver toxicity in a faster and more convenient way, we used a Trans-Epithelial Electrical Resistance (TER) and Light Addressable Potentiometric Sensor (LAPS) technical platform to set up an early detection of liver toxicity via nanotechnology. The liver toxicity measurements with in-vitro method included Methyl Tetrazolium Bromide (MTB) assay and Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) cytotoxicity assay, and acetaminophen or graphene-based nanomaterials were used. LDH cytotoxicity assay in primary hepatocyte of SD-rat was checked its release on 4 hours and 24 hours after TiO 2 was added. The liver cells toxicity with addition of acetaminophen was detected after 48~72 hours and 16~24 hours later.The effect of graphene nanoplatelets on the TER value of the C 3 A cell monolayer was also performed. The results showed that at 4 hours there was no elevation of LDH cytotoxicity. However, at 24 hours the LDH cytotoxicity significantly elevated that was proportional to the concentration of TiO 2 . The cells treated with 500 ug/ml acetaminophen lost about 45% of viability compared to those cells exposed to 1,000 ug/ml acetaminophen lost about 60% of viability. Cytotoxic effects of the graphene nanoplatelets were reflected by the TER value of the cell monolayer much earlier than they were reflected by the LDH release. The MTT assay results indicated that the order of cytotoxicity was graphene < graphene -OH < graphene-NH 2 . Our conclusions are TER measurement has faster detection rate for the cell toxicity that can be significant to detect the mortality and cytotoxicity of cultured hepatocytes. Cytotoxic effects of the graphene nanoplatelets could be detected by the TER, and they were detected early than reflected by the LDH release.