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Reactive Oxygen Species-Mediated DNA Damage and Apoptosis in Human Skin Epidermal Cells After Exposure to Nickel Nanoparticles

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Abstract

Nickel nanoparticles (NiNPs) are increasingly used in various applications due to their unique properties. However, there is little information concerning the toxicity of NiNPs in the human skin cell (A431). The present study was designed to investigate the cytotoxicity, apoptosis, and DNA damage due to NiNPs in A431 cells. A cellular proliferative capacity test showed that NiNPs induce significant cytotoxicity in a dose- and time-dependent manner. NiNPs were also found to induce oxidative stress evidenced by the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and depletion of glutathione (GSH). Further, co-treatment with the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) mitigated the ROS generation due to NiNPs, suggesting the potential mechanism of oxidative stress. NiNPs also induced significant elevation of lipid peroxidation, catalase, and superoxide dismutase and caspase-3 activity in A431 cells. In addition, NAC suppressed NiNP-induced caspase-3 activity. DNA fragmentation analysis using the comet assay showed that the NiNPs cause genotoxicity in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Therefore, the study points out the capability of the NiNPs to induce oxidative stress resulting in apoptosis and genotoxicity. This study warrants more careful assessment of NiNPs before their industrial applications.

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Acknowledgment

The authors would like to extend their sincere appreciation to the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Saud University for its funding of this research through the research group project no. RGP-VPP-180.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflicting interests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Box 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia

    Saud Alarifi, Daoud Ali, Saad Alakhtani & Entissar S. Al Suhaibani

  2. Department of Infection and Immunity, Research Center, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    Ahmed A. Al-Qahtani

Authors
  1. Saud Alarifi
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  2. Daoud Ali
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  3. Saad Alakhtani
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  4. Entissar S. Al Suhaibani
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  5. Ahmed A. Al-Qahtani
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Correspondence to Daoud Ali.

Additional information

Daoud Ali and Saud Alarifi contributed equally to this work.

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Alarifi, S., Ali, D., Alakhtani, S. et al. Reactive Oxygen Species-Mediated DNA Damage and Apoptosis in Human Skin Epidermal Cells After Exposure to Nickel Nanoparticles. Biol Trace Elem Res 157, 84–93 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-013-9871-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-013-9871-9

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