A Multi-Omics Approach to Evaluate the Toxicity Mechanisms Associated with Silver Nanoparticles Exposure

Abstract

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are currently used in many different industrial, commercial and health fields, mainly due to their antibacterial properties. Due to this widespread use, humans and the environment are increasingly exposed to these types of nanoparticles, which is the reason why the evaluation of the potential toxicity associated with AgNPs is of great importance. Although some of the toxic effects induced by AgNPs have already been shown, the elucidation of more complete mechanisms is yet to be achieved. In this sense, and since the integration of metabolomics and transcriptomics approaches constitutes a very useful strategy, in the present study targeted and untargeted metabolomics and DNA microarrays assays have been combined to evaluate the molecular mechanisms involved in the toxicity induced by 10 nm AgNPs. The results have shown that AgNPs induce the synthesis of glutathione as a cellular defense mechanism to face the oxidative environment, while inducing the depletion of relevant molecules implicated in the synthesis of important antioxidants. In addition, it has been observed that AgNPs completely impair the intracellular energetic metabolism, especially affecting the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and disrupting the tricarboxylic acids cycle. It has been demonstrated that AgNPs exposure also affects the glycolysis pathway. The effect on such pathway differs depending on the step of the cycle, which a significant increase in the levels of glucose as way to counterbalance the depleted levels of ATP.

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“…An integrative analysis of multi-omics data is emerging to further elucidate the underlying molecular pathways affected by ENMs in living systems [ 134 , 135 , 136 ]. A combination of proteomics and metabolomics approaches was used to evaluate the effects of AuNPs, 5 and 30 nm citrate-capped spheres in Caco 2 cells after 72 h exposure.…”

Recycling of Hazelnut Husk; from Bio‐waste to Phyto‐Assisted Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles

“…Especially, its antibacterial properties play an important role in its use in many areas such as medicine, textile, food packaging, agriculture, and cosmetics. [17] When the antibacterial properties of AgNPs were examined, it was seen that they had anticancer properties as well as antibacterial, effectively causing cell deregulation on a significant scale, damaging the cell, or causing its death. [18] Besides its general use, its antibacterial properties have brought a new perspective to the fact that silver nanoparticles prevent postoperative contamination in wounded tissue.…”

“…Many properties of AgNPs, such as antibacterial, physical, and chemical, allow them to be used in different areas. Especially, its antibacterial properties play an important role in its use in many areas such as medicine, textile, food packaging, agriculture, and cosmetics [17] …”