Toxicogenomic Profiles of Titania Nanotube Arrays on a Panel of Human Cell Lines

Titania nanotube arrays (TNA) have a great potential to be applied in nanomedicine due to their distinctive structure. Note that TNA nanometric topography plays a critical role in cellular stability and cell survival.... [ view full abstract ]

Titania nanotube arrays (TNA) have a great potential to be applied in nanomedicine due to their distinctive structure. Note that TNA nanometric topography plays a critical role in cellular stability and cell survival. Recently, the key concern is whether nanotubes array with titanium dioxide could present any cellular or molecular threat. Due to larger surface area properties, TNA may allow possible integration between cells and its biological components such as lipids, proteins and nucleic acids. Therefore, the present cell–TNA study focus on molecular risk assessments in various in vitro systems including epithelial, fibroblast and osteoblast cells. Data were collected and interpreted from Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), real-time PCR gene expression profiling, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunofluorescence staining, southern blot and western blot analyses. Initially, the SEM-EDX results showed cell’s adaptation response on TNA surface. Further analyses on genes and proteins predicts that cell-TNA cytoskeleton remodeling mechanisms may involve cell’s extracellular matrix tensile alterations, shear stiffness response, plasma membrane modulation, cell polarity and locomotor behaviors. Moreover, the nano-architecture structures of TNA showed could be beneficial to cells as a supply or storage route for nutrients and mediator growth signals. Furthermore, cell-TNA interaction also indicates the expression of genes and proteins involved in positive growth regulation via homeostatic proliferation response. Interestingly, the data from this findings stipulate cell-TNA molecular sensitivity in senescence-associated secretory phenotype could also reduce the inflammatory response. Thus, the intricate molecular mechanisms behind cell–TNA cellular response are crucial for positive cell growth with mechanosensitive activities. Molecular understanding of this nanomaterial is beneficial for further nanomaterial characterization in advanced medical applications.