Evaluation of genotoxic and immunotoxic activities of potential glucose biosensor components: ferrocenes

Three ferrocenes used in glucose biosensor construction were tested in the aspect of genotoxic and immunotoxic activities. All three ferrocenes were not mutagenic in the standard bacterial Ames test. Equally in the Sister Chromatid Exchanges test in human lymphocyte cultures, the genotoxic action of tested ferrocenes could be excluded. However, all three significantly decreased the rate of lymphocyte proliferation and especially diminished the numbers of B-lymphocytes and NK-cells after 72 hours of in vitro culture. Marked differences between the ferrocenes in their immunotoxic activities were noticed, and we were able to select those which would be relatively safe and those which should be avoided in further investigation of the glucose biosensor construction. Our results indicate the necessity to estimate immunotoxic effects as well as genotoxic effects, especially in biosensor components potentially used in vivo.