Cytotoxicity and altered c-myc gene expression by medical polyacrylamide hydrogel.

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Toxicology
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Medical Polyacrylamide Hydrogel (PAMG) is utilized in aesthetic surgery, but its safety remains a concern.
• Residual acrylamide monomer (AM) and potential cytotoxicity are key safety considerations for PAMG.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a method for quantifying residual AM in PAMG using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).
• To investigate the cytotoxicity of PAMG on normal human fibroblasts.
• To explore the underlying mechanisms of PAMG-induced toxicity, including cellular changes and gene expression.

Main Methods:

• High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) for residual acrylamide monomer (AM) detection.
• Cell counting and MTT assays to evaluate PAMG cytotoxicity.
• Flow cytometry (FCM) to analyze cell membrane changes and physical parameters.
• Real-time PCR to determine the mRNA expression of specific genes (p53, beta-actin, c-myc).

Main Results:

• HPLC method is practical, simple, and sensitive (ppb level) for AM determination in PAMG.
• PAMG inhibits human fibroblast growth and may induce apoptosis.
• PAMG alters fibroblast cell size and granularity.
• PAMG increases c-myc mRNA expression, while p53 and beta-actin levels remain unchanged, independent of AM concentration.

Conclusions:

• The developed HPLC method is suitable for quality control of PAMG.
• PAMG exhibits cytotoxicity towards human fibroblasts, affecting cell viability and morphology.
• The observed gene expression changes suggest a complex biological response to PAMG, potentially mediated by components other than residual AM.