Investigation of DNA damage in cells exposed to poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) microspheres

Poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)-based materials are widely investigated for drug delivery and tissue engineering applications. Despite their popularity the genotoxic potential of PLGA has not been investigated. In this study, the comet assay, a sensitive assay for DNA damage, was used to evaluate potential genotoxicity in model cell types exposed to PLGA microspheres. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) cells were exposed to PLGA microspheres (0.4-6 mg/mL) and DNA damage assessed at 24 h, 4 days, and 7 days. DNA damage was not identified after 24 h. However, after 4 and 7 days of exposure to 2 and 6 mg/mL of PLGA microspheres a significant elevation of DNA damage in both cell types was observed. The PLGA microspheres did not exhibit any cytotoxic effects on the cells under the conditions tested. Our results suggest that PLGA may have a genotoxic effect on cells. A broader investigation of the PLGA genotoxic profile in biological systems is needed. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 105A: 284-291, 2017.