Toxicity assessment of core-shell and superabsorbent polymers in cell-based systems

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Toxicology
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Occupational exposure to nanoscale materials necessitates toxicological assessment.
• Core-shell polymers like PMMA@P(MAA-co-EGDMA), P(nBMA-co-EGDMA)@PMMA, and P(MAA-co-EGDMA)@SiO2 have potential industrial applications.
• Characterizing the toxicological profile of these polymers is crucial for safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the acute toxic effects of specific core-shell polymers on cell viability.
• To assess the impact of these polymers on the cellular redox state in human endothelial cells (EA.hy926) and mouse macrophages (RAW264.7).

Main Methods:

• Exposure of EA.hy926 and RAW264.7 cells to core-shell polymers.
• Assessment of cell viability using standard assays.
• Analysis of a panel of redox biomarkers to evaluate cellular redox state, including protein carbonylation and lipid peroxidation.

Main Results:

• No acute toxic effects on cell viability were observed for any of the tested polymers.
• Polymers disrupted redox homeostasis in EA.hy926 cells, leading to increased protein carbonylation.
• P(nBMA-co-EGDMA)@PMMA induced disturbances in redox equilibrium and a triphasic dose-response in lipid peroxidation in RAW264.7 cells.
• P(MAA-co-EGDMA)@SiO2 activated cellular adaptive mechanisms against oxidative damage in RAW264.7 cells.

Conclusions:

• The studied core-shell polymers do not exhibit acute cytotoxicity.
• These materials modulate cellular redox state in a cell-specific manner, highlighting the need for detailed toxicological investigations.
• Further research is warranted to understand the long-term effects and mechanisms of interaction of these polymers with biological systems.