The species origin of the serum in the culture medium influences the in vitro toxicity of silica nanoparticles to HepG2 cells

The formation of a protein corona around nanoparticles can influence their toxicity, triggering cellular responses that may be totally different from those elicited by pristine nanoparticles. The main objective of this study was to investigate whether the species origin of the serum proteins forming the corona influences the in vitro toxicity assessment of silica nanoparticles. Coronas were preformed around nanoparticles before cell exposures by incubation in fetal bovine (FBS) or human (HS) serum. The compositions of these protein coronas were assessed by nano-LC MS/MS. The effects of these protein-coated nanoparticles on HepG2 cells were monitored using real-time cell impedance technology. The nanoparticle coronas formed in human or fetal bovine serum comprised many homologous proteins. Using human compared with fetal bovine serum, nanoparticle toxicity in HepG2 cells decreased by 4-fold and 1.5-fold, when used at 50 and 10μg/mL, respectively. It is likely that “markers of self” are present in the serum and are recognized by human cell receptors. Preforming a corona with human serum seems to be more appropriate for in vitro toxicity testing of potential nanocarriers using human cells. In vitro cytotoxicity assays must reflect in vivo conditions as closely as possible to provide solid and useful results.