Molecular nature of cytotoxicity of zinc oxide nanostructures

A comparative analysis of the molecular process of nanostructured zinc oxide of different shape (rod and spherical particle) and zinc chloride as a source of free ions on human lymphocytes was carried out. Our data indicated that ZnO nanostructures induced a decrease in the lymphocyte viability and an increase in the intracellular labile Zn 2+ pool in a concentration-dependent manner after 20 and 40 h incubation with cells. It was found that ZnO NRs have the lowest cytotoxicity, but ZnCl 2 - the highest. The Zn-mediated activation of free radical processes - ROS accumulation in the cells -is a possible mechanism of the cytotoxic action of these agents. Thus, the shape of ZnO nanomaterial and its ability “to shed” zinc ions make the main contribution to the detected molecular and membrane process on human lymphocytes in vitro .