Nanosilver suppresses growth and induces oxidative damage to DNA in Caenorhabditis elegans

Published

May 2, 2013

Author(s)

Bryant C. Nelson, Bryce J. Marquis, Piper R. Hunt, Katherine M. Tyner, Sean Conklin, Nicholas Olejnik, Robert L. Sprando

Abstract

The utility of C. elegans as an alternative model to assess nanomaterial toxicity was evaluated using 10 nm silver particles (10nmAg). Endpoints of nanomaterial uptake and localization, larval growth, morphology, and DNA damage were assessed. Orally ingested 10nmAg localized to the lumen and tissues of the digestive tract. 10nmAg at concentrations of 10 µg/mL and above reduced the growth of C. elegans larvae, but not as much as ionic silver. 10nmAg preparations later identified to contain endotoxin were much more toxic than endotoxin-free preparations. Finally, both endotoxin-free and endotoxin contaminated lots of 10nmAg induced similar DNA damage as measured by 8-OH guanine levels. Our data suggest that localization and morphology assessments, medium-throughput growth screening, and DNA damage analysis in C. elegans could together provide powerful tools for rapid assessment of nanoparticle toxicity.

Citation

Nanotoxicology

Volume

33

Issue

10

Pub Type

Journals

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Keywords

nanosilver, silver ions, growth suppression, DNA damage

Citation

Nelson, B. , Marquis, B. , Hunt, P. , Tyner, K. , Conklin, S. , Olejnik, N. and Sprando, R. (2013), Nanosilver suppresses growth and induces oxidative damage to DNA in Caenorhabditis elegans, Nanotoxicology, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=911912 (Accessed October 13, 2025)