ArticleParticle and fibre toxicology2014
Size-dependent cytotoxicity of silver nanoparticles in human lung cells: the role of cellular uptake, agglomeration and Ag release.
Article in Particle and fibre toxicology, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 342 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
342 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 1,055 citations in OpenAlex.
- Analyzing Molecular Determinants of Nanodrugs' Cytotoxic Effects.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Pooled it
- Meta-Analysis of Cytotoxicity Studies Using Machine Learning Models on Physical Properties of Plant Extract-Derived Silver Nanoparticles.International journal of molecular sciences · 2023Pooled it
- Putative adverse outcome pathways for silver nanoparticle toxicity on mammalian male reproductive system: a literature review.Particle and fibre toxicology · 2023Pooled it
- Integrating silver nanomaterials in wound healing: from physicochemical properties to clinical translation.Journal of nanobiotechnology · 2026Review
- Green Synthesis Characterization and Evaluation ofMolecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Exposure, Cytotoxicity and Cellular Uptake of Silver (Ag) and Gold (Au) Nanoparticles in Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells During Nanoparticle Synthesis.Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Preparation and antibacterial activities of silver nanoparticle-loaded hydroxyapatite/collagen bone-like nanocomposite.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- KCa3.1 mediates radioresistance of silver nanoparticles in human glioblastoma cells.Pflugers Archiv : European journal of physiology · 2026Article
- Research on Silver-Based Wound Dressing: An Ontological Analysis.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Quercetin mitigates size-dependent oxidative and metabolic toxicity of citrate-coated silver nanoparticles in human erythrocytes.Archives of toxicology · 2026Article
- Potential of Silver Nanoparticles in Imaging Diagnostics and Image-Guided Applications: A Narrative Review.Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Biosynthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles and evaluation of anticancer activity against MCF-7 breast cancer cell line via phyto-synthesised nanoparticles.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Contact-Dependent Antibacterial Performance of Silver Nanoparticles Encapsulated in Collagen-Based Gels.Journal of functional biomaterials · 2026Article
- Evaluation of the effects of silver nanoparticles and ciprofloxacin on apoptotic gene expression (BAX, Bcl-2, and caspase-3) in NALM-6 acute lymphoblastic leukemia progenitor B cells.Medical oncology (Northwood, London, England) · 2026Article
- Eco-friendly fabrication of vanadium nanoparticlesRSC advances · 2026Article
- Silver Nanoparticles (AgNPs) as a Double-Edged Sword: Synthesis, Factors Affecting, Mechanisms of Toxicity and Anticancer Potentials-An Updated Review till March 2025.Biological trace element research · 2026Review
- Assessing cytotoxic and antibacterial effects of high dispersion-stable sub-5 nm silver particles fabricated by ionic liquid-mediated electrochemical synthesis.Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology · 2026Article
- Opposite Effects of Small and Large Diameter Selenium Nanoparticles on the Redox-Status and Survival of Cortical Cells in Toxic Models In Vitro.Biological trace element research · 2026Article
- Genotoxicity Assessment of Silver Nanoparticles Produced via HVAD: Examination of Sister Chromatid Exchanges inInternational journal of molecular sciences · 2025Article
- Potential Toxicological Risk Associated with the Oral Use of Colloidal Silver Dietary Supplements.Toxics · 2025Article
282 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSilver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are currently one of the most manufactured nanomaterials. A wide range of toxicity studies have been performed on various AgNPs, but these studies report a high variation in toxicity and often lack proper particle characterization. The aim of this study was to investigate size- and coating-dependent toxicity of thoroughly characterized AgNPs following exposure of human lung cells and to explore the mechanisms of toxicity.
methodsBEAS-2B cells were exposed to citrate coated AgNPs of different primary particle sizes (10, 40 and 75 nm) as well as to 10 nm PVP coated and 50 nm uncoated AgNPs. The particle agglomeration in cell medium was investigated by photon cross correlation spectroscopy (PCCS); cell viability by LDH and Alamar Blue assay; ROS induction by DCFH-DA assay; genotoxicity by alkaline comet assay and γH2AX foci formation; uptake and intracellular localization by transmission electron microscopy (TEM); and cellular dose as well as Ag release by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS).
resultsThe results showed cytotoxicity only of the 10 nm particles independent of surface coating. In contrast, all AgNPs tested caused an increase in overall DNA damage after 24 h assessed by the comet assay, suggesting independent mechanisms for cytotoxicity and DNA damage. However, there was no γH2AX foci formation and no increased production of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). The reasons for the higher toxicity of the 10 nm particles were explored by investigating particle agglomeration in cell medium, cellular uptake, intracellular localization and Ag release. Despite different agglomeration patterns, there was no evident difference in the uptake or intracellular localization of the citrate and PVP coated AgNPs. However, the 10 nm particles released significantly more Ag compared with all other AgNPs (approx. 24 wt% vs. 4-7 wt%) following 24 h in cell medium. The released fraction in cell medium did not induce any cytotoxicity, thus implying that intracellular Ag release was responsible for the toxicity.
conclusionsThis study shows that small AgNPs (10 nm) are cytotoxic for human lung cells and that the toxicity observed is associated with the rate of intracellular Ag release, a 'Trojan horse' effect.
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