TiO2 Nanoparticles Induced Genotoxicity in Cultured Cells Using Atmospheric Scanning Electron Microscopy (ASEM)

Nano-sized titanium oxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) are widely used as a dye in food and cosmetics. TiO2 NPs are known to induce DNA damage when incorporated into cells. However, no bioassay is currently available to easily determine the cell incorporation of TiO2 NPs or related DNA damage, and to date, few studies have examined the different degrees of incorporation into cells according to the size of the TiO2 NPs particles and the presence or absence of cell specificity regarding DNA damage. This present study was therefore designed to examine COS7 cells that had incorporated TiO2 NPs using atmospheric scanning electron microscopy (ASEM). The results indicated that absorption of TiO2 NPs into cells and nuclear abnormalities had occurred. ASEM is a rapid and simple technique that enables the observation of samples immediately after fixation with glutaraldehyde and staining with phosphotungstic acid, and this method was suggested to be useful in screening for DNA damage.