Cytotoxic and genotoxic assessment of tungsten oxide nanoparticles in Allium cepa cells by Allium ana-telophase and comet assays

• Published in: Journal of applied genetics 2021-02, Vol.62 (1), p.85-92
• Main Authors: Liman, Recep, Başbuğ, Bermal, Ali, Muhammad Muddassir, Acikbas, Yaser, Ciğerci, İbrahim Hakkı
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Additives; Allium cepa; Analysis; Anaphase; Animal Genetics and Genomics; Bioassays; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedical materials; Chromosome aberrations; Cytogenetics; Cytotoxicity; Damage detection; Diameters; DNA damage; Genotoxicity; Human Genetics; Life Sciences; Microbial Genetics and Genomics; Nanoparticles; Pigments; Plant Genetics and Genomics; Plant Genetics • Original Paper; Safety margins; Transmission electron microscopy; Tungsten; Tungsten compounds; Tungsten oxide; Tungsten oxides; X-ray spectroscopy
• ISSN: 1234-1983; 2190-3883
• DOI: 10.1007/s13353-020-00608-x

Tungsten oxide nanoparticles or nanopowder (WO 3 NPs) is commonly used in various industries and also in biomedical applications such as additives, pigments, and biomedical sensors. Non-judicious excessive use of these nanoparticles (NPs) could be a serious human health concern. Therefore, the current study aimed to explore the cytotoxic and genotoxic assessment of WO 3 NPs through Allium cepa anaphase-telophase and comet assays. Nanoparticles were characterized through the scanning and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), zetasizer, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The mean size and the average diameter of WO 3 NPs were determined as 21.57 ± 2.48 nm and 349.42 ± 80.65 nm using TEM and a Zetasizer measurement system, respectively. Five concentrations (12.5 mg/L, 25 mg/L, 50 mg/L, 75 mg/L, and 100 mg/L) of WO 3 NPs were employed on the Allium cepa ( A. cepa ) roots for 4 h. Significant ( p  ≤ 0.05) decrease in mitotic index (MI) was shown by WO 3 NPs at all concentrations. The increase of chromosomal aberrations (CAs) was also observed in a concentration-dependent manner due to the WO 3 NPs exposure. There was a significant increase ( p  ≤ 0.05) in DNA damage at all concentrations of WO 3 NPs on the A. cepa cells. It was concluded that WO 3 NPs had cytotoxic and genotoxic effects on A. cepa meristematic cells. Moreover, further cytogenetic effects of WO 3 NPs should be investigated at the molecular level to assess its safety margin.