Effects of Silicon Dioxide Nanoparticles on Peripheral Nervous System Neural Cell Models

Cell model systems in vitro facilitate the high throughput screening of putative toxicity of a variety of nanomaterials, including nanoparticles. However, most of such cell models consisted of non-neural cells. We have developed several central and peripheral neural cell models for the systematic investigation of cytotoxicity of nanomaterials. Our previous finding that the nanoparticles of several metallic and non-metallic oxides, including SiO2, exert differential cytotoxic effects on central neural cells prompted us to investigate the effects of such nanoparticles in peripheral neural cells. Results of our ongoing studies have revealed that SiO2 nanoparticles exert differential cytotoxic effects on dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons and Schwann cells by lowering their survival. Moreover, they may have pathophysiological implications in how exposure to SiO2 nanoparticles impacts on the structure and function of the PNS.