Fate and transformation products of amine-terminated PAMAM dendrimers under ozonation and irradiation

Dual Effect of Nanomaterials on Germination and Seedling Growth: Stimulation vs. Phytotoxicity

Due to recent active research, a large amount of data has been accumulated regarding the effects of different nanomaterials (mainly metal oxide nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, chitosan nanoparticles) on different plant species. Most studies have focused on seed germination and early seedling development, presumably due to the simplicity of these experimental systems. Depending mostly on size and concentration, nanomaterials can exert both positive and negative effects on germination and seedling development during normal and stress conditions, thus some research has evaluated the phytotoxic effects of nanomaterials and the physiological and molecular processes behind them, while other works have highlighted the favorable seed priming effects. This review aims to systematize and discuss research data regarding the effect of nanomaterials on germination and seedling growth in order to provide state-of-the-art knowledge about this fast developing research area.

Engineered nanomaterials for plant growth and development: A perspective analysis

With the overwhelmingly rapid advancement in the field of nanotechnology, the engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) have been extensively used in various areas of the plant system, including quality improvement, growth and nutritional value enhancement, gene preservation etc. There are several recent reports on the ENMs' influence on growth enhancements, growth inhibition as well as certain toxic impacts on plant. However, translocation, growth responses and stress modulation mechanisms of ENMs in the plant systems call for better and in-depth understanding. Herein, we are presenting a comprehensive and critical account of different types of ENMs, their applications and their positive, negative and null impacts on physiological and molecular aspects of plant growth, development and stress responses. Recent reports revealed mixed effects on plants, ranging from enhanced crop yield, epi/genetic alterations, and phytotoxicity, resulting from the ENMs' exposure. Creditable research in recent years has revealed that the effects of ENMs on plants are species specific and are variable among plant species. ENM exposures are reported to trigger free radical formation, responsive scavenging, and antioxidant armories in the exposed plants. The ENMs are also reported to induce aberrant expressions of microRNAs, the key post-transcriptional regulators of plant growth, development and stress-responses of plants. However, these modulations, if judiciously done, may lead to improved plant growth and yield. A better understanding of the interactions between ENMs and plant responses, including their uptake transport, internalization, and activity, could revolutionize crop production through increased disease resistance, nutrient utilization, and crop yield. Therefore, in this review, we are presenting a critical account of the different selected ENMs, their uptake by the plants, their positive/negative impacts on plant growth and development, along with the resultant ENM-responsive post-transcriptional modifications, especially, aberrant miRNA expressions. In addition, underlying mechanisms of various ENM-plant cell interactions have been discussed.

UV-photodegradation of desipramine: Impact of concentration, pH and temperature on formation of products including their biodegradability and toxicity

Desipramine (DMI) is a widely used tricyclic antidepressant, and it is the major metabolite of imipramine (IMI) and lofepramine (LMI); IMI and LMI are two of the most commonly used tricyclic antidepressants. If DMI enters the aquatic environment, it can be transformed by the environmental bacteria or UV radiation. Therefore, photolysis of DMI in water was performed using a simulated sunlight Xenon-lamp and a UV-lamp. Subsequently, the biodegradability of DMI and its photo-transformation products (PTPs) formed during its UV photolysis was studied. The influence of variable conditions, such as initial DMI concentration, solution pH, and temperature, on DMI UV photolysis behavior was also studied. The degree of mineralization of DMI and its PTPs was monitored. A Shimadzu HPLC-UV apparatus was used to follow the kinetic profile of DMI during UV-irradiation; after that, ion-trap and high-resolution mass spectrometry coupled with chromatography were used to monitor and identify the possible PTPs. The environmentally relevant properties and selected toxicity properties of DMI and the non-biodegradable PTPs were predicted using different QSAR models. DMI underwent UV photolysis with first-order kinetics. Quantum yields were very low. DOC values indicated that DMI formed new PTPs and was not completely mineralized. Analysis by means of high-resolution mass spectrometry revealed that the photolysis of DMI followed three main photolysis pathways: isomerization, hydroxylation, and ring opening. The photolysis rate was inversely proportional to initial DMI concentration. The pH showed a significant impact on the photolysis rate of DMI, and on the PTPs in terms of both formation kinetics and mechanisms. Although temperature was expected to increase the photolysis rate, it showed a non-significant impact in this study. Results from biodegradation tests and QSAR analysis revealed that DMI and its PTPs are not readily biodegradable and that some PTPs may be human and/or eco-toxic, so they may pose a risk to the environment.

Electrocatalytic Reduction of Oxygen on Platinum Nanoparticles in the Presence and Absence of Interactions with the Electrode Surface

We report that ultraviolet/ozone (UV/O3) treatment can be used to remove sixth-generation, hydroxyl-terminated poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers from dendrimer-encapsulated Pt nanoparticles (Pt DENs) previously immobilized onto a pyrolyzed photoresist film (PPF) electrode. Results from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy, and electrochemical experiments indicate that removal of the dendrimer proceeds without changes to the size, shape, or electrocatalytic properties of the encapsulated nanoparticles. The UV/O3 treatment did not damage the PPF electrode. The electrocatalytic properties of the DENs before and after removal of the dendrimer were nearly identical.

Next-generation sequencing reveals low-dose effects of cationic dendrimers in primary human bronchial epithelial cells

Gene expression profiling has developed rapidly in recent years with the advent of deep sequencing technologies such as RNA sequencing (RNA Seq) and could be harnessed to predict and define mechanisms of toxicity of chemicals and nanomaterials. However, the full potential of these technologies in (nano)toxicology is yet to be realized. Here, we show that systems biology approaches can uncover mechanisms underlying cellular responses to nanomaterials. Using RNA Seq and computational approaches, we found that cationic poly(amidoamine) dendrimers (PAMAM-NH2) are capable of triggering down-regulation of cell-cycle-related genes in primary human bronchial epithelial cells at doses that do not elicit acute cytotoxicity, as demonstrated using conventional cell viability assays, while gene transcription was not affected by neutral PAMAM-OH dendrimers. The PAMAMs were internalized in an active manner by lung cells and localized mainly in lysosomes; amine-terminated dendrimers were internalized more efficiently when compared to the hydroxyl-terminated dendrimers. Upstream regulator analysis implicated NF-κB as a putative transcriptional regulator, and subsequent cell-based assays confirmed that PAMAM-NH2 caused NF-κB-dependent cell cycle arrest. However, PAMAM-NH2 did not affect cell cycle progression in the human A549 adenocarcinoma cell line. These results demonstrate the feasibility of applying systems biology approaches to predict cellular responses to nanomaterials and highlight the importance of using relevant (primary) cell models.

First evidences of PAMAM dendrimer internalization in microorganisms of environmental relevance: A linkage with toxicity and oxidative stress

This article reports novel results on the toxic mechanisms of action of amine- and hydroxyl-terminated poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers toward microorganisms of environmental relevance, namely a cyanobacterium of the genus Anabaena and the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. We used PAMAM ethylenediamine core dendrimers from generations G2 to G4, which displayed a positive charge, measured as ζ-potential, in culture media. All amine-terminated and most remarkably the G4 hydroxyl-terminated dendrimer inhibited the growth of both microorganisms. The effect on the growth of the green alga was significantly higher than that on the cyanobacterium. With concentrations expressed in terms of molarity, there was a clear relationship between dendrimer generation and toxicity, with higher toxicity for higher generation. Hormesis was observed for hydroxyl-terminated dendrimers at low concentrations. The cationic dendrimers and G4-OH significantly increased the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in both organisms. ROS formation was not related with the chloroplast or photosynthetic membranes and photosystem II photochemistry was unaffected. Cell damage resulted in cytoplasm disorganization and cell deformities and was associated to an increase in ROS formation and lipid peroxidation in mitochondria in the green alga; cell wall and membrane disruption with apparent loss of cytoplasmic contents was found in the cyanobacterium. It was determined for the first time that cationic PAMAM dendrimers were quickly and largely internalized by both organisms. These results warn against the generalization of the use of dendrimers, which may pose significant risk for the environment and particularly for primary producers which are determinant for the health of natural ecosystems.