Table 1.
In vitro toxicity studies on AuNPs.
| Organism | Effects | Particle | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3T3 cells | Produce more reactive oxygen species than plain AuNPs | Monodispersed AuNPs of diameter 15 ± 1 nm | [33] |
| A549 and Vero cells | No toxicity | Citrate- and MUA-Coated Nanospheres of 13 and 60 nm and MUA-Coated Gold Nanostars of 60 nm | [34] |
| A549 cells | Intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways reflected in cell damage | AuNPsof diameter approximately 17 nm, coated with serum proteins | [35] |
| A549 cells | Cytotoxicity by substantial changes in nuclear morphology and nuclear condensation. Assumed circular shape because of the induced stress | AuNPs with an average dynamic diameter of 33 nm | [36] |
| A549 cells | An inflammatory response | BioPureTM silver and gold nanoparticles with a diameter between 20 and 60 nm in a concentration of 1 mg/mL | [37] |
| AGS, A549, NIH3T3, PK-15, and Vero cells | Suppression of growth of cells in a dose-dependent manner by delay of cell cycle and induction of apoptosis | AuNPs of three sizes: (10 nm × 39 nm, 10 nm × 41 nm, 10 nm × 45 nm) | [38] |
| Balb/3T3 cells | Oxidative stress reflected in DNA damage but with reduced cytotoxicity | Spherical AuNPs of 12 nm diameter, uncoated and coated with hyaluronic acid in a concentration of 10 mg/mL in PBS | [39] |
| Balb/3T3 cells | Cytotoxicity by disruption of actin cytoskeleton | Citrate-stabilized AuNPs of 5 and 15 nm diameter in concentrations of 2, 10, 20, 39.2, 58.8 g/mL | [40] |
| C17.2 and PC12 cells | Induced oxidative stress by cell viability and deformations of actin and tubulin | 4 nm diameter AuNPs in concentrations ranging from 10 to 200 nM. | [41] |
| Caco-2 cells | Did not produce acute cytotoxicity | AuNPsin concentration 0, 5, 10, 20, 40, 80, 125, 250, 500 or 1000 g/mL | [42] |
| CHO, BEAS-2B, and HEK293 cells | Exert higher toxicity | Citrate-stabilized AuNPs of diameter 14 nm (concentration 2.25 × 1012 nps/mL) and 20 nm (concentration 7.76 × 1011 nps/mL) | [43] |
| Epithelial cells of airways | Elevation of lipid peroxidase, DNA damage, and cytotoxicity | AuNPs of 20 nm diameter in concentration 1 nM/L | [44] |
| Granulose cells of the ovary | Induced an elevation in estrogen accumulation | 10 nm AuNPs in concentration 2.85 × 10 10/mL | [45] |
| HaCaT (Human keratinocyte cell line) | Cell death by apoptosis and necrosis | The average particle sizes are reported as follows: 1.8 ± 0.7 nm for neutral particles (MEEE), 1.6 ± 0.8 nm for positive particles (TMAT), and 1.8 ± 0.7 nm for negative particles (MES). | [46] |
| HEK293 cells | Modified gene expression and had no toxicity | Phosphine-stabilized and thiol-stabilized AuNPs of 1.4 nm diameter | [47] |
| HeLa and U937 cells | Cytotoxic | 15, 40 and 80 nm Citrate-capped AuNPs in various concentrations | [48,49] |
| HeLa cells | No indication of cytotoxicity | AuNPs of diameter ranging from 4.0 to 5.4 nm in different concentrations | [50] |
| HeLa cells | No toxicity effects | Silica-coated AuNRs of diameter ranging from 4 to 16 nm in concentration 1–400 µg/mL and glucose-capped AuNPs of diameter within 5–9 nm at concentration 5.5 µM/mL | [51,52] |
| HepG2 and PBMC cells | In vitro cytotoxicity and genotoxicity effects at low concentrations | AuNPs capped with either sodium citrate (average diameter of 18.2 ± 0.4 nm) or polyamidoamine dendrimers (average diameter of 10.9 ± 0.4 nm) Concentrations from 0.01 to 50.0 M | [53] |
| HepG2 cells | AuNPs do not change the concentration of inflammatory markers compared to the control. Indicated tails moment similar to those from the positive control exposed to hydrogen peroxide | Citrate-stabilFd AuNPs with 10, 30 or 60 nm of diameter size. The concentration of 10 ppb and 10 ppm | [54] |
| HL-60 and HepG2 cell lines | Cytotoxic effects associated with reduction in GSH and increase in ROS | AuNPs with diameters of 30, 50 and 90 nm in concentrations 1–25 mg/mL | [55] |
| HL7702 cells (Human liver cell lines) | Early decrease in cytosolic GSH, depolarisation of mitochondrial transmembrane potential, and apoptosis | AuNPs with a diameter of 8 nm and 37 nm | [56] |
| HT29 cells (Human colorectal adenocarcinoma) | Significant reduction in viability of cells. However, no genotoxic effects | AuNPs with a diameter of 31.99 ± 0.16 nm and a concentration of 9.8 µg/mL | [57] |
| Human cell lines | Little or no immunotoxic, cytotoxic, and genotoxic effects | 4.5 nm AuNPs in the concentration of 6.05 × 1013 nanoparticles/mL a | [58] |
| Human spermatozoa | Affects viability and motility | 50 nm sized AuNPswith concentrations 30, 60, 125, 250 and 500 µM | [59] |
| L5178Y cells | No damage to the DNA at 60 nm but damage at 100 nm | 4, 50, 100 and 200 nm sized AuNPs in concentrations of 0, 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50, 100 and 200 μg/mL | [60] |
| MDA-MB-231 cells (Breast cells) | Reduction in proliferation | 1.9 nm spherical AuNPs (Aurovist™) | [61] |
| MG63 cells | Low long-term toxicity | AuNPs of diameter 10 nm in concentrations of 1 and 10 ppm | [62] |
| MRC-5 cells | Slight hepatotoxic and nephrotoxic | AuNPs capped with GNPC and GNPBwith an average diameter size of 15–20 nm and concentrations 51, 128, 320, 800, 2000 and 5000 ppm | [63] |
| MRC-5 cells | High lipid peroxidation, upregulation of antioxidants, expressions of protein and gene of stress response | 20 nm diameter AuNPs in 1 nM concentration | [64] |
| Vero, MRC-5, and NIH/3T3 cells | Reduction in growth related to apoptosis and autophagy | Nano-rod structure with an average length of 10–40 nm with concentrations 0, 36, 72, 180, 360 and 720 ng/mL | [65] |
| Rat liver | Yield a great lipid peroxidation | AuNPs of diameter 10 nm. Doses of 50 µL of NP solution | [66] |
| Tumor ascites and normal peritoneal cells | No morphological changes and cell death | Functionalized AuNPs of diameter 4.5, 10 and 20 nm in concentrations 10, 25, 50 and 100 mM | [67] |
| Vero cells | No toxicological effects | Porphyran-reduced AuNPs with an average particle size of 14 ± 2 nm in concentrations 10, 50 and 100 µM | [68] |