| MTT assay |
PEG, PEGF, PVA, silica, dextran, PEI, and chitosan |
No toxicity was observed even in the high applied dosage (about 1 mg/mL); a trace of toxicity was detected for bare SPIONs at the same concentrations. |
(98, 104, 122−127) |
| modified MTT assay |
PEGF and PVA |
In order to reduce the effect of protein-nanoparticle interactions, surface saturated SPIONs were used; in this case the real toxicity of SPIONs was obtained. |
(101, 102) |
| redox assay |
dextran, oleate, PL, and PEI |
The SPIONs were stable in a variety of media and showed no toxicity during interactions with various cells. |
(128−130) |
| cytochrome c assay |
amine-functionalized |
The results confirmed low cytotoxicity (LD50 1500 μg/mL) of coated SPIONs on the liver cell (HepG2). |
(131) |
| NBT assay |
dextran |
Results confirmed that dextran coated SPIONs did not significantly modify superoxide anion production compared to controls (human monocyte−macrophage). |
(125) |
| WST assay |
PDMAAm and dextran |
No detectable cytotoxicity was observed on mesenchymal stem cells. |
(132) |
| LDH assay |
none |
Bare SPIONs did not produce cytotoxicity up to a concentration of 100 μg/mL. |
(133) |
| various dyes (e.g., NR and PI) |
none, dextran, and PVA |
No cytotoxicity, on cell-life cycle and apoptosis, was detected for the coated SPIONs; a trace of apoptosis was detected for the bare SPIONs at high concentrations (i.e., 80 mM). |
(105, 121, 134) |
| cell cycle assay |
none and PVA |
PVA-coated SPION treated cells did not show evident necrosis, apoptosis, or cell cycle arrest in moderate concentration of nanoparticles (i.e., 200 mM); however, the coated nanoparticles at the highest concentration (400 mM) caused both apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in G1 phase, possibly due to the irreversible DNA damage and repair of oxidative DNA lesions. |
(99) |
| [3H] thymidine incorporation assay |
gold |
No toxicity was detected on the employed concentrations (i.e., up to 30 μg/mL). |
(79) |
| comet assay |
none |
Oxidative DNA lesions in cultured A549 cells after exposure to high concentrations of SPIONs (i.e., 40 μg/mL and 80 μg/mL) for 4 h showed enhancement in comparison with the control. |
(113) |
