Bergamaschi E, Bussolati O, Magrini A, Bottini M, Migliore L, Bellucci S, Iavicoli I, Bergamaschi A
Department of Clinical Medicine and Nephrology, University of Parma, Italy.
Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol. 2006 Oct-Dec;19(4 Suppl):3-10.
Engineered nanoparticles (NP) comprise various classes of technological materials with innovative properties. Although inhalation is less likely for engineered nanomaterials (NM) compared with ambient or mineral dust particles, this can happen during bulk manufacture and handling of freely dispersible NP. In this mini-review we summarize recent data on NP and CNT (carbon nanotubes) hazards, with particular emphasis on toxic effect on lung and in cell culture of lung origin. Owing to the highest deposition efficiency in the alveolar area, primary interactions of NM occur with epithelial and alveolar macrophages (AM). Scarce data are available to date on the cell mechanisms underlying NM permeability across the airway epithelium, but the absorption of NP through airways does not seem to require epithelial mediation, suggesting rather the involvement of alternative mechanisms such as AM-dependent dissemination. The relationship between toxicity and particle characteristics may be complex, involving size, surface area and surface chemistry. Some NM act according to an oxidative stress paradigm, but possible NM interactions with biological systems may result in additional forms of injury. In particular, CNT, a man-made forms of crystalline carbon, are currently attracting intense research efforts because of their unique properties, which make them suitable for many uses in biomedicine and pharmacology. Although CNT stimulate cytokine production and induce inflammatory reactions, they could behave also as conventional fibers, showing the ability to cause lung granulomas and fibrotic reactions in experimental animals. Production and marketing of NM is advancing much more rapidly than research on NM safety. This phenomenon will have a strong impact on the approach of occupational physicians to health risks from NP. In literature increasing evidence suggests that NM are potentially hazardous to humans and that strict industrial hygiene measures should be taken to limit exposure during their manipulation. Moreover, given the uncertainty about the NM features endowed with pathogenetic relevance, the toxicological properties of a specific NP should be evaluated on an individual basis by new screening strategies based on current acquisitions.
工程纳米颗粒（NP）包含各类具有创新特性的技术材料。尽管与环境或矿物尘埃颗粒相比，工程纳米材料（NM）经吸入进入人体的可能性较小，但在散装生产以及处理可自由分散的NP过程中，这种情况仍有可能发生。在这篇小型综述中，我们总结了有关NP和碳纳米管（CNT）危害的最新数据，尤其着重于其对肺部以及肺源性细胞培养的毒性作用。由于在肺泡区域具有最高的沉积效率，NM的主要相互作用发生在上皮细胞和肺泡巨噬细胞（AM）上。迄今为止，关于NM透过气道上皮的细胞机制的数据稀缺，但NP通过气道的吸收似乎并不需要上皮介导，这表明可能涉及替代机制，如AM依赖性传播。毒性与颗粒特性之间的关系可能很复杂，涉及尺寸、表面积和表面化学。一些NM按照氧化应激模式起作用，但NM与生物系统的可能相互作用可能会导致其他形式的损伤。特别是，CNT作为一种人造的结晶碳形式，由于其独特的性质，目前正吸引着大量的研究工作，这些特性使其适用于生物医学和药理学的许多用途。尽管CNT会刺激细胞因子产生并引发炎症反应，但它们在实验动物中也可能表现得像传统纤维一样，具有引发肺部肉芽肿和纤维化反应的能力。NM的生产和销售比NM安全性研究的进展要快得多。这种现象将对职业医生应对NP健康风险的方式产生重大影响。文献中越来越多的证据表明，NM对人类具有潜在危害，应采取严格的工业卫生措施来限制其在操作过程中的暴露。此外，鉴于赋予致病相关性的NM特征存在不确定性，应根据当前的研究成果，通过新的筛选策略对特定NP的毒理学特性进行个体评估。
