Cytotoxic Effects of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles on Human Glial Cells

Despite being one of the most studied nanomaterials, much remains unknown about the mechanism of action of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NP). The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects on cell viability caused by the exposure of glial cells to ZnO NP, and the role of Zn2+ in the observed effects. The impact of ZnO NP or Zn2+ ions on cell viability was assessed by MTT assay. The exposure to ZnO NP induced a significant decrease in cell viability. The presence of Zn2+ ions released from ZnO NP was not entirely responsible for the observed cytotoxic effects.