Epigenetic modulations in nanoparticle-mediated toxicity

Abstract

The increasing application of nanoparticles in healthcare and consumer products has made them ever present in our lives. However, constant exposure to these nanoparticles has raised concerns regarding their adverse side effects on human health, signifying the great importance of nanotoxicity studies. Indeed, extensive in vitro and in vivo studies in this field have provided valuable insights into the potential cytotoxicity and genotoxicity induced by nanoparticles. Interestingly, there is a growing body of evidence that nanoparticles can also induce epigenetic changes. In particular, several studies have explored the alterations in DNA methylation patterns, histone modifications and miRNA expressions upon exposure to the different types of nanoparticles. In this review, we focused on the identified epigenetic modulations in nanoparticle-mediated toxicity, and proposed future challenges that remain to be addressed.

Keywords: DNA methylation; Epigenetics; Histone modification; Nanoparticles; Nanotoxicity; miRNA.