Commentary: Revisiting nanoparticle-assay interference: There's plenty of room at the bottom for misinterpretation

Abstract

Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) are a diverse class of materials whose distinct properties make them desirable in a multitude of applications. The proliferation of nanotoxicology research has improved our understanding of ENM toxicity, but an under appreciation for their potential to interfere with biochemical assays has hampered progress in the field. The physicochemical properties of ENMs can promote their interaction with membranes or biomacromolecules (e.g. proteins, genomic material). This can influence the activity of enzymes used as biomarkers or as reagents in biochemical assay protocols, bind indicator dyes in cytotoxicity tests, and/or interfere with the cellular mechanisms controlling the uptake of such dyes. The spectral characteristics of some ENMs can cause interference with common assay chromophores, fluorophores, and radioisotope scintillation cocktails. Finally, the inherent chemical reactivity of some ENMs can short circuit assay mechanisms by directly oxidizing or reducing indicator dyes. These processes affect data quality and may lead to significant misinterpretations regarding ENM safety. We provide an overview of some ENM properties that facilitate assay interference, examples of interference and the erroneous conclusions that may result from it, and a number of general and specific recommendations for validating cellular and biochemical assay protocols in nanotoxicology studies.

Keywords: Assay validation; Biomacromolecular corona; Cytotoxicity; Engineered nanomaterial; Nanotoxicology; Regulatory testing.