Histone modification changes upon exposure of human lung adenocarcinoma cells to nanoparticles

Abstract The increasing use of nanoparticles in numerous applications has led to growing concern about their potential toxicological properties. However, the role of epigenetic alterations in toxicity due to nanoparticles remains relatively unexplored. In this study, we examined the effects of ten k...

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Main Authors: Xiaoxu Zhao, Liping Zhao, Hui Lin, Xiumei Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-07206-z
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author Xiaoxu Zhao
Liping Zhao
Hui Lin
Xiumei Wang
author_facet Xiaoxu Zhao
Liping Zhao
Hui Lin
Xiumei Wang
author_sort Xiaoxu Zhao
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The increasing use of nanoparticles in numerous applications has led to growing concern about their potential toxicological properties. However, the role of epigenetic alterations in toxicity due to nanoparticles remains relatively unexplored. In this study, we examined the effects of ten kinds of nanoparticles on histone modification. We observed that Al2O3, CuO or ZnO nanoparticles induced phosphorylation of the histone H2AX at serine 139. In addition, compared with other tested nanoparticles, acetylation of histone H3 lysine 9, 14 and histone H3 (global) caused by CuO and ZnO nanoparticles was most significant. We found that upregulation of histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation was highly correlated with histone acetylation induced by CuO and ZnO nanoparticles. Furthermore, we proved that CuO or ZnO nanoparticle-induced histone H3 modifications may occur via release of ions from nanoparticles inside cells. We previously showed that phosphorylation of histone H3 at serine 10 can be used to evaluate the toxicity of silver nanoparticles and Ag ion release in combination with detection by side-scattered light from flow cytometry. Our current findings suggest that other histone modifications such as acetylation and methylation of histone H3, may also be good markers for nanoparticle toxicity.
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institution Kabale University
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publishDate 2025-07-01
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spelling doaj-art-5d2297572ccf47baaefa4bf0d7a95a7a2025-08-20T03:45:30ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-0115111110.1038/s41598-025-07206-zHistone modification changes upon exposure of human lung adenocarcinoma cells to nanoparticlesXiaoxu Zhao0Liping Zhao1Hui Lin2Xiumei Wang3Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Ecology-Toxicological Effects & Control for Emerging Contaminants, Putian UniversityCollege of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Putian UniversityCollege of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Putian UniversityCollege of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Putian UniversityAbstract The increasing use of nanoparticles in numerous applications has led to growing concern about their potential toxicological properties. However, the role of epigenetic alterations in toxicity due to nanoparticles remains relatively unexplored. In this study, we examined the effects of ten kinds of nanoparticles on histone modification. We observed that Al2O3, CuO or ZnO nanoparticles induced phosphorylation of the histone H2AX at serine 139. In addition, compared with other tested nanoparticles, acetylation of histone H3 lysine 9, 14 and histone H3 (global) caused by CuO and ZnO nanoparticles was most significant. We found that upregulation of histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation was highly correlated with histone acetylation induced by CuO and ZnO nanoparticles. Furthermore, we proved that CuO or ZnO nanoparticle-induced histone H3 modifications may occur via release of ions from nanoparticles inside cells. We previously showed that phosphorylation of histone H3 at serine 10 can be used to evaluate the toxicity of silver nanoparticles and Ag ion release in combination with detection by side-scattered light from flow cytometry. Our current findings suggest that other histone modifications such as acetylation and methylation of histone H3, may also be good markers for nanoparticle toxicity.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-07206-zNanoparticlesEpigeneticHistone modificationIon releaseIntracellular accumulation
spellingShingle Xiaoxu Zhao
Liping Zhao
Hui Lin
Xiumei Wang
Histone modification changes upon exposure of human lung adenocarcinoma cells to nanoparticles
Scientific Reports
Nanoparticles
Epigenetic
Histone modification
Ion release
Intracellular accumulation
title Histone modification changes upon exposure of human lung adenocarcinoma cells to nanoparticles
title_full Histone modification changes upon exposure of human lung adenocarcinoma cells to nanoparticles
title_fullStr Histone modification changes upon exposure of human lung adenocarcinoma cells to nanoparticles
title_full_unstemmed Histone modification changes upon exposure of human lung adenocarcinoma cells to nanoparticles
title_short Histone modification changes upon exposure of human lung adenocarcinoma cells to nanoparticles
title_sort histone modification changes upon exposure of human lung adenocarcinoma cells to nanoparticles
topic Nanoparticles
Epigenetic
Histone modification
Ion release
Intracellular accumulation
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-07206-z
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AT lipingzhao histonemodificationchangesuponexposureofhumanlungadenocarcinomacellstonanoparticles
AT huilin histonemodificationchangesuponexposureofhumanlungadenocarcinomacellstonanoparticles
AT xiumeiwang histonemodificationchangesuponexposureofhumanlungadenocarcinomacellstonanoparticles