New approach methodologies for in vitro toxicity screening of nanomaterial using a pulmonary three-dimensional floating extracellular matrix model

Abstract Background Nanomaterials offer increasing applications across diverse sectors, including food science, medicine, and electronics. Environmental risk assessment is crucial for ensuring the safety and sustainability of nanomaterials. However, high-throughput screening (HTS) of their potential...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Soojin Kim, Mi-Sun Choi, Hyun Jegal, Min Beom Heo, Minjeong Kwak, Hyun Kyong Shon, Seungwoo Song, Tae Geol Lee, Ji-Ho Park, Dong Woo Lee, Seokjoo Yoon, Jung-Hwa Oh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-07-01
Series:Journal of Biological Engineering
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13036-025-00532-w
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849334573508329472
author Soojin Kim
Mi-Sun Choi
Hyun Jegal
Min Beom Heo
Minjeong Kwak
Hyun Kyong Shon
Seungwoo Song
Tae Geol Lee
Ji-Ho Park
Dong Woo Lee
Seokjoo Yoon
Jung-Hwa Oh
author_facet Soojin Kim
Mi-Sun Choi
Hyun Jegal
Min Beom Heo
Minjeong Kwak
Hyun Kyong Shon
Seungwoo Song
Tae Geol Lee
Ji-Ho Park
Dong Woo Lee
Seokjoo Yoon
Jung-Hwa Oh
author_sort Soojin Kim
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Nanomaterials offer increasing applications across diverse sectors, including food science, medicine, and electronics. Environmental risk assessment is crucial for ensuring the safety and sustainability of nanomaterials. However, high-throughput screening (HTS) of their potential toxicity remains challenging owing to their unique physicochemical properties. Results This study introduces a novel pulmonary three-dimensional (3D) floating extracellular matrix (ECM) model utilizing a 384-pillar/well platform for HTS of nanotoxicity. Compared with conventional HTS models based on two-dimensional (2D) cells, the 3D model developed in this study successfully addressed the issues related to the aggregation and sedimentation of nanoparticles and their possible optical interference with the toxicity assays. Using 20 nm silica nanoparticles (SiNPs), we assessed cell viability and nanoparticle uptake in both serum-containing and serum-free culture media. While the 2D model showed high SiNPs toxicity regardless of the media composition, the pulmonary 3D floating ECM model demonstrated variable toxicities that depended on the SiNPs behaviors under different conditions. Conclusions By reducing the uncertainties associated with the sedimentation and optical interference of nanomaterials, our 3D model provided a more precise analysis of cytotoxicity. This study highlights the potential of using new approach methodologies and improved HTS approaches to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of risk assessment protocols for emerging nanomaterials.
format Article
id doaj-art-b7e52d29de2e405498b62875070515d9
institution Kabale University
issn 1754-1611
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series Journal of Biological Engineering
spelling doaj-art-b7e52d29de2e405498b62875070515d92025-08-20T03:45:32ZengBMCJournal of Biological Engineering1754-16112025-07-0119111510.1186/s13036-025-00532-wNew approach methodologies for in vitro toxicity screening of nanomaterial using a pulmonary three-dimensional floating extracellular matrix modelSoojin Kim0Mi-Sun Choi1Hyun Jegal2Min Beom Heo3Minjeong Kwak4Hyun Kyong Shon5Seungwoo Song6Tae Geol Lee7Ji-Ho Park8Dong Woo Lee9Seokjoo Yoon10Jung-Hwa Oh11Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)Center for Predictive Model Research, Korea Institute of Toxicology (KIT)Center for Predictive Model Research, Korea Institute of Toxicology (KIT)Division of Biomedical Metrology, Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS)Division of Biomedical Metrology, Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS)Division of Biomedical Metrology, Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS)Strategic Technology Research Institute, Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS)Division of Biomedical Metrology, Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS)Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)Department of Biomedical Engineering, Gachon UniversityCenter for Predictive Model Research, Korea Institute of Toxicology (KIT)Center for Predictive Model Research, Korea Institute of Toxicology (KIT)Abstract Background Nanomaterials offer increasing applications across diverse sectors, including food science, medicine, and electronics. Environmental risk assessment is crucial for ensuring the safety and sustainability of nanomaterials. However, high-throughput screening (HTS) of their potential toxicity remains challenging owing to their unique physicochemical properties. Results This study introduces a novel pulmonary three-dimensional (3D) floating extracellular matrix (ECM) model utilizing a 384-pillar/well platform for HTS of nanotoxicity. Compared with conventional HTS models based on two-dimensional (2D) cells, the 3D model developed in this study successfully addressed the issues related to the aggregation and sedimentation of nanoparticles and their possible optical interference with the toxicity assays. Using 20 nm silica nanoparticles (SiNPs), we assessed cell viability and nanoparticle uptake in both serum-containing and serum-free culture media. While the 2D model showed high SiNPs toxicity regardless of the media composition, the pulmonary 3D floating ECM model demonstrated variable toxicities that depended on the SiNPs behaviors under different conditions. Conclusions By reducing the uncertainties associated with the sedimentation and optical interference of nanomaterials, our 3D model provided a more precise analysis of cytotoxicity. This study highlights the potential of using new approach methodologies and improved HTS approaches to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of risk assessment protocols for emerging nanomaterials.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13036-025-00532-wNew approach methodologiesSilica nanoparticlesin vitro cytotoxicityHigh-throughput screeningThree-dimensional cellExtracellular matrix
spellingShingle Soojin Kim
Mi-Sun Choi
Hyun Jegal
Min Beom Heo
Minjeong Kwak
Hyun Kyong Shon
Seungwoo Song
Tae Geol Lee
Ji-Ho Park
Dong Woo Lee
Seokjoo Yoon
Jung-Hwa Oh
New approach methodologies for in vitro toxicity screening of nanomaterial using a pulmonary three-dimensional floating extracellular matrix model
Journal of Biological Engineering
New approach methodologies
Silica nanoparticles
in vitro cytotoxicity
High-throughput screening
Three-dimensional cell
Extracellular matrix
title New approach methodologies for in vitro toxicity screening of nanomaterial using a pulmonary three-dimensional floating extracellular matrix model
title_full New approach methodologies for in vitro toxicity screening of nanomaterial using a pulmonary three-dimensional floating extracellular matrix model
title_fullStr New approach methodologies for in vitro toxicity screening of nanomaterial using a pulmonary three-dimensional floating extracellular matrix model
title_full_unstemmed New approach methodologies for in vitro toxicity screening of nanomaterial using a pulmonary three-dimensional floating extracellular matrix model
title_short New approach methodologies for in vitro toxicity screening of nanomaterial using a pulmonary three-dimensional floating extracellular matrix model
title_sort new approach methodologies for in vitro toxicity screening of nanomaterial using a pulmonary three dimensional floating extracellular matrix model
topic New approach methodologies
Silica nanoparticles
in vitro cytotoxicity
High-throughput screening
Three-dimensional cell
Extracellular matrix
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s13036-025-00532-w
work_keys_str_mv AT soojinkim newapproachmethodologiesforinvitrotoxicityscreeningofnanomaterialusingapulmonarythreedimensionalfloatingextracellularmatrixmodel
AT misunchoi newapproachmethodologiesforinvitrotoxicityscreeningofnanomaterialusingapulmonarythreedimensionalfloatingextracellularmatrixmodel
AT hyunjegal newapproachmethodologiesforinvitrotoxicityscreeningofnanomaterialusingapulmonarythreedimensionalfloatingextracellularmatrixmodel
AT minbeomheo newapproachmethodologiesforinvitrotoxicityscreeningofnanomaterialusingapulmonarythreedimensionalfloatingextracellularmatrixmodel
AT minjeongkwak newapproachmethodologiesforinvitrotoxicityscreeningofnanomaterialusingapulmonarythreedimensionalfloatingextracellularmatrixmodel
AT hyunkyongshon newapproachmethodologiesforinvitrotoxicityscreeningofnanomaterialusingapulmonarythreedimensionalfloatingextracellularmatrixmodel
AT seungwoosong newapproachmethodologiesforinvitrotoxicityscreeningofnanomaterialusingapulmonarythreedimensionalfloatingextracellularmatrixmodel
AT taegeollee newapproachmethodologiesforinvitrotoxicityscreeningofnanomaterialusingapulmonarythreedimensionalfloatingextracellularmatrixmodel
AT jihopark newapproachmethodologiesforinvitrotoxicityscreeningofnanomaterialusingapulmonarythreedimensionalfloatingextracellularmatrixmodel
AT dongwoolee newapproachmethodologiesforinvitrotoxicityscreeningofnanomaterialusingapulmonarythreedimensionalfloatingextracellularmatrixmodel
AT seokjooyoon newapproachmethodologiesforinvitrotoxicityscreeningofnanomaterialusingapulmonarythreedimensionalfloatingextracellularmatrixmodel
AT junghwaoh newapproachmethodologiesforinvitrotoxicityscreeningofnanomaterialusingapulmonarythreedimensionalfloatingextracellularmatrixmodel