SiO2 nanoparticles modulate the electrical activity of neuroendocrine cells without exerting genomic effects

Engineered silica nanoparticles (NPs) have attracted increasing interest in several applications, and particularly in the feld of nanomedicine, thanks to the high biocompatibility of this material. For their optimal and controlled use, the understanding of the mechanisms elicited by their interaction with the biological target is a prerequisite, especially when dealing with cells particularly vulnerable to environmental stimuli like neurons. Here we have combined diferent electrophysiological approaches (both at the single cell and at the population level) with a genomic screening in order to analyze, in GT1-7 neuroendocrine cells, the impact of SiO2 NPs (50±3nm in diameter) on electrical activity and gene expression, providing a detailed analysis of the impact of a nanoparticle on neuronal excitability. We fnd that 20µgmL−1 NPs induce depolarization of the membrane potential, with a modulation of the fring of action potentials. Recordings of electrical activity with multielectrode arrays provide further evidence that the NPs evoke a temporary increase in fring frequency, without afecting the functional behavior on a time scale of hours. Finally, NPs incubation up to 24hours does not induce any change in gene expression.