Abstract

Ali Khaleghian, Gholam Hossein Riazi, Shahin Ahmadian, Mahmoud Ghafari, Marzieh Rezaie, Akira Takahashi, Yutaka Nakaya and Hossein Nazari*

Nanoparticles (NPs) are widely used in several manufactured products. The small size of nanoparticles facilitates their uptake into cells as well as transcytosis across epithelial cells into blood and lymph circulation to reach different sites, such as the central nervous system. Studies have shown different risks of Fe2O3NPs in the neuronal system and other organs. They are membrane-bound layer aggregates or single particles that could not enter only cells, but also in mitochondria and nuclei. Therefore, these particles can interact with cytoplasmic proteins such as microtubules (MTs). MTs are cytoskeleton proteins that are essential in eukaryotic cells for a variety of functions, such as cellular transport, cell motility and mitosis. MTs play an important role in neurons and to act as a substances transport such as neurotransmitters. Single Fe2O3NPs in cytoplasm can interact with these proteins and affect their crucial functions in different tissues. In this study, we showed the effects of Fe2O3NPs on MTs organization and structure using ultraviolet spectrophotometer and fluorometry. The fluorescent spectroscopy showed a significant tubulin conformational change in the presence of Fe2O3NPs and the ultraviolet spectroscopy results showed that Fe2O3NPs causes MTs depolymerization and decrease turbidity intensity as well as increase spectra emission. The aim of this study was to find the potential risks that Fe2O3NPs pose to human organs and cells for cancer treatment.