As has been discussed on this blog and in other forums, nanoparticles are increasingly being used in an ever increasing variety of products and industries, and, as has been discussed here and elsewhere, there has been a corresponding rise in concern about exposure to nanoparticles and the possible toxic effects such exposure could result in.
The Journal of Molecular Cell Biology last week published, on their website, an article by Chenggang Li et al, "PAMAM Nanoparticles Promote Acute Lung Injury by Inducing Autophagic Cell Death Through the Akt-TSC2-mTOR Signaling Pathway", which examined the toxicity of a particular type of nanoparticle, the Starburst Polyamidoamine dendrimer (PAMAN), a nanoparticle that that pharmaceutical industry has shown a great deal on interest in, and how PAMAM causes cell death to occur.
This study and its results will add to the growing body of research which should lead to discussions and establishment of safety protocols for the nanoindustry , protocols that will keep workers and consumers from unnecessary harm and allow the nanoindustry to grown and develop.
