Effects of nano and sub-micron materials on primary human immune cells
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Biominerals in Health and Disease: Investigating the effects of nano and sub-micron material encounters on primary human immune cells.
IRAS ID
244667
Contact name
Jonathan Powell
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Cambridge
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 9 months, 1 days
Research summary
We live in a world where we are increasingly exposed to nano and sub-micron sized materials. Nano sized materials are present in our food, in over the counter medications and are increasingly being developed for medicinal use to be administered directly into the blood stream or tissues. With the growing manufacture of nano-sized materials, and increased population exposure, there is an international effort to better understand the consequences of human exposure to nano and sub-micron sized particles. Many studies have relied on animal exposure studies but more recently the benefits of examining in vitro exposures utilising primary blood cells from blood donors are becoming apparent. This is because humans, and human exposures, can be very different from animals, and animal laboratory exposures. Human cellular studies need not be invasive as primary cells obtained from blood donation can be challenged with nano-materials in short term cultures in the laboratory and the cells examined in detail. These studies are valuable for understanding how various nano and sub-micron sized materials directly interact with immune cells, how the immune cells handle these materials and the outcome of these interactions. It is important to understand whether these materials can harm or activate immune cells which might lead to inappropriate immune responses. This project focuses on both nanoparticles that form naturally in the body (e.g. intestinal calcium phosphates) and those that are man-made, such as titanium dioxide particles present in some foods and toothpaste as we know that these small materials can find their way into the blood stream.
REC name
West Midlands - Edgbaston Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/WM/0221
Date of REC Opinion
19 Jul 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion