The biosafety study of SiO2 nanoparticle on lactic acid bacillus– an approach towards safety on human gut immunity

Nabanita Mukherjee, Moumita Sil, Serene Adak, Arup Mukherjee, Arunava Goswami

Agricultural & Ecological Research Unit, Biological Science Division, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

ABSTRACT

The increasing applications of nanoparticles such as Silicon dioxide nanoparticles (SiO2 nanoparticles) are found in the various biotechnological and biomedical fields like drug delivery, disease diagnostics, imaging, biosensor development, cosmetics, foods, etc. In the new era of nanotechnology, we get new dimensions in medical and pharmaceutical fields such as vaccine design (as nano materials show good performances in antigen delivery, as it mimics viral body and also it acts as adjuvant). Thus, a systematic and mechanistic evaluation of the possible biotic and toxic effects of SiO2 nanoparticles needs to be tested for their safe applicability in human life. In the era of multiple drug resistance and the simultaneous outbreak of new bacterial, viral and other zoonotic strains, human beneficial gut bacteria play a major role in developing the body’s immunity. It controls mucosa-associated immune cells and produces a large number of antibodies. Thus, probiotic treatment becomes crucial for maintaining the human body’s proper balance on immunity. The biosafety study of SiO2 nanoparticles was tested on several human cell lines. But, the effect of SiO2 nanoparticles on human beneficial gut flora, used as probiotic has never been tested before. Bacillus coagulans is a spore-forming, dominant, lactic acid bacillus used as a probiotic worldwide. Here, we report SiO2 nanoparticles (15 nm) inhibits the growth of bacteria even at a smaller dose (0.1 mg/L), electron microscopy images and enzyme study also reveal changes in bacterial cell wall integrity due to stressful condition. Hence, bacterial interaction with silicon dioxide nanoparticles was studied thoroughly.

Keywords:

Silicon Dioxide Nanoparticle, Gut Bacteria, Biosafety