Predictive toxicology of cobalt nanoparticles and ions: comparative in vitro study of different cellular models using methods of knowledge discovery from data.

The toxicological effects of cobalt nanoparticles (Co-NPs) aggregates were examined and compared with those of cobalt ions (Co-ions) using six different cell lines representing lung, liver, kidney, intestine, and the immune system. Dose-response curves were studied in the concentration range of 0.05-1.0 mM, employing 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-Yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide test, neutral red, and Alamar blue as end point assays following exposures for 48 and 72 h. Data analysis and predictive modeling of the obtained data sets were executed by employing a decision tree model (J48), where training and validation were carried out by an iterative process. It was established, as expected, that concentration is the highest rank parameter. This is because concentration parameter provides the highest information gain with respect to toxicity. The second-rank parameter emerged to be either the compound type (Co-ions or Co-NPs) or the cell model, depending on the concentration range. The third and the lowest rank in the model was exposure duration. The hierarchy of cell sensitivity toward cobalt ions was found to obey the following sequence of cell lines: A549 > MDCK > NCIH441 > Caco-2 > HepG2 > dendritic cells (DCs), with A549 being the most sensitive cell line and primary DCs were the least sensitive ones. However, a different hierarchy pattern emerged for Co-NPs: A549 = MDCK = NCIH441 = Caco-2 > DCs > HepG2. The overall findings are in line with the hypothesis that the toxic effects of aggregated cobalt NPs are mainly due to cobalt ion dissolution from the aggregated NPs.