TiO2 nanoparticles can selectively bind CXCL8 impacting on neutrophil chemotaxis

The interaction between TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) and inflammatory cytokines, including CXCL8, a clinically relevant pro-inflammatory chemokine was investigated. TiO2 is present in tissues adjacent to failing implanted Ti (titanium) devices. TiO2 NPs were shown to bind to CXCL8 in vitro, causing perturbation of quantification of CXCL8 by ELISA, in both simple and complex protein panels, in a dose-dependent manner. Binding between TiO2 NPs and CXCL8 was demonstrated by protein gel electrophoresis. TiO2 NPs were also shown to inactivate the chemoattractant property of CXCL8 in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting that the binding between TiO2 NPs and CXCL8 is likely to be clinically relevant. The results of this study disputed the applicability of detection of CXCL8 by ELISA in systems where TiO2 NPs were present. Clinically, the disruption of chemotaxis of neutrophils in response to CXCL8 in the presence of TiO2 might mean a hampered immune response to inflammation in tissues containing TiO2 NPs