Fig. 2

Cell viability, ROS and gene evaluation. Cytotoxic effect of PET-NPs on RAW 264.7 cells after incubation with (A) 0.0001 to 10 mg/mL or (B) 7.5, 15, 30, and 60 µg/mL of nanoparticles for 24, 48, and 72 h. DMSO was set up as a positive control for the viability assays (n = 3). Additionally, PET-NPs by themselves have not shown fluorescence at 24, 48, 72 h of incubation. C ROS production test of the macrophages exposed to PET-NPs. TBHP was set up as a positive control for the ROS production assays (n = 3). All data were expressed as the mean ± SD. All differences were identified via one-way ANOVA, followed by Tukey's multiple comparison test. * represented the significantly different (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, p < 0.001, and p < 0.0001) as compared with the control. D Upregulated genes (log2 > 2) from macrophages incubated in presence of PET-NPs. E Plot of cell number vs fluorescence (resazurin reduction). Results showed no significant differences between control and PET-NPs at 24 h. However, an increment in fluorescence is observed at 48 and 72 h (15 and 30 μg/mL of PET-NPs), but the cell amount from the same time showed a decrement in all samples incubated in presence of PET-NPs and compared to control