Cytotoxicity analysis of gadolinium doped cerium oxide nanoparticles on human mesenchymal stem cells

A complex analysis of cytotoxicity was performed for a nanodispersed sol of cerium dioxide doped with gadolinium (Ce$_{0.8}$Gd$_{0.2}$O$_{2-x}$) using a culture of mesenchymal stem cells. The absence of cyto- and genotoxicity over a wide range of concentrations ($10^{-5} - 10^{-9}$ M) was demonstrated. At that, the highest concentration of Ce$_{0.8}$Gd$_{0.2}$O$_{2-x}$ nanoparticles ($10^{-4}$ M) was found to slightly reduce the activity of intracellular dehydrogenase, yet not leading to the development of apoptosis and further cell death. The obtained results confirm a high degree of Ce$_{0.8}$Gd$_{0.2}$O$_{2-x}$ nanoparticle biocompatibility, which opens prospects for their safe application as a contrasting agent in the magnetic resonance tomography.