Nano-sized materials are widely used in consumer products, medical devices and engineered pharmaceuticals. Advances in nanotechnology have resulted in materials smaller than the nanoscale, but the biologic safety of the sub-nanosized materials has not been fully assessed. In this study, we evaluated the toxic effects of sub-nanosized platinum particles (snPt) in the mouse liver. After intravenous administration of snPt (15 mg/kg body weight) into mice, histological analysis revealed acute hepatic injury, and biochemical analysis showed increased levels of serum markers of liver injury and inflammatory cytokines. In contrast, administration of nano-sized platinum particles did not produce these abnormalities. Furthermore, snPt induced cytotoxicity when directly applied to primary hepatocytes. These data suggest that snPt have the potential to induce hepatotoxicity. These findings provide useful information on the further development of sub-nanosized materials.
