The presence of residual gold nanoparticles in samples interferes with the RT-qPCR assay used for gene expression profiling

Background RT-qPCR is routinely used in expression profiling of toxicity pathway genes. However, genetic and molecular level studies used to determine, understand and clarify potential risks of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) are still incomplete. Concerns regarding possible interference caused by intracellular ENMs during analyses have been raised. The aim of this study was to verify a qPCR procedure for gene expression assays, which can be used in toxicity and exposure assessments.