According to an article published in the Journal of Molecular Cell Biology, the researchers in China have discovered how a particular class of nanoparticles - ployamidoamine dendrimers or PAMAMs - used in medicine can cause lung cancer.

Nanotechnology is essentially the science of the "extremely tiny" - one nanometre being one-billionth of a metre - and is an important industry. However, the study implies that though the fledgling science is promising in terms of noteworthy advances in the field of science and medicine, the concerns about its safety cannot be overlooked.

As per the findings of the Chinese experts, these specific types of nanoparticles may bring about lung damage by setting off a 'programmed cell death' called autophagic cell death.

On the basis of the experiments conducted by the team of researchers, whereby they observed how different types of PAMAMs exterminated human lung cells; however, without finding evidence that the cells were dying their natural death, which is called apoptosis.

Lead researcher, Chengyu Jiang - a molecular biologist at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences in Beijing - said that the study "provides us with a promising lead for developing strategies to prevent lung damage caused by nanoparticles."

In fact, though the study is mainly concerned about the harmful effect of PAMAMs on the lungs, the potential damage they cause to other organs cannot be ruled out!