The aim of this study was to analyze the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of titanium oxide (TiO2) and aluminium oxide (Al2O3) nanoparticles (NPs) on Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-K1) cells using neutral red (NR), mitochondrial activity (by MTT assay), sister chromatid exchange (SCE), micronucleus (MN) formation, and cell cycle kinetics techniques. Results showed a dose-related cytotoxic effect evidenced after 24 h by changes in lysosomal and mitochondrial dehydrogenase activity. Interestingly, transmission electronic microscopy (TEM) showed the formation of perinuclear vesicles in CHO-K1 cells after treatment with both NPs during 24 h but no NP was detected in the nuclei. Genotoxic effects were shown by MN frequencies which significantly increased at 0.5 and 1 mu g/mL TiO2 and 0.5-10 mu g/mL Al2O3. SCE frequencies were higher for cells treated with 1-5 mu g/mL TiO2. The absence of metaphases evidenced cytotoxicity for higher concentrations of TiO2. No SCE induction was achieved after treatment with 1-25 mu g/mL Al2O3. In conclusion, findings showed cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of TiO2 and Al2O3 NPs on CHO-K1 cells. Possible causes of controversial reports are discussed further on. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.