Cytotoxicity and global transcriptional responses induced by zinc oxide nanoparticles NM 110 in PMA-differentiated THP-1 cells.

•Exposure to ZnO110NP for 24 h decreased cell viability in a dose-dependent manner with an IC50 of 8.1 μg/mL.•Transcriptomic study at IC50 and IC50/4 for 4 h showed that the expressions of genes involved in metal metabolism are perturbed.•Expression of genes acting in transcription regulation, DNA binding, protein synthesis and structure were altered.•Metallothioneins genes (MT1, MT2) and heat-shock proteins genes (HSP) might be used as early markers of exposition to ZnONP.•Inflammation, apoptosis and mitochondrial suffering indicated a less specific cellular response.