TY - JOUR
T1 - Different cellular response mechanisms contribute to the length-dependent cytotoxicity of multi-walled carbon nanotubes
AU - Liu, Dun
AU - Wang, Lijun
AU - Wang, Zhigang
AU - Cuschieri, Alfred
N1 - Copyright 2012 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - To date, there has not been an agreement on the best methods for the characterisation of multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) toxicity. The length of MWCNTs has been identified as a factor in in vitro and in vivo studies, in addition to their purity and biocompatible coating. Another unresolved issue relates to the variable toxicity of MWCNTs on different cell types. The present study addressed the effects of MWCNTs' length on mammalian immune and epithelial cancer cells RAW264.7 and MCF-7, respectively. Our data confirm that MWCNTs induce cytotoxicity in a length- and cell type-dependent manner. Whereas, longer (3 to 14 µm) MWCNTs exert high toxicity, especially to RAW264.7 cells, shorter (1.5 µm) MWCNTs are significantly less cytotoxic. These findings confirm that the degree of biocompatibility of MWCNTs is closely related to their length and that immune cells appear to be more susceptible to damage by MWCNTs. Our study also indicates that MWCNT nanotoxicity should be analysed for various components of cellular response, and cytotoxicity data should be validated by the use of more than one assay system. Results from chromogenic-based assays should be confirmed by trypan blue exclusion.
AB - To date, there has not been an agreement on the best methods for the characterisation of multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) toxicity. The length of MWCNTs has been identified as a factor in in vitro and in vivo studies, in addition to their purity and biocompatible coating. Another unresolved issue relates to the variable toxicity of MWCNTs on different cell types. The present study addressed the effects of MWCNTs' length on mammalian immune and epithelial cancer cells RAW264.7 and MCF-7, respectively. Our data confirm that MWCNTs induce cytotoxicity in a length- and cell type-dependent manner. Whereas, longer (3 to 14 µm) MWCNTs exert high toxicity, especially to RAW264.7 cells, shorter (1.5 µm) MWCNTs are significantly less cytotoxic. These findings confirm that the degree of biocompatibility of MWCNTs is closely related to their length and that immune cells appear to be more susceptible to damage by MWCNTs. Our study also indicates that MWCNT nanotoxicity should be analysed for various components of cellular response, and cytotoxicity data should be validated by the use of more than one assay system. Results from chromogenic-based assays should be confirmed by trypan blue exclusion.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84864006786&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/1556-276X-7-361
DO - 10.1186/1556-276X-7-361
M3 - Article
C2 - 22748010
AN - SCOPUS:84864006786
SN - 1931-7573
VL - 7
SP - 1
EP - 21
JO - Nanoscale Research Letters
JF - Nanoscale Research Letters
M1 - 361
ER -