Open AccessIn‐vitro toxicity of carbon nanotube/polylysine colloids to colon cancer cells
Author(s) -
AnsónCasaos Alejandro,
Grasa Laura,
Pereboom Desirée,
Mesonero José Emilio,
Casanova Alvaro,
Murillo María Divina,
Martínez María Teresa
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
iet nanobiotechnology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1751-875X
DOI - 10.1049/iet-nbt.2015.0088
Subject(s) - polylysine , carbon nanotube , flow cytometry , in vitro , toxicity , oxygen , chemistry , cytotoxicity , cell , viability assay , biophysics , aqueous solution , cell culture , nanotoxicology , nanotechnology , materials science , nuclear chemistry , biochemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , organic chemistry , genetics
Single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are thoroughly purified and dispersed in an aqueous solution of high molecular weight poly‐L‐lysine (pLlys). Human intestinal epithelial Caco‐2/TC7 cells are incubated with the SWCNT dispersions in pLlys, and their effects on cell viability are studied by image flow cytometry. No significant changes are observed in the cell culture wells up to pLlys concentrations of 10 μg ml −1 . However, high mortality is detected at pLlys concentrations of 100 μg ml −1 . The presence of oxygen‐free SWCNTs does not modify the effects of pLlys on cell cultures at any of the tested concentrations (≤1 μg ml −1 ). In addition, SWCNTs having an 8 wt.% of surface oxygen are tested with identical results. Thus, purified SWCNTs, even bearing oxygen functional groups, act as inert particles in the cell culture medium. This result supports the applicability of SWCNTs as carriers in pharmacological formulations against digestive tract diseases.