title: Up-regulation of T lymphocyte and antibody production by inflammatory cytokines released by macrophage exposure to multi-walled carbon nanotubes.
abstract: Our data demonstrate that multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are internalized by macrophages, subsequently activating them to produce interleukin (IL)-12 (IL-12). This cytokine induced the proliferative response of T lymphocytes to a nonspecific mitogen and to ovalbumin (OVA). This increase in the proliferative response was accompanied by an increase in the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interferon-gamma (IFNγ), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) and IL-6, in mice inoculated with MWCNTs, whether or not they had been immunized with OVA. A decrease in the expression of transforming growth factor-beta (TGFβ) was observed in the mice treated with MWCNTs, whereas the suppression of the expression of both TGFβ and IL-10 was observed in mice that had been both treated and immunized. The activation of the T lymphocyte response by the pro-inflammatory cytokines leads to an increase in antibody production to OVA, suggesting the important immunostimulatory effect of carbon nanotubes.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Engenharia Elétrica e Computação, Universidade de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Carolina P
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Grecco
authors.forename: Rosemeire F O
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Paula
authors.forename: Erica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mizutani
authors.forename: Juliana C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Sartorelli
authors.forename: Ana M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Milani
authors.forename: Ana Leda F
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Longhini
authors.forename: Elaine C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pradella
authors.forename: Vania D R
authors.initials: VD
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Adriel S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Moraes
authors.forename: Alfredo C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Peterlevitz
authors.forename: Alessandro S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Farias
authors.forename: Helder J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Ceragioli
authors.forename: Leonilda M B
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Vitor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Baranauskas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000276:immunology*; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D004705:Endocytosis; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism*; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D008262:Macrophage Activation / Q000276:immunology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D018664:Interleukin-12; D010047:Ovalbumin