Exposure of single-walled carbon nanotubes impairs the functions of primarily cultured murine peritoneal macrophages.
It is increasingly important to understand the single-walled carbon nanotubes' (SWCNTs) immune response as their increasingly biomedical researches and applications. Macrophages and T cells play important roles in scavenging foreign materials and pathogens and regulating immune response. In this work, primarily cultured murine peritoneal macrophages and purified splenic T cells were utilised to determine the toxic effects of SWCNTs and acid-functionalised SWCNTs (AF-SWCNTs) on the immune system, especially on macrophage functions. Macrophages were exposed to 0-50 μg/ml of CNTs for 24 h and no significant cytotoxicity was found by live/dead and annexin-V-FITC/PI analyses. The TEM images revealed that AF-SWCNTs were engulfed mostly through phagocytosis and located in lysosomes of macrophages. Measurement of mitochondrial membrane potential and proteasome subunit gene expression demonstrated that 10 and 50 μg/ml AF-SWCNTs could damage mitochondrial function and proteasome formation in a concentration-dependent manner. Functional analyses revealed that the percentage of phagocytic cells were affected significantly by 20 μg/ml CNTs, and 5 μg/ml AF-SWCNTs inhibited the phagocytic efficiency of latex beads in macrophages. The accessory cell function was affected by both AF-SWCNTs and SWCNTs at concentrations of 10 and 50 μg/ml, respectively. Furthermore, AF-SWCNT biased naïve T-cell differentiation to Th1 type by inducing the production of IFN-γ and TNF, implying the potential risk of Th1-associated diseases (e.g. autoimmune diseases and inflammation) on AF-SWCNT exposure.
State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-environmental Sciences, The Chinese Academy of Science , Beijing , China.
Ping-Xuan
PX
Dong
Bin
B
Wan
Zi-Xia
ZX
Wang
Liang-Hong
LH
Guo
Yu
Y
Yang
Lixia
L
Zhao
D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D042541:Intracellular Space / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008247:Lysosomes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000633:toxicity*; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects
D016207:Cytokines; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon