title: Evaluation of in vitro and in vivo genotoxicity of single-walled carbon nanotubes.
abstract: Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have extensive potential industrial applications due to their unique physical and chemical properties; yet this also increases the chance of human and environment exposure to SWCNTs. Due to the current lack of hazardous effect information on SWNCTs, a standardized genotoxicity battery test was conducted to clarify the genetic toxicity potential of SWCNTs (diameter: 1-1.2 nm, length: ∼20 μm) according to Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development test guidelines 471 (bacterial reverse mutation test), 473 (in vitro chromosome aberration test), and 474 (in vivo micronuclei test) with a good laboratory practice system. The test results showed that the SWCNTs did not induce significant bacterial reverse mutations at 31.3-500 μg/plate in Salmonella typhimurium strains TA98, TA100, TA1535, and TA1537 or in Escherichia coli strain WP2uvrA, with and without a metabolic activation system. Furthermore, the in vitro chromosome aberration test showed no significant increase in structural or numerical chromosome aberration frequencies at SWCNT dose levels of 12.5-50 μg/ml in the presence and absence of metabolic activation. However, dose-dependent cell growth inhibition was found at all the SWCNT dose levels and statistically significant cytotoxic effects observed at certain concentrations in the presence and absence of metabolic activation. Finally, the SWCNTs did not evoke significant in vivo micronuclei frequencies in the polychromatic erythrocytes of an imprinting control region mice at 25-100 mg/kg. Thus, according to the results of the present study, the SWCNTs were not found to have a genotoxic effect on the in vitro and in vivo test systems.
authors.affiliation: Toxicity Evaluation Center, Korea Conformity Laboratories, Incheon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Sik
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Toxicity Evaluation Center, Korea Conformity Laboratories, Incheon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kyung Seuk
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nanoproduct Safety Research, Hoseo University, Asan, Republic of Korea u1670916@chollian.net.
authors.forename: Il Je
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004249:DNA Damage; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000633:toxicity*; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon
keywords: Good Laboratory Practice (GLP); OECD test guidelines; Single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs); bacterial reverse mutation test; cell growth inhibition; genotoxicity; in vitro chromosome aberration test; in vivo micronuclei test