title: Significant toxic role for single-walled carbon nanotubes during normal embryogenesis.
abstract: In order to investigate the effect of SWCNTs in the embryo, we examined the outcome of SWCNTs in avian embryo at an early stage of development. We found that SWCNTs-treatment inhibits the angiogenesis of the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) and in the chicken embryo. Moreover, we showed that SWCNTs can harm the normal development of the embryo since all SWCNTs-exposed embryos are smaller in comparison with their matched controls. We also found that the majority of SWCNTs-exposed embryos die before 12days of incubation. Macroscopic examination did not reveal any anomalies in these embryos. However, RT-PCR analysis of eleven genes, which are important regulators of cell proliferation, apoptosis, survival and angiogenesis, shows that these genes are deregulated in brain and liver tissues from SWCNTs-treated embryos in comparison with their matched controls. This study suggests that SWCNTs could have a very toxic effect on the normal development of the embryo.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  In this study, a significant toxicity of single-walled carbon nanotubes was observed during normal embryogenesis: the nanotubes inhibited the angiogenesis of the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) in chicken embryos. All exposed embryos died before 12 days of incubation, suggesting a severe effect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Concordia University, Montréal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Dacian
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Roman
authors.forename: Amber
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yasmeen
authors.forename: Matei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mireuta
authors.forename: Ion
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Stiharu
authors.forename: Ala-Eddin
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Al Moustafa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002642:Chick Embryo; D049033:Chorioallantoic Membrane / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000633:toxicity*; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects; D018675:Toxicity Tests
chemical_list: D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon
keywords: Angiogenesis; Apoptosis; Avian embryo; Single-wall carbon nanotubes