Effects of the interaction of single-walled carbon nanotubes with 4-nonylphenol on their in vitro toxicity.
The aim of this study was to assess the toxicological risks arising from the coexistence of polyethylene glycol coated single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs-PEG) and a known environmental contaminant: 4-nonylphenol (NP). To this end, in vitro toxicity assays involving the exposure of 3T3-L1 cells (mouse embryonic fibroblasts) to SWCNTs-PEG alone or in combination with NP for 24 or 48 h were performed. Experimental treatments were conducted in both presence (10%) and absence of serum in order to evaluate its influence on the toxicity of SWCNTs-PEG. Although the results provided no unambiguous evidences of synergistic toxicity between SWCNTs-PEG and NP, some specific treatments with mixtures (SWCNTs-PEG+NP) resulted in an unexpected combined toxicity in relation to the individual treatments. Only in those cases the interaction between SWCNTs-PEG and NP could have a synergistic effect on the resulting toxicity. The addition of 10% serum increased the stability of SWCNTs-PEG in the culture medium-possibly by steric repulsions-and reduced the toxicity of nanoparticles as a result. Overall, the serum had a "protective effect" on cells against all treatments: SWCNTs-PEG, NP or their mixtures (SWCNTs-PEG+NP). Raman spectroscopy allowed the intracellular distribution of SWCNTs-PEG to be elucidated.
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Marie Curie Building (Annex), Campus de Rabanales, University of Córdoba, Córdoba E-14071, Spain.
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Caballero-Díaz
Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Instituto Maimónides de Investigaciones Biomédicas de Córdoba (IMIBIC)/Reina Sofia University Hospital, University of Córdoba, Córdoba E-14071, Spain.
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Guzmán-Ruiz
Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Instituto Maimónides de Investigaciones Biomédicas de Córdoba (IMIBIC)/Reina Sofia University Hospital, University of Córdoba, Córdoba E-14071, Spain.
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Malagón
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Marie Curie Building (Annex), Campus de Rabanales, University of Córdoba, Córdoba E-14071, Spain.
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Simonet
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Marie Curie Building (Annex), Campus de Rabanales, University of Córdoba, Córdoba E-14071, Spain. Electronic address: qa1meobj@uco.es.
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Valcárcel
D041721:3T3-L1 Cells; D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D051379:Mice; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D010636:Phenols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D044967:Serum
D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D010636:Phenols; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C041594:4-nonylphenol
4-nonylphenol; Combined toxicity; Raman spectroscopy; Single-walled carbon nanotubes