title: Boron nitride nanotubes as vehicles for intracellular delivery of fluorescent drugs and probes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the response of cells to boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) carrying fluorescent probes or drugs in their inner channel by assessment of the cellular localization of the fluorescent cargo, evaluation of the in vitro release and biological activity of a drug (curcumin) loaded in BNNTs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cells treated with curcumin-loaded BNNTs and stimulated with lipopolysaccharide were assessed for nitric oxide release and stimulation of IL-6 and TNF-α. The cellular trafficking of two cell-permeant dyes and a non-cell-permeant dye loaded within BNNTs was imaged.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BNNTs loaded with up to 13 wt% fluorophores were internalized by cells and controlled release of curcumin triggered cellular pathways associated with the known anti-inflammatory effects of the drug.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The overall findings indicate that BNNTs can function as nanocarriers of biologically relevant probes/drugs allowing one to examine/control their local intracellular localization and biochemical effects, leading the way to applications as intracellular nanosensors.
authors.affiliation: Université de Montréal, Faculté de Pharmacie et Département de Chimie, CP 6128 Succursale Centre Ville, Montréal, QC, H3C 3J7, Canada.
authors.forename: Jukka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Niskanen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, 3655 Promenade Sir-William-Osler, H3G 1Y6, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Issan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan.
authors.forename: Yanming
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.affiliation: International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan.
authors.forename: Dmitri
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Golberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, 3655 Promenade Sir-William-Osler, H3G 1Y6, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Dusica
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Maysinger
authors.affiliation: Université de Montréal, Faculté de Pharmacie et Département de Chimie, CP 6128 Succursale Centre Ville, Montréal, QC, H3C 3J7, Canada.|International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan.
authors.forename: Françoise M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Winnik
mesh_terms: D001896:Boron Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry; D003474:Curcumin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D005453:Fluorescence; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D001896:Boron Compounds; D004337:Drug Carriers; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C017282:boron nitride; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D003474:Curcumin
keywords: Lucifer yellow; boron nitride nanotubes; curcumin; inflammation; microglia; nanosensors