title: In-vitro toxicity of carbon nanotube/polylysine colloids to colon cancer cells.
abstract: Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are thoroughly purified and dispersed in an aqueous solution of high molecular weight poly-L-lysine (pLlys). Human intestinal epithelial Caco-2/TC7 cells are incubated with the SWCNT dispersions in pLlys, and their effects on cell viability are studied by image flow cytometry. No significant changes are observed in the cell culture wells up to pLlys concentrations of 10 μg ml-1. However, high mortality is detected at pLlys concentrations of 100 μg ml-1. The presence of oxygen-free SWCNTs does not modify the effects of pLlys on cell cultures at any of the tested concentrations (≤1 μg ml-1). In addition, SWCNTs having an 8 wt.% of surface oxygen are tested with identical results. Thus, purified SWCNTs, even bearing oxygen functional groups, act as inert particles in the cell culture medium. This result supports the applicability of SWCNTs as carriers in pharmacological formulations against digestive tract diseases.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Carboquímica, ICB-CSIC, Miguel Luesma Castán 4, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain. alanson@icb.csic.es.
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ansón-Casaos
authors.affiliation: Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2) (Universidad de Zaragoza - CITA), Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Grasa
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Citómica, Universidad de Zaragoza, Domingo Miral s/n, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: Desirée
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pereboom
authors.affiliation: Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2) (Universidad de Zaragoza - CITA), Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: José Emilio
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Mesonero
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Farmacología y Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Zaragoza, Domingo Miral s/n, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: Alvaro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Casanova
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Farmacología y Fisiología, Facultad de Veterinaria, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Aragón (IIS), Universidad de Zaragoza, Miguel Servet 177, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: María Divina
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Murillo
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Carboquímica, ICB-CSIC, Miguel Luesma Castán 4, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: María Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Martínez
mesh_terms: D018938:Caco-2 Cells; D003102:Colloids / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000633:toxicity*; D011107:Polylysine / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D003102:Colloids; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D011107:Polylysine