Dispersant affects the cellular influences of single-wall carbon nanotube: the role of CNT as carrier of dispersants

The application of carbon nanotube (CNT) as a functional material to engineering and life sciences is advanced. In order to evaluate the cytotoxicity of CNT in vitro, some chemical and biological reagents are used for dispersants. In the present study, the cellular influences of six kinds of chemical or biological reagents used as dispersants were examined. Pluronic F-127, Pluronic F-68, 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC), pulmonary surfactant preparation Surfacten (R), bovine serum albumin (BSA) and Tween 80 were used in the preparation of CNT-medium dispersants. The influences of each reagent on cell viability in human lung carcinoma A549 cells were small. However, Pluronic F-127, DPPC, Surfacten (R) and Tween 80 induced an increase of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level. Next, CNT-medium dispersions were prepared, using each reagent as a dispersant and applied to A549 cells. The cellular influences depended on the kind of dispersant. Cells exposed to CNT dispersion including Pluronic (R) F-127, Surfacten (R), DPPC and Tween 80 showed LDH release to the culture supernatant. Induction of intracellular ROS level was observed in cells exposed to CNT dispersion including each reagent except BSA. These results suggest that the adsorbed dispersant reagents on the surface of the CNT affect its cellular influences, particularly the induction of oxidative stress.