In vitro assessment of neurotoxicity and neuroinflammation of homemade MWCNTs

• DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2017.09.005
• Publication Date: 2017-09-07T21:46:00Z
• Authors: Giuseppa Visalli; Monica Currò; Daniela Iannazzo; Alessandro Pistone; Marianna Pruiti C...; Giuseppe Acri; Barbara Testagrossa; Maria Paola Bertu...; Raffaele Squeri; Angela Di Pietro
• Keywords: Inflammation; 0301 basic medicine; Time Factors; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Cell Survival; Interleukin-6; Nanotubes, Carbon; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; Interleukin-1beta; Differentiated SH-SY5Y cells, Multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), Neuroinflammation, Neurotoxicity, Oxidative damage; Cell Line; Mitochondria; 3. Good health; 03 medical and health sciences; Gene Expression Regulation; Blood-Brain Barrier; Humans; Reactive Oxygen Species; DNA Damage

Multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) activate pathways involved in cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and inflammation. Inhaled MWCNTs are translocated to extra pulmonary organs and their hydrophobicity allows them to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Further exposure of central nervous system (CNS) occurs via olfactory neurons. Using differentiated SH-SY5Y, we studied the neurotoxicity and neuroinflammation of pristine and functionalised MWCNTs. ROS overproduction was dose- and time-dependent (P<0.01) and was related to mitochondrial impairment, DNA damage and decreased viability (P<0.05). Transcript levels of TNFα, IL-1β and IL-6 increased, as confirmed by an ELISA test. Raman spectra were acquired to assess MWCNT-cells interactions. The almost superimposable pro-oxidant activity of both CNTs could be imputable to excessive lengths with regard to the pristine MWCNTs and to the eroded surface, causing increased reactivity, with regard to functionalised MWCNTs. Considering the ease with which lightweight MWCNTs aerosolize and the increased production, the results underlined the potential onset of neurodegenerative diseases, due to unintentional MWCNT exposure.