A new strategy to investigate the toxicity of nanomaterials using Langmuir monolayers as membrane models

Autor(es)

Cancino, Juliana ^{[1, 2]} ; Nobre, Thatyane M. ^[3] ; Oliveira, Jr., Osvaldo N. ^[3] ; Machado, Sergio A. S. ^[2] ; Zucolotto, Valtencir ^[1]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Phys Inst Sao Carlos, Nanomed & Nanotoxicol Lab, BR-13560970 Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Chem Inst Sao Carlos, BR-13560970 Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Phys Inst Sao Carlos, BR-13560970 Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: Nanotoxicology; v. 7, n. 1, p. 61-70, FEB 2013.
• Citações Web of Science: 22

Resumo

Nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and nanoparticles have received enormous attention in analytical areas for their potential applications as new tools for biotechnology and life sciences. Most of these possible applications involve the use of CNTs and related materials as vehicles for drug delivery and/or gene therapy. In this study, we introduce a methodology to evaluate the interactions between CNTs/dendrimers nanoconjugates and phospholipid biomembrane models, using the Langmuir film balance technique. Our main goal was to elucidate the action of engineered nanomaterials in cell membranes, at the molecular level, using a membrane model system. The penetration of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs)/polyamidoamine dendrimer nanocomplexes into dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine monolayers was pronounced, as revealed by adsorption kinetics and surface pressure measurements. These findings suggest that SWCNTs were able to interact even at high surface pressure values, similar to 30 mN/m. Therefore, the results confirm that the presence of the nanomaterial affects the packing of the synthetic membranes. We believe the methodology introduced here may be of great importance for further nanotoxicity studies. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 08/00546-5 - Auto-organização no desenvolvimento de sensores, biossensores e modelos de membrana para aplicação em nanomedicina
• Beneficiário: Juliana Cancino Bernardi
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Doutorado