Abstract
The toxicity of polyethylene-glycol functionalized (PEGylated) multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and non-PEGylated MWCNTs in vivo was evaluated and compared. Mice were exposed to MWCNTs by intravenous injection. The activity level of glutathione, superoxide dismutase and gene expression in liver, as well as some biochemical parameters and the tumor necrosis factor alpha level in blood were measured over 2 months. The pathological and electron micrographic observations of liver evidently indicate that the damage caused by non-PEGylated MWCNTs is slightly more severe than that of PEGylated MWCNTs, which means that PEGylation can partly, but not substantially, improve the in vivo biocompatibility of MWCNTs.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Analysis of Variance
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Animals
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Body Weight
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Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury, Chronic / etiology*
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Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury, Chronic / metabolism
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Histocytochemistry
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Liver / drug effects*
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Liver / metabolism
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Male
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Mice
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Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
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Nanotubes, Carbon / chemistry
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Nanotubes, Carbon / toxicity*
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Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
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Oxidative Stress
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Polyethylene Glycols / chemistry
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Polyethylene Glycols / toxicity*
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Superoxide Dismutase / metabolism
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Toxicity Tests, Chronic / methods
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Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / metabolism
Substances
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Nanotubes, Carbon
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Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
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Polyethylene Glycols
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Superoxide Dismutase