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0619424_Islam

Carbon Nanotubes Reorganize Actin in Cells and ex Vivo Mohammad F. Islam, Carnegie Mellon University, DMR 0619424.

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0619424_Islam

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  1. Carbon Nanotubes Reorganize Actin in Cells and ex VivoMohammad F. Islam, Carnegie Mellon University, DMR 0619424 Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are widely used in many technological applications due to their small size, large surface area, low density, stability, and rigidity, but their impact on human health is still unknown. As a result, cellular toxicity of CNTs have attracted significant attention and generated major disagreements. We have found that purified (i.e., free of carbonaceous impurities and metallic catalyst particles) and dispersed CNTs do not induce acute cell death, but cell proliferation is greatly reduced in CNT-treated cells with an increase in actin-related division defects. While purified, isolated SWCNTs do not appear acutely toxic, this subcellular reorganization may cause chronic changes to cellular functions. Figure 1: Confocal imaging of isolated cells in the xz plane (compressed in the y-direction) with pseudocolor for rhodamine phalloidin intensity highlights the reorganization of actin. In control cells, actin was most concentrated in the stress fibers along the basal layer of the cell. CNT-treated cells had strong actin density throughout the cell, losing the preferential localization. B. D. Holt, P. A. Short, A. D. Rape, Y. Wang, M. F. Islam, and K. N. Dahl, ACS Nano 4, 4872 (2010).

  2. Carbon Nanotubes Reorganize Actin in Cells and ex VivoMohammad F. Islam, Carnegie Mellon University, DMR 0619424 Nanomaterials such as CNTs have rich technological potential. By understanding potentially hazardous conditions, proper safety measures can be initiated for production, handling, and disposal. The dramatic phenotype observed in SWCNT-treated cells also raises the question on how to define “toxicity”. We observed no acute cell death, but a reduction in cell proliferation can be seen as a significant environmental hazard. Biomedical Engineering graduate student Brian Holt is discussing his results with another MD/PhD student Agnieszka Kalinowski. The multiphoton confocal microscope is used by groups with diverse research interests. As such, this facility provides opportunities for interactions between graduate students and postdoctoral fellows from across Carnegie Mellon.

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