Application of carbon nanotubes in neurology: clinical perspectives and toxicological risks

Nanomedicine is an emerging field that proposes the application of precisely engineered nanomaterials for the prevention, diagnosis and therapy of certain diseases, including neurological pathologies. Carbon nanotubes (CNT) are a new class of nanomaterials, which have been shown to be promising in different areas of nanomedicine. In this review, the application of CNT interfacing with the central nervous system (CNS) will be described, and representative examples of neuroprosthetic devices, such as neuronal implants and electrodes will be discussed. Furthermore, the possible application of CNT-based materials as regenerative matrices of neuronal tissue and as delivery systems for the therapy of CNS will be presented.

[1]  P. Higgins,et al.  Nanomedicine: Nanotubes reduce stroke damage. , 2011, Nature nanotechnology.

[2]  Darren J. Martin,et al.  THE BIOCOMPATIBILITY OF CARBON NANOTUBES , 2006 .

[3]  R. Ellis-Behnke.  Nano neurology and the four P's of central nervous system regeneration: preserve, permit, promote, plasticity. , 2007, The Medical clinics of North America.

[4]  M. Prato,et al.  Organic functionalization of carbon nanotubes. , 2002, Journal of the American Chemical Society.

[5]  M. Zheng,et al.  DNA-assisted dispersion and separation of carbon nanotubes , 2003, Nature materials.

[6]  B. Badie,et al.  Internalization of MWCNTs by microglia: Possible application in immunotherapy of brain tumors , 2007, NeuroImage.

[7]  Giada Cellot,et al.  Carbon Nanotubes Carrying Cell‐Adhesion Peptides do not Interfere with Neuronal Functionality , 2009 .

[8]  Laura Ballerini,et al.  Interactions Between Cultured Neurons and Carbon Nanotubes: A Nanoneuroscience Vignette. , 2009, Journal of nanoneuroscience.

[9]  Wei Liu,et al.  Conductive single-walled carbon nanotube substrates modulate neuronal growth. , 2009, Nano letters.

[10]  Edgar Muñoz,et al.  Controlled assembly of carbon nanotubes by designed amphiphilic Peptide helices. , 2003, Journal of the American Chemical Society.

[11]  Peter Wick,et al.  Effects of carbon nanotubes on primary neurons and glial cells. , 2009, Neurotoxicology.

[12]  Charles M. Lieber,et al.  Nanomaterials for Neural Interfaces , 2009 .

[13]  K Kostarelos,et al.  Promises, facts and challenges for carbon nanotubes in imaging and therapeutics. , 2009, Nature nanotechnology.

[14]  Eshel Ben-Jacob,et al.  Engineered self-organization of neural networks using carbon nanotube clusters , 2005 .

[15]  B. Botterman,et al.  Carbon nanotube coating improves neuronal recordings. , 2008, Nature nanotechnology.

[16]  T. Webster,et al.  Nanotechnology and nanomaterials: Promises for improved tissue regeneration , 2009 .

[17]  Lifeng Dong,et al.  Cytotoxicity Effects of Different Surfactant Molecules Conjugated to Carbon Nanotubes on Human Astrocytoma Cells , 2009, Nanoscale research letters.

[18]  James P. Wicksted,et al.  Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotube Polyelectrolyte Multilayers and Freestanding Films as a Biocompatible Platform for Neuroprosthetic Implants , 2005 .

[19]  R. Haddon,et al.  Water soluble single-walled carbon nanotubes inhibit stimulated endocytosis in neurons. , 2008, Nano letters.

[20]  N. Lee,et al.  Amine-modified single-walled carbon nanotubes protect neurons from injury in a rat stroke model. , 2011, Nature nanotechnology.

[21]  P. Tran,et al.  Carbon nanofibers and carbon nanotubes in regenerative medicine. , 2009, Advanced drug delivery reviews.

[22]  Y. Levi-Kalisman,et al.  Generic approach for dispersing single-walled carbon nanotubes: the strength of a weak interaction. , 2004, Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids.

[23]  M. Prato,et al.  Chemistry of carbon nanotubes. , 2006, Chemical reviews.

[24]  N. Kotov,et al.  Successful differentiation of mouse neural stem cells on layer-by-layer assembled single-walled carbon nanotube composite. , 2007, Nano letters.

[25]  B. Badie,et al.  Selective uptake of multi-walled carbon nanotubes by tumor macrophages in a murine glioma model , 2009, Journal of Neuroimmunology.

[26]  James M Tour,et al.  Biocompatibility of native and functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes for neuronal interface. , 2006, Journal of nanoscience and nanotechnology.

[27]  Jin-Ho Cho,et al.  Optoelectronic Stimulation of the Brain Using Carbon Nanotubes , 2010, Annals of Biomedical Engineering.

[28]  P. Tresco,et al.  Response of brain tissue to chronically implanted neural electrodes , 2005, Journal of Neuroscience Methods.

[29]  V. C. Moore,et al.  Individually suspended single-walled carbon nanotubes in various surfactants , 2003 .

[30]  Robert H. Hurt,et al.  The inhibition of neuronal calcium ion channels by trace levels of yttrium released from carbon nanotubes. , 2009, Biomaterials.

[31]  Anton V. Liopo,et al.  Stimulation of Neural Cells by Lateral Currents in Conductive Layer‐by‐Layer Films of Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes , 2006 .

[32]  Tracy L. Niedzielko,et al.  Single-walled carbon nanotubes chemically functionalized with polyethylene glycol promote tissue repair in a rat model of spinal cord injury. , 2011, Journal of neurotrauma.

[33]  Kostas Kostarelos,et al.  The long and short of carbon nanotube toxicity , 2008, Nature Biotechnology.

[34]  Miguel A. L. Nicolelis,et al.  Brain–machine interfaces: past, present and future , 2006, Trends in Neurosciences.

[35]  M. Prato,et al.  Biomedical applications of functionalised carbon nanotubes. , 2005, Chemical communications.

[36]  Hui Hu,et al.  Chemically Functionalized Carbon Nanotubes as Substrates for Neuronal Growth. , 2004, Nano letters.

[37]  James F Rusling,et al.  Targeted killing of cancer cells in vivo and in vitro with EGF-directed carbon nanotube-based drug delivery. , 2009, ACS nano.

[38]  V. Pillay,et al.  Nanotechnological applications for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders , 2009, Progress in neurobiology.

[39]  R. Haddon,et al.  Chemically functionalized water soluble single-walled carbon nanotubes modulate neurite outgrowth. , 2005, Journal of nanoscience and nanotechnology.

[40]  M. Prato,et al.  Cancer therapy: Small 10/2009 , 2009 .

[41]  J. Meng,et al.  Multi-walled carbon nanotubes suppress potassium channel activities in PC12 cells , 2009, Nanotechnology.

[42]  David C. Martin,et al.  Layered carbon nanotube-polyelectrolyte electrodes outperform traditional neural interface materials. , 2009, Nano letters.

[43]  R. Haddon,et al.  Polyethyleneimine functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes as a substrate for neuronal growth. , 2005, The journal of physical chemistry. B.

[44]  M. Prato,et al.  Carbon nanotube substrates boost neuronal electrical signaling. , 2005, Nano letters.

[45]  M. Prato,et al.  Carbon nanotubes as nanomedicines: from toxicology to pharmacology. , 2006, Advanced drug delivery reviews.

[46]  H. Markram,et al.  Interfacing Neurons with Carbon Nanotubes: Electrical Signal Transfer and Synaptic Stimulation in Cultured Brain Circuits , 2007, The Journal of Neuroscience.

[47]  D. Sarigiannis,et al.  Effects of water-soluble functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes examined by different cytotoxicity methods in human astrocyte D384 and lung A549 cells. , 2010, Toxicology.

[48]  Chen Wang,et al.  Pharmacological and toxicological target organelles and safe use of single-walled carbon nanotubes as drug carriers in treating Alzheimer disease. , 2010, Nanomedicine : nanotechnology, biology, and medicine.

[49]  M. Prato,et al.  Functionalized carbon nanotubes for plasmid DNA gene delivery. , 2004, Angewandte Chemie.

[50]  M. Prato,et al.  Nanomaterial/neuronal hybrid system for functional recovery of the CNS , 2008 .

[51]  R. Whitby,et al.  Neurite outgrowths of neurons with neurotrophin-coated carbon nanotubes. , 2007, Journal of bioscience and bioengineering.

[52]  A. Cuschieri,et al.  Influence of purity and surface oxidation on cytotoxicity of multiwalled carbon nanotubes with human neuroblastoma cells. , 2009, Nanomedicine : nanotechnology, biology, and medicine.

[53]  T. Pizzorusso,et al.  Pluronic-coated carbon nanotubes do not induce degeneration of cortical neurons in vivo and in vitro. , 2009, Nanomedicine : nanotechnology, biology, and medicine.

[54]  S. Weiss,et al.  Generation of neurons and astrocytes from isolated cells of the adult mammalian central nervous system. , 1992, Science.

[55]  John J. Schlager,et al.  Differential biocompatibility of carbon nanotubes and nanodiamonds , 2007 .

[56]  A. Kabanov,et al.  Novel Nanomaterials for Clinical Neuroscience , 2008, Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology.

[57]  H. Markram,et al.  Carbon nanotubes might improve neuronal performance by favouring electrical shortcuts. , 2009, Nature nanotechnology.

[58]  Nicholas A Kotov,et al.  Electrical stimulation of neural stem cells mediated by humanized carbon nanotube composite made with extracellular matrix protein. , 2009, Nano letters.

[59]  Robert C. Haddon,et al.  Molecular functionalization of carbon nanotubes and use as substrates for neuronal growth , 2000, Journal of Molecular Neuroscience.

[60]  Wei Liu,et al.  Carbon Nanotubes Enhance CpG Uptake and Potentiate Antiglioma Immunity , 2010, Clinical Cancer Research.

[61]  M. Prato,et al.  Functional motor recovery from brain ischemic insult by carbon nanotube-mediated siRNA silencing , 2011, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

[62]  Lifeng Dong,et al.  Cytotoxicity of single-walled carbon nanotubes suspended in various surfactants , 2008, Nanotechnology.

[63]  M. Prato,et al.  Antitumor activity and prolonged survival by carbon-nanotube-mediated therapeutic siRNA silencing in a human lung xenograft model. , 2009, Small.