Antioxidant properties of nanocarbon materials in vitro

S.V. Prylutska1, I.I. Grynyuk1, O.P. Matyshevska1, Yu.I. Prylutskyy2, U. Ritter3, and P. Scharff3

Kiev National Shevchenko University, Departments of Bionhemistry1 and Biophysics2, Vladimirskaya Str., 64, 01033 Kiev, Ukraine
Institute of Physics, Technical University of Ilmenau, D-98684 Ilmenau, Germany

Until today significant scientific interest cause the representatives of the new allotropic forms of carbon - fullerenes and nanotubes, which are characterized by large reduction potential and ability to recover free radicals. Because of these properties carbon nanostructures have significant antioxidant potential and are capable of preventing the oxidizing stress, by which the development of many pathologic states is accompanied.

Influence of C60 fullerenes (10-5 and 2•10-5 I ) on the viability of thymocytes, subjected to the action of 100 \±M I 2I 2 as the inducter of oxidizing stress and apoptosis, is studied. The viability of thymocytes, isolated from the thymus of the Wistar rats, was evaluated by MTT-test, that reflects the activity of the electron- transport chain of mitochondria (ETC). The rate of MTT reduction was determined after addition of I 2I 2 to the incubation medium in the different periods of time. It is established that the rate of MTT reduction in thymocytes treated I 2I 2 decreases and composes 74, 62 and 53% in 1, 3, and 24 h of incubation respectively in comparison with the control.

After simultaneous introduction of I 2I 2 and C60 fullerenes into the incubation medium MTT reduction remained at decreased level in 1 and 3 h, but increased in 24 h, reaching 75% from control.

The more expressed protecting effect of C60 fullerenes (2•10-5 I ) was observed in condition of preliminary 1 h incubation of thymocytes in the presence of C60 fullerenes before introduction of I 2I 2. In this case the rate of MTT reduction in thymocytes in 1 h after 12I 2 treatment was not changed, and in 24 h it is equaled to 80% as compared with control.

The influence of carbon nanotubes on the viability of thymocytes and the hemolysis of erythrocytes is also studied. The possible mechanisms of the biological effect of C60 fullerenes and carbon nanotubes are discussed.

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