Carbon Nanotubes Can Affect the Lining of the Lungs
James C. Bonner, Ph.D.,
North Carolina State University
NIEHS Grant R21ES015801
Carbon nanotubes are being used in many products including sports equipment, clothing, and cosmetics and are being considered for additional uses such as targeted drug delivery devices. The toxicity of these materials is to a great extent unknown; however, a new collaborative study shows that inhalation of these particles can affect the outer lining of the lung. Long-term effects of the exposure are yet to be determined.
Laboratory mice were exposed, through inhalation, to nanotubules for a single six-hour window. Within one day, the research team noticed immune cells clustering on the surface of the pleura, the tissue that covers the outside of the lungs. Scarring or fibrosis began on the pleura about two weeks after exposure. These same effects at the same location are seen after exposure to asbestos, a known carcinogen.
The study showed that the scarring and immune responses disappeared about three months after the exposure. It is unknown if the effects would continue with chronic exposure to the nanotubes as is generally the case in asbestosis. Additional research with longer exposures is needed to determine the long-term effects of nanotube exposure.
Citation: Ryman-Rasmussen JP, Cesta MF, Brody AR, Shipley-Phillips JK, Everitt JI,Tewksbury EW, Moss OR, Wong BA, Dodd DE, Andersen ME, Bonner JC. Inhaled carbon nanotubes reach the subpleural tissue in mice. Nat Nanotechnol. 2009 Nov;4(11):747-51.
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