Gd@C82(OH)n nanoparticles are noncytotoxic and can induce cellular immunity

ENVR 253

Ying Liu, Yang Qiu, Wei Li, Fang Lao, Chunying Chen, chenchy@nanoctr.cn, and Yuliang Zhao, zhaoyuliang@ihep.ac.cn. Laboratory for Bio-Environmental Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety (NCNST-IHEP), Institute of High Energy Physics and National Center for Nanoscience & Technology of China, 1st North Street, Zhonguancun, Beijing, 100080, China
The discovery in 1985 of fullerene, the third carbon allotrope, opened a new field of research activity in nanoscience and nanotechnology. While toxicity and biocompatibility of this carbon allotrope have been widely investigated, literatures concerning researches of other biological effects and even biological utilizations of fullerene are poor and limited. Previously, we have demonstrated that metallofullerene derivatives could more effectively inhibit tumor growth than several prevail antitumor drugs and cause negligible side effects to normal tissue in mice, which implicated fullerene derivatives could potentially be a better antitumor drug, though the mechanism is unknown. Here, we investigate the effects of several functionalized fullerenes upon the function and proliferation of two types of mice primary immune cells in vitro. Fullerene derivatives could enhance the release of cytokines, which help eliminate abnormal cells, while have no distinct negative effect on these immune cells.