Carbon Nanotubes in Cancer Treatment: A Preliminary <i>In Vitro</i> Study Using Neuroblastoma Cells

Abstract

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were reported to cause severe toxicity in in vivo and in vitro studies. On the other hand, CNTs has the potential as a mechanism for drug delivery across the blood brain barrier due to its nano-sized dimensions. The present preliminary study examined the cytotoxic effect of CNTs in serum-free and serum-containing EMEM medium on neuroblastoma cells growth. The MTS assay showed that CNTs did not cause any cytotoxicity at concentrations below 0.1 mg/mL at 24 and 48 h incubation in serum-containing EMEM medium. This finding suggested that below 0.1 mg/mL, CNTs can be used as a mechanism for drug delivery for the treatment of neuronal cancer. However, CNTs showed slighty toxic towards neuroblastoma cells at concentration 0.1 mg/ml at 48h incubation in serum-free EMEM medium. This finding indicates that the present of serum play a role for toxicity effect of CNTs in cells.

Neuroblastoma‐targeted nanoparticles and novel nanotechnology‐based treatment methods

“…They can deliver a significant amount of the therapeutic agent to the target and increase the temperature of the tumor. However, there have been some reports of their toxicities, mainly due to their agglomeration (Figure 2; Nurulhuda, Mazatulikhma, Poh, & Rusop, 2013; Senapati, Mahanta, Kumar, & Maiti, 2018). Drug‐loaded silk filmsSilk is a material that is easily formulated for different applications in medical sciences such as films, hydrogels, microparticles, NPs, microneedles, or combination materials that are completely degradable in vivo.…”

“…They can deliver a significant amount of the therapeutic agent to the target and increase the temperature of the tumor. However, there have been some reports of their toxicities, mainly due to their agglomeration (Figure 2; Nurulhuda, Mazatulikhma, Poh, & Rusop, 2013; Senapati, Mahanta, Kumar, & Maiti, 2018).…”