Citrullination as early-stage indicator of cell response to single-walled carbon nanotubes.

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have been widely explored as potential technologies for information systems and medical applications. The impact of SWCNTs on human health is of prime concern, if SWCNTs have a future in the manufacturing industry. This study proposes a novel, inflammation-independent paradigm of toxicity for SWCNTs, identifying the protein citrullination process as early-stage indicator of inflammatory responses of macrophages (THP-1) and of subtle phenotypic damages of lung epithelial (A549) cells following exposure to chemically-treated SWCNTs.

Selective adsorption of proteins on single-wall carbon nanotubes by using a protective surfactant.

The dispersion of highly hydrophobic carbon materials such as carbon nanotubes in biological media is a challenging issue. Indeed, the nonspecific adsorption of proteins occurs readily when the nanotubes are introduced in biological media; therefore, a methodology to control adsorption is in high demand. To address this issue, we developed a bifunctional linker derived from pyrene that selectively enables or prevents the adsorption of proteins on single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs).

A novel pyrene-based fluorescing amphiphile with unusual bulk and interfacial properties.

We have synthesised a new, pyrene-based, low-molecular-mass, amphiphilic molecule that displays a wealth of properties of potential interest for aggregation and interfacial applications. In order to elucidate some of the key properties of this molecule, which consists of a pyrene-containing hydrophobic head and a short PEG-based hydrophilic tail, we investigate herein some aspects of its concentration-dependent behaviour in aqueous solutions. We show that the inclusion of the hydrophobic pyrene group not only provides the molecule with intriguing bulk and interfacial properties down to low concentrations, but also with various means of assessing its aggregation behaviour by means of its well-characterised fluorescence properties.