Scientific Publications by FDA Staff

Int J Nanomedicine 2008;3(1):59-68

Adverse effects of fullerenes on endothelial cells: fullerenol C60(OH)24 induced tissue factor and ICAM-I membrane expression and apoptosis in vitro.

Gelderman MP, Simakova O, Clogston JD, Patri AK, Siddiqui SF, Cvostal A, Simak J

Simak, J (reprint author), US FDA, CBER, 1401 Rockville Pike,HFM 335, Rockville, MD 20852 USA US FDA, CBER, Rockville, MD 20852 USA USUHS, Sch Med, Bethesda, MD USA SAIC Frederick, Nanotechnol Characterizat Lab, Adv Technol Program, Frederick, MD USA

We studied the effects of a C60 water suspension at 4 microg/mL (nC60) and the water soluble fullerenol C60(OH)24 at final concentrations of 1-100 microg/mL on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in culture. We found that a 24 hr treatment of HUVECs with C60(OH)24 at 100 microg/mL significantly increased cell surface expression of ICAM-1(CD54) (67 +/- 4% CD54+ cells vs. 19 +/- 2 % CD540 cells in control; p < 0.001). In addition, this treatment induced the expression of tissue factor (CD142) on HUVECs (54 +/- 20% CD142+ cells vs 4 +/- 2% CD142+ cells in control; p = 0.008) and increased exposure of phosphatidylserine (PS) (29 +/- 2% PS+ cells vs. 12 +/- 5% PS+ cells in control; p < 0.001). Analysis of cell cycle and DNA fragmentation (TUNEL) showed that both nC60 and C60(OH)24 caused G1 arrest of HUVECs and C60(OH)24 induced significant apoptosis (21 +/- 2% TUNEL+ cells at 100 microg/mL of C60(OH)24 vs. 4 +/- 2% TUNEL+ cells in control; p < 0.001). We also demonstrated that both nC60 and C60(OH)24 induced a rapid concentration dependent elevation of intracellular calcium [Ca2+]i. This could be inhibited by EGTA, suggesting that the source of [Ca2+]i in fullerene stimulated calcium flux is predominantly from the extracellular environment. In conclusion, fullerenol C60(OH)24 had both pro-inflammatory and pro-apoptotic effects on HUVECs, indicating possible adverse effects of fullerenes on the endothelium.