Background: Boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) represent a new opportunity for drug delivery and clinical therapy. The present work has the objective to investigate pectin-coated BNNTs (P-BNNTs) for their biocompatibility on macrophage cultures, since these cells are among the first components of the immune system to interact with administered nanoparticles.
Methods: As first step, the potential toxicity of P-BNNTs is verified in terms of proliferation, oxidative stress induction and apoptosis/necrosis phenomena. Thereafter, the modulation of immune cell response following P-BNNT exposure is evaluated at gene and protein level, in particular focusing on cytokine release. Finally, P-BNNT internalization is assessed through transmission electron microscopy and confocal microscopy.
Results: The results proved that P-BNNTs are not toxic for macrophages up to 50 μg/ml after 24 h of incubation. The cytokine expression is not affected by P-BNNT administration both at gene and protein level. Moreover, P-BNNTs are internalized by macrophages without impairments of the cell structures.
Conclusions: Collected data suggest that P-BNNTs cause neither adverse effects nor inflammation processes in macrophages.
General significance: These findings represent the first and fundamental step in immune compatibility evaluation of BNNTs, mandatory before any further pre-clinical testing.
Keywords: Boron nitride nanotubes; Cytocompatibility; Immune system; Macrophages.
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