Study of cytotoxicity performance of carbon nanohorns by method of spin probes

Abstract

The effects of as-produced and treated by HNO3(3M) carbon nanohorns on the microviscosity of rat erythrocyte membranes and the viscosity of the water-containing plasma protein matrix were investigated by the method of spin probes. Addition of nanohorns at the concentration of 100 μg/ml to a suspension of erythrocytes led to an increase in membrane microviscosity during 4 h (about 60% effect). In addition, it was shown that nanohorns also induced an increased polarity of the microenvironment for lipophilic probes in the outer layer of membrane phospholipids, as well as disorders in erythrocytes membranes. Addition of nanohorns to plasma led to a little decrease in the viscosity of water and protein matrix, apparently, due to its partial destruction, impacting especially albumin. Pristine and treated by HNO3(3M) acid nanohorns was found more cytotoxic than nanoparticles of oxidized graphene, and significantly less than carbon nanotubes, which are known to dramatically increase the microviscosity of the membranes of erythrocytes and disrupt their integrity.