Effects of DNA-Wrapped Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes on Cell Viability and Proliferation, In Immortalized and Native Murine Cells

Neurodegenerative diseases result in the gradual and progressive loss of neural cells, affecting millions of people worldwide. In the brain, the process by which new neurons form is called neurogenesis. To harness the potential of neural stem cells in influencing cellular behavior and differentiation, a deeper understanding of the external factors that modulate their proliferation is needed. The goal of this research is to study the interaction between single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) in two different biological test beds: C17.2 cells, which are a murine neural progenitor cell line, and cells of the dentate gyrus of living murine organotypic brain slices. Using these two test beds, we conduct controlled experiments evaluating the effects of escalating doses of SWCNTs on cell viability and proliferation, as well as on SWCNT deposition using single-cell analysis. These experiments establish a comprehensive dose-response relationship, providing the threshold at which SWCNTs begin to exert detrimental effects in both immortalized and native cells.