Scientists at Brookhaven National Laboratory have developed a screening method to examine how newly made nanoparticles — particles with dimensions on the order of billionths of a meter — interact with human cells following exposure for various times and doses. This has led to the visualization of how human cells interact with some specific types of carbon nanoparticles. The method is described in a review article on carbon nanoparticle toxicity in a special section of the August 23, 2006, issue of the Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter.

Nanoparticles may have different physical, chemical, electrical, and optical properties than occur in bulk samples of the same material, in part due to the increased surface area to volume ratio at the nanoscale. Many scientists believe that understanding these nanoscale properties and finding ways to engineer new nanomaterials will have revolutionary impacts — from more efficient energy generation and data storage to improved methods for diagnosing and treating disease. Brookhaven is currently building a Center for Functional Nanomaterials (CFN) with state-of-the-art facilities for the fabrication and study of nanomaterials, with an emphasis on atomic-level tailoring of nanomaterials and nanoparticles to achieve desired properties and functions.

Barbara Panessa-Warren of Brookhaven National Laboratory

“Nanomaterials show great promise, but because of their extremely small size and unique properties, little is known about their effects on living systems,” said lead author Barbara Panessa-Warren, a Brookhaven biologist who has been developing a nanoparticle cytotoxicity-screening model for the past five years. “Our experiments may provide scientists with information to help redesign nanoparticles to minimize safety concerns, and to optimize their use in health-related applications. They may also lead to effective screening practices for carbon-based materials.”

A variety of studies conducted in living animals, which are described in the review article, have found a range of toxic effects resulting from exposure to carbon-based nanoparticles. All of these in vivo studies clearly show that multiple factors interact following nanoparticle exposure to produce acute and chronic changes within individual cells and the organism itself. In vitro laboratory studies, such as the cell-culture method developed by the Brookhaven team, are an attempt to simplify the research by eliminating many of the variables found in animal studies, giving researchers greater control over experimental conditions.

“By combining techniques of molecular biology with sophisticated imaging methods, we can rapidly gather information about the response of specific cell types to specific nanoparticles, making in vitro testing an inexpensive and immediate tool for screening and fine-tuning nanoparticle design to maximize safety and target specificity,” Panessa-Warren said.

For more information, contact Karen McNulty Walsh at (631) 344-8350, kmcnulty@bnl.gov.