Flow cytometric analysis of the basophil cell activating impact of potential drug delivery nanoparticle-candidate

Carbon nanotubes – as artificial nano-size ranged materials –have increasing role in the modern biomedical, diagnostic and therapeutic applications.There is a promising option for their use as more potential drug carriers. Despite the favourable properties, their impact (accumulation, elimination, etc.) on biological systems is largely unknown. The main limiting factor of medical use of nanomaterials in most cases is the potential hypersensitive side effect. It can develop in different route, but the activation of basophil granulocytes may play a central role in this process.

Our aim was to test the direct activation ability of different, surface modified nanotubes on basophil granulocytes in vitro. In parallel we tested the effectiveness of BasoTest planned to use for this study.

Using the blood samples of allergic and healthy volunteers we examined the basophil degranulation in the presence of nanotubes and the expression level changes of cell-surface CD63 on FACS Calibur instrument. Our results were compared to positive(fMLP, Mite, Grass) and negative control samples.

The test we have chosen proved to be sufficiently sensitive and specific for further study. Significant basophil activation was observed in the presence of carbon nanotubes in healthy persons and allergic patients, as well. The activating effect of nanotubes was more prevailed in allergic population.

Our experiments have proven the fact that nanotubes may play a role in the development of hypersensitive allergic reactions through their basophil granulocyte activator effect.