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Updated: May 10, 2025
07:49
Spontaneous Formation and Rearrangement of Artificial Lipid Nanotube Networks as a Bottom-Up Model for Endoplasmic Reticulum
Published on: January 22, 2019
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Clustered Carbon Nanotubes Damage Endoplasmic Reticulum
Aditya Yadav1, Zhou Fang2, Yuxin Wang1,3
1Department of Cancer Biology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati 45267, Ohio, United States.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|April 20, 2025
Summary
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can cause nanotoxicity by damaging the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). CNTs aggregate, puncture ER membranes, and increase lipid extraction, leading to ER stress and cellular damage.
Area of Science:
- Nanotechnology
- Cell Biology
- Toxicology
Background:
- Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) offer unique properties and applications.
- Concerns exist regarding the potential toxicity of CNTs.
- Understanding CNTs' effects on cellular structures is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the nanotoxic effects of CNTs on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER).
- To elucidate the mechanisms underlying CNT-induced ER damage and stress.
Main Methods:
- Structure illumination microscopy
- Transmission electron microscopy
- RNA sequencing
- Molecular dynamics simulations
- Coarse-grained simulations
Main Results:
- CNTs form clusters during endocytosis, leading to ER fragmentation via puncturing.
- Up-regulation of activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4), a marker of ER stress, was observed.
- CNT clustering accelerates lipid extraction, causing significant ER damage.
Conclusions:
- CNTs induce nanotoxicity by physically damaging the ER structure.
- CNT-induced ER damage is linked to increased ER stress.
- Molecular simulations reveal accelerated lipid extraction as a key damage mechanism.
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