Effects of fullerene C60 nanoparticles on A549 cells

Fullerene C-60 nanoparticles (C-60 NPs) have been widely applied in many fields due to their excellent physical and chemical properties. As production and applications of C60 NPs expand, public concern about the potential risk to human health has also risen. The toxicity of C-60 NPs was evaluated by the CCK-8 assay using the cultured human epithelial cell line A549. Cellular uptake of the C-60 NPs was observed by TEM imaging. In our findings, C-60 NPs could readily enter A549 cells and showed no significant toxicity. Exposure of cultured A549 cells to C-60 NPs led to an increase of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) while glutathione reductase activity was probably activated to generate more GSH to maintain a cellular oxidation-reduction equilibrium. The A549 cells responded to the ROS increases through the inauguration of autophagic responses, aimed at restoring cellular health and equilibrium. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.