Host: The Japanese Society of Toxicology
Name : The 51st Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Toxicology
Date : July 03, 2024 - July 05, 2024
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have attracted great interest for use in multiple fields including electronics, material science, biology and medicine. However, concerns have been raised regarding their potential risks. When multi-walled CNTs (MWCNTs) enter bodies, they are recognized by macrophages, which trigger inflammatory responses involving the activation of inflammasomes and the secretion of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) [1]. In animal models, this inflammatory response can progress to chronic inflammation, fibrosis, and even mesothelioma. However, it is poorly understood how macrophages recognize MWCNTs on their cell surface.
Recently, we found that murine T cell mucin immunoglobulin 1 (Tim1) and Tim4 contain a unique cluster of aromatic residues in their extracellular domain that facilitate direct recognition of MWCNTs [2,3]. Given the negligible expression level of Tim1/4 in human lung macrophages, we used molecular dynamics modelling to uncover alternative cell surface human receptor harboring a similar aromatic residue cluster, identifying a human macrophage receptor sialic acid immunoglobulin-like binding lectin (Siglec)-14 [4]. Here I focus on the molecular interactions between CNTs and biological systems and discuss therapeutic approaches to combat the toxicity of MWCNTs.
[1] M. Nakayama, Front. Immunol., 9, 103 (2018).
[2] S. Omori et al., Cell Rep., 34, 108734 (2021).
[3] M. Kuroiwa et al., Sci. Total Environ., 875, 162586 (2023).
[4] S-I. Yamaguchi et al., Nat. Nanotechnol., 18, 628 (2023).
