Facile Multiple Alkylations of C60 Fullerene

The reduction of fullerene (C60) with sodium dispersion in the presence of an excess amount of dipropyl sulfate was found to yield highly propylated fullerene, C60(nC3H7)n (max. n = 24), and C60(nC3H7)20 was predominantly generated as determined by mass spectroscopy.

Silent Death by Sound: C60 Fullerene Sonodynamic Treatment of Cancer Cells

The acoustic pressure waves of ultrasound (US) penetrate biological tissues deeper than light. Another important feature of US its potential to generate light emission within the excited medium termed sonoluminescence. This promoted the idea of its use as an alternative energy source for photosensitizer excitation. Pristine C60 fullerene (C60), an excellent photosensitizer, was explored in the frame of cancer sonodynamic therapy (SDT). For that purpose, we analyzed C60 effects on human cervix carcinoma HeLa cells in combination with a low intensity US treatment. The time-dependent accumulation of C60 in HeLa cells reached its maximum at 24 h (800 ± 66 ng / 106 cells). Half of extranuclear C60 localized within mitochondria. The efficiency of C60 nanostructure’s sonoexcitation with 1 MHz US was tested with cell viability assay. A significant proapoptotic sonotoxic effect was found for HeLa cells. C60’s ability to induce apoptosis of carcinoma cells after sonoexcitation with US provides a promising novel approach for cancer treatment.

The Impact of Fullerenes as Doxorubicin Nano-Transporters on Metallothionein and Superoxide Dismutase Status in MCF-10A Cells

This study aimed to synthesise C60–DOX complexes followed by the analysis of their effect on the concentration of metallothionein (MT) as a non-enzymatic antioxidant and on the concentration and activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) as an antioxidant enzyme in healthy human mammary MCF-10A cells. Dynamic light scattering and electrophoretic light scattering were used to establish the size and zeta potential of the complexes. The MT and SOD concentrations were determined using the ELISA method; SOD activity was determined by tetrazolium salt reduction inhibition. Lower MT concentration following exposure of cells to both DOX and C60 fullerene compared to the control sample was found. However, the concentration of this protein increased as a consequence of the C60–DOX complexes action on MCF-10A cells compared to the control. C60 used alone did not affect the concentration and activity of SOD in MCF-10A cells. Application of free DOX did not activate cellular antioxidant defence in the form of an increase in SOD concentration or its activity. In contrast treatment of cells with the C60–DOX complex resulted in a decrease in SOD1 concentration and a significant increase in SOD activity compared to cells treated with free DOX, C60 and control. Thus, it was found that C60–DOX complexes showed potential for protective effects against DOX-induced toxicity to MCF-10A cells.

Feasibility of the C60 Fullerene Antioxidant Properties: Study with Density Functional Theory Computer Modeling

Fullerene C60 compound was recently found to be a potent anti-oxidant, which may be envisioned as a result of alteration of the inner mitohondria membrane electric potential with protons transport boosted by fullerenes. Here we briefly report on the theoretical test of the very possibility of protons to pass through the surface of C60 fullerene to become confined within latter thus possibly decreasing the transmembrane electric field gradient when fullerene crosses the mitochondria membrane. Quantumchemical calculations within Density Functional Theory are employed as a means of checking described scenario

Dielectric properties of Shell oil transformer oil with impurities of carbon nanotubes and fullerene C60

At the temperature 293 K, the influence of two types of nanoimpurities (carbon multiwall nanotubes and C60 fullerene) both separately and together on the dielectric properties of Shell oil transformer oil has been studied. It has been shown that these impurities do not significantly effect on the value of the dielectric permittivity of Shell oil, but more significantly increase its conductivity. It has been found that in the presence of nanotubes inside Shell oil, the dependence of its electrical conductivity on the fullerene concentration is nonmonotonic. The samples with the fullerene concentration 100 ppm have the highest conductivity. At the fullerene concentration 300 ppm, the conductivity of Shell oil with the impurities of carbon nanotube and C60 fullerene becomes almost equal to the electrical conductivity of Shell oil only with the impurities of carbon nanotubes. It has been suggested that C60 fullerene can be used to reduce the electrical conductivity of Shell oil with magnetic nanoparticles required to increase the cooling efficiency of transformers under the action of their own magnetic field.