Honors College Theses

Publication Date

4-20-2020

Major

Biochemistry (B.S.)

Document Type and Release Option

Thesis (open access)

Faculty Mentor

Dr. W. Eric Gato

Abstract

The advent of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) has led to a wide range of research in various fields including cancer therapy for targeting specific localized and site-specific treatment. Carbon nanotubes bound to tumor specific antibodies (Ab) offers specific treatment for cancer cells without affecting surrounding tissue. This treatment makes use of infrared absorptive properties of nanotubes to incinerate both the nanotube and its associated tumor in vivo. We seek to affirm the initial results of CNT in cancer therapy by investigating the toxicological effect in mice injected with CNT-Ab followed by microwave hypothermia. After 1-week post-injection, mice were sacrificed followed by the collection of blood serum, liver, kidney and other tissues for further analysis. Albumin, total protein, aspartate transferase (AST), and creatinine levels were assessed in the blood serum. Total protein concentration across the treatment groups was varied. There were no significant changes in albumin levels as compared to the control group. Group YE (.125 mg/ml anti-PSMA-MWCNT + Microwave) was found to have consistently high blood serum analyte levels indicative of impaired liver and kidney functioning. No other treatment groups seemed to have shown any evidence of impaired kidney function; however, groups YB (Microwave only), YF [.5 mg/ml anti-PSMA-MWCNT (No Microwave)], and YG (.5 mg/ml plain MWCNT + Microwave) seemed to show indications of impaired liver function. Analysis of gene expression revealed a significant impact on the NF-KB inflammatory response pathway. NF-KB gene was upregulated relative to controls in all treatment groups. These results seem to suggest marginal toxicity from the injection of ab-CNT followed by hyperthermia in mice subjects.

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