Donaldson Ken, Aitken Robert, Tran Lang, Stone Vicki, Duffin Rodger, Forrest Gavin, Alexander Andrew
MRC/University of Edinburgh Centre for Inflammation Research, ELEGI Colt Laboratory, Queen's Medical Research Institute, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom.
Toxicol Sci. 2006 Jul;92(1):5-22. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfj130. Epub 2006 Feb 16.
Carbon nanotubes (CNT) are an important new class of technological materials that have numerous novel and useful properties. The forecast increase in manufacture makes it likely that increasing human exposure will occur, and as a result, CNT are beginning to come under toxicological scrutiny. This review seeks to set out the toxicological paradigms applicable to the toxicity of inhaled CNT, building on the toxicological database on nanoparticles (NP) and fibers. Relevant workplace regulation regarding exposure is also considered in the light of our knowledge of CNT. CNT could have features of both NP and conventional fibers, and so the current paradigm for fiber toxicology, which is based on mineral fibers and synthetic vitreous fibers, is discussed. The NP toxicology paradigm is also discussed in relation to CNT. The available peer-reviewed literature suggests that CNT may have unusual toxicity properties. In particular, CNT seem to have a special ability to stimulate mesenchymal cell growth and to cause granuloma formation and fibrogenesis. In several studies, CNT have more adverse effects than the same mass of NP carbon and quartz, the latter a commonly used benchmark of particle toxicity. There is, however, no definitive inhalation study available that would avoid the potential for artifactual effects due to large mats and aggregates forming during instillation exposure procedures. Studies also show that CNT may exhibit some of their effects through oxidative stress and inflammation. CNT represent a group of particles that are growing in production and use, and therefore, research into their toxicology and safe use is warranted.
碳纳米管（CNT）是一类重要的新型技术材料，具有许多新颖且有用的特性。预计其产量的增加可能导致人类接触增多，因此，碳纳米管正开始受到毒理学审查。本综述旨在基于纳米颗粒（NP）和纤维的毒理学数据库，阐述适用于吸入碳纳米管毒性的毒理学范式。鉴于我们对碳纳米管的了解，还考虑了有关暴露的相关工作场所规定。碳纳米管可能兼具纳米颗粒和传统纤维的特征，因此讨论了基于矿物纤维和合成玻璃纤维的当前纤维毒理学范式。还讨论了与碳纳米管相关的纳米颗粒毒理学范式。现有同行评审文献表明，碳纳米管可能具有不同寻常的毒性特性。特别是，碳纳米管似乎具有刺激间充质细胞生长以及导致肉芽肿形成和纤维化的特殊能力。在多项研究中，相同质量的碳纳米管比纳米颗粒碳和石英具有更严重的不良影响，后者是常用的颗粒毒性基准。然而，尚无确定性的吸入研究能够避免因滴注暴露过程中形成大的团块和聚集体而产生的人为影响。研究还表明，碳纳米管可能通过氧化应激和炎症表现出一些影响。碳纳米管是一类产量和使用量都在不断增加的颗粒，因此，对其毒理学和安全使用进行研究是必要的。
