Toxicological assessment of functional polymer with single-walled carbon nanotubes in zebrafish embryos and its gill cell line.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been widely used in developing polymer hybrid coatings for anticorrosive application. In the present study, poly [(3,5-dimethyl-lH-pyrazole-1-yl) methyl methacrylate-co-glycidyl methacrylate] (PyM) was prepared by solution polymerization. Single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) were incorporated in the PyM by solution blending technique at different proportions. The PyM and its SWCNT (PyM-SWCNT) nanocomposites were characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy, X-Ray Diffraction, FE-SEM and HR-TEM. Different concentrations of PyM or PyM-SWCNT prepared in the present study were assessed separately for their toxicity by in vivo and in vitro assays using zebrafish embryos and gill cell line of zebrafish (DrG), respectively. The nanocomposites at the concentration of 400 µg ml-1 of PyM in 1.0% of SWCNT was found to be non-toxic and recommended for anticorrosive application whereas the nanocomposites with above 1% of SWCNT was found to be toxic. The nanocomposites with 1.5% of SWCNT delayed the hatching rate of eggs, decreased survival rate and heart beat in zebrafish embryos, and induced the morphological changes in DrG cells. Gene expression studies revealed that PyM-SWCNT with high concentration of SWCNT induced oxidative stress by activating ROS generations in zebrafish embryos and DrG cells. The immersion study of uncoated and coated with recommended concentration of PyM-SWCNT on mild steel (MS) in sea water was studied using FE-SEM and EDS, and the results showed effective corrosion protection without leaching behaviour. The nanocomposites with novel polymer in the present study may be used in the industry for anticorrosive purpose.

Oral delivery of DNA construct using chitosan nanoparticles to protect the shrimp from white spot syndrome virus (WSSV).

The protective efficacy of oral delivery of a DNA construct containing the VP28 gene of WSSV encapsulated in chitosan nanoparticles was investigated in black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon). The results showed that significant survival was obtained in WSSV-challenged shrimp at 7, 15 and 30 days post-treatment (relative survival, 85%, 65% and 50%, respectively) whereas 100% mortality was observed in the control shrimp fed with feed containing chitosan/pcDNA 3.1 or chitosan/PBS complex. The ability of the chitosan to form a complex with the pVP28 and to stabilize it from endonuclease degradation was studied by agarose gel electrophoresis. Cytotoxicity of chitosan-encapsulated pVP28 was also evaluated by the MTT assay, which showed 90% viability of SISK cells incubated with the pVP28/chitosan complexes. Transcription analysis of the chitosan-encapsulated pVP28 gene in different tissues of DNA-treated shrimp and SISK cell line was confirmed by an RT-PCR reaction. The present study also measured the changes in the level of important immunological parameters such as prophenoloxidase, superoxide dismutase and superoxide anion in hemolymph of chitosan-encapsulated VP28 DNA-treated and controls shrimp. The study also correlated the changes in the level of immunological parameters with the survival percentage and protective efficacy of oral route of DNA construct against WSSV in shrimp.