Cytotoxicity of Polypropylene Fumarate Nanocomposites used in Bone Tissue Engineering

This study investigates cytotoxicity of the poly(propylene fumarate) nanocomposites reinforced with onedimensional (single-walled carbon nano tubes (SWCNT), multi-walled carbon nano tubes (MWCNT)) and twodimensional (single-walled graphene oxide nanoribbons (SWGONR), multi-walled graphene oxide nanoribbons (MWGONR) and graphite oxide nano-platelets (GONP)) carbon nanomaterials, fabricated for bone tissue engineering applications. PPF was synthesized using a two-step reaction of propylene glycol and fumaric acid [1]. SWGONRs and MWGONRs were synthesized via longitudinal unzipping of SWCNTs and MWCNTs, respectively [2]. GONPs were synthesized using a modified Hummer's method [3]. PPF nanocomposites were prepared by dispersing nanomaterials at concentrations yielding maximum mechanical reinforcement, as determined previously [4]. Cytotoxicity of PPF nanocomposites was evaluated against NIH3T3 mouse fibroblasts using presto blue assay. Results indicate that PPF nanocomposites, at all nanomaterial-loading concentrations, do not illicit acute cytotoxicity. PPF nanocomposites containing 0.1% MWGONRs ellicit minimal cytotoxicity (~97%viability) while PPF nanocomposites containing 0.1wt% GONP is slightly more toxic (~82% viability).