Evaluating the cytotoxicity of Ge–Sb–Se chalcogenide glass optical fibres on 3T3 mouse fibroblasts

Mabwa, David; Kubiena, Teo; Parnell, Harriet; Su, Rong; Furniss, David; Tang, Zhuoqi; Leach, Richard; Benson, Trevor M.; Scotchford, Colin A.; Seddon, Angela B.

Abstract

In vivo cancer detection based on the mid-infrared molecular fingerprint of tissue is promising for the fast diagnosis and treatment of suspected cancer patients. Few materials are mid-infrared transmissive, even fewer, which can be converted into functional, low-loss optical fibres for in vivo non-invasive testing. Chalcogenide-based glass optical fibres are, however, one of the few. These glasses are transmissive in the mid-infrared and are currently under development for use in molecular sensing devices. The cytotoxicity of these materials is however unknown. The cytotoxicity of Ge–Sb–Se chalcogenide optical glass fibres on 3T3 mouse fibroblast cells is here investigated. Fibres exposed to four different pre-treatment conditions are used: as-drawn (AD), propylamine-etched (PE), oxidised-and-washed (OW) and oxidised (Ox). To achieve the latter two conditions, fibres are treated with H2O2(aqueous (aq.)) and dried to produce a surface oxide layer; this is either washed off (OW) or left on the glass surface (Ox). Cellular response is investigated via 3 day elution and 14 day direct contact trials. The concentration of the metalloids (Ge, Sb and Se) in each leachate was measured via inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Cell viability is assessed using the neutral red assay and scanning electron microscopy. The concentration of Ge, Sb and Se ions after a 3 day dissolution was as follows. In AD leachates, Ge: 0.40 mg L−1, Sb: 0.17 mg L−1, and Se: 0.06 mg L−1. In PE leachates, Ge: 0.22 mg L−1, Sb: 0.15 mg L−1, and Se: 0.02 mg L−1. In Ox leachates, Ge: 823.8 mg L−1, Sb: 2586.6 mg L−1, and Se: 3750 mg L−1. Direct contact trials show confluent cell layers on AD, PE and OW fibres after 14 days, while no cells are observed on the Ox surfaces. A >50% cell viability is observed in AD, PE and OW eluates after 3 days, when compared with Ox eluates (

Citation

Mabwa, D., Kubiena, T., Parnell, H., Su, R., Furniss, D., Tang, Z., Leach, R., Benson, T. M., Scotchford, C. A., & Seddon, A. B. (2021). Evaluating the cytotoxicity of Ge–Sb–Se chalcogenide glass optical fibres on 3T3 mouse fibroblasts. RSC Advances, 11(15), 8682-8693. https://doi.org/10.1039/d0ra00353k

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 4, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Feb 25, 2021
• Publication Date: Feb 25, 2021
• Deposit Date: Feb 19, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 1, 2021
• Journal: RSC Advances
• Electronic ISSN: 2046-2069
• Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 11
• Issue: 15
• Pages: 8682-8693
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/d0ra00353k
• Keywords: General Chemistry; General Chemical Engineering
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/5334490
• Publisher URL: https://pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/ArticleLanding/2021/RA/D0RA00353K