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Letter

Nanoscale Aggregation Properties of Neuroprotective Carboxyfullerene (C₃) in Aqueous Solution

Balaji Sitharaman,^† Subashini Asokan,^‡ Irene Rusakova,^§ Michael S. Wong,*^‡ and Lon J. Wilson*^†

Department of Chemistry, Department of Chemical Engineering, Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology, and Center for Biological and Environmental Nanotechnology, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77251-1892, and Texas Center for Superconductivity and Advanced Materials, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204-5002

Nano Letters, 2004, 4 (9), pp 1759–1762

DOI: 10.1021/nl049315t

Publication Date (Web): July 28, 2004

†

Department of Chemistry, Rice University.

‡

Department of Chemical Engineering, Rice University.

University of Houston.

Corresponding authors: durango@rice.edu (LJW); Voice: (713) 348-3268; Fax: (713) 348-5155. mswong@rice.edu; Voice: (713) 348-3511; Fax: (713) 348-5478.

Abstract

Water-soluble malonic acid derivatives of C₆₀ are known to have potent antioxidant activity with potential medical applications as neuroprotective agents. It is commonly assumed that e,e,e tris-malonic acid-C₆₀ (or C₃) exists as discrete molecules solubilized in aqueous solution. In this work, C₃ is revealed to aggregate in water. The aggregation properties have been studied as a function of concentration, temperature, and pH by dynamic light scattering (DLS). The C₃ aggregates are polydisperse under physiological conditions, do not vary much in size as a function of concentration or temperature, and tend to larger sizes at low pH values. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and cryo-TEM have been used to visualize the morphology of the nanocrystalline aggregates. The results suggest that 40−80 nm aggregates of C₃, not individual C₃ molecules, are responsible for their neuroprotective action in cells.

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Published In Issue September 08, 2004
Received May 7, 2004

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Letter

Nanoscale Aggregation Properties of Neuroprotective Carboxyfullerene (C₃) in Aqueous Solution