Tuning the transformation and cellular signaling of 2D titanium carbide MXenes using a natural antioxidant
Tomáš Malina, Bejan Hamawandi, Muhammet S. Toprak, Lin Chen, Jonas Björk, Jie Zhou, Johanna Rosén, Bengt Fadeel
Abstract
2D titanium carbide (Ti 3 C 2 ) MXenes have emerged as promising candidates for biomedical applications. However, the biological properties of these materials are poorly understood. Moreover, MXenes are prone to oxidation under ambient conditions. Here, we show that glutathione (GSH), a natural antioxidant present in millimolar concentrations in the cytosol of most cells, protects MXenes from oxidation in aqueous suspensions while preserving the biocompatibility of the material. Reactive molecular dynamics (RMD) simulations confirm that GSH protects MXenes. Moreover, we provide evidence of the intracellular biotransformation of Ti 3 C 2 MXenes to the rutile form of TiO 2 , and we show that GSH tunes the transformation process, resulting in the secretion of pro-inflammatory interleukin (IL)-1β through a non-canonical, elastase-dependent pathway. These results are important because they shed new light on the biotransformation of Ti 3 C 2 MXenes and its ramifications for cellular signaling.