In vivo genotoxicity study of single-wall carbon nanotubes using comet assay following intratracheal instillation in rats

► Genotoxicity of single-wall carbon nanotubes was evaluated in vivo using a comet assay. ► SWCNTs were instilled intratracheally single or once a week for 5weeks to rats. ► Negative outcome obtained in the comet assay. ► SWCNTs appear not to pose a genotoxic risk to human health. The genotoxicity of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) was evaluated in vivo using the comet assay after intratracheal instillation in rats. The SWCNTs were instilled at a dosage of 0.2 or 1.0mg/kg body weight (single instillation group) and 0.04 or 0.2mg/kg body weight once a week for 5weeks (repeated instillation group). As a negative control, 1% Tween 80 was instilled in a similar manner. As a positive control, ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) at 500mg/kg was administered once orally 3h prior to dissection. Histopathologically, inflammation in the lung was observed for all the SWCNTs in both single and repeated groups. In the comet assay, there was no increase in% tail DNA in any of the SWCNT-treated groups. In the EMS-treated groups, there was a significant increase in% tail DNA compared with the negative control group. The present study indicated that a single intratracheal instillation of SWCNTs (1.0mg/kg) or repeated intratracheal instillation (0.2mg/kg) once a week for five weeks induced a clear inflammatory response (hemorrhage in the alveolus, infiltration of alveolar macrophages and neutrophiles), but no DNA damage, in the lungs in rats. Under the conditions of the test, SWCNTs were not genotoxic in the comet assay following intratracheal instillation in rats.