1 2 dipalmitoyl sn glycerol 3 phosphocholine

MWCNTs were obtained from Mitsui & Company (XNRI MWNT-7, lot #05072001K28, Tokyo, Japan) and have been characterized previously (Dong et al., 2015 (link); Porter et al., 2010 (link)). The MWCNTs have an average surface area of 26 m²/g as measured by nitrogen absorption–desorption technique (Brunauer–Emmett–Teller method, or BET); and a median length of 3.86 µm and count mean diameter of 49 ± 13.4 nm, as determined by scanning electron microscopy when suspended in a dispersion medium (DM). Trace element contaminations are low, with 0.78% for all metals, 0.41% for sodium and 0.32% for iron.
DM was used to disperse MWCNTs and was used as the vehicle control, containing 0.6 mg/ml mouse serum albumin (Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO) and 0.01 mg/ml 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphocholine (Sigma-Aldrich) in Ca²⁺- and Mg²⁺-free PBS, pH7.4. DM was freshly prepared before use. MWCNTs were dispersed in DM with a two-step sonication immediately before use. DM effectively disperses MWCNTs as shown by transmission electron microscopy in which the width distribution of MWCNTs followed a normal distribution and the length distribution was log normal (Porter et al., 2010 (link)). The DM preparation does not cause toxicity or mask the reactivity of MWCNTs at the dose range used in this study (Dong & Ma, 2016c (link)).