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We are excited to congratulate our collaborators on this fascinating study, recently published!
MXenes, a rapidly growing class of two-dimensional nanomaterials, are attracting global attention for use in healthcare and biotechnology. They are already being tested in drug delivery, imaging, tissue engineering, biosensing, antibacterial coatings, and photothermal cancer treatments. While generally considered safe and biocompatible, the question of whether MXenes affect DNA remained unanswered — until now.
Using the DNA comet assay, researchers investigated whether MXenes compromise DNA integrity. They found that Ti₃C₂Tₓ and Nb₄C₃Tₓ MXenes could induce DNA fragmentation in live cells, but only when flakes were submicron in size.
Interestingly, the cells themselves remained viable, showing no toxicity. The mechanism appears mechanical — during electrophoresis, the sharp edges of small flakes may interact with DNA strands. Larger flakes and non-viable cells showed no such effects, and MXenes did not damage purified DNA.
The study concludes that, outside this unique context, MXenes are highly biocompatible and safe, reinforcing their promise for biomedical applications. Moreover, the discovery of size-dependent DNA interactions opens intriguing possibilities for future cancer therapies that exploit this property.