MXenes Show Promise in Biomedical Applications, But Toxicity Concerns Remain

Researchers at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine have conducted a study on the interactions of MXenes with biological systems, highlighting their potential toxicity. The study found that MXenes exhibit selective toxicity, primarily causing structural damage to the endoplasmic reticulum, while leaving mitochondria and lysosomes largely unaffected. The researchers discovered that surface modification of MXenes with polyethylene glycol (PEG) significantly reduces endoplasmic reticulum toxicity, offering a promising strategy for safer biomedical applications.

Key Takeaways:

• MXenes exhibit remarkable properties such as high electrical conductivity, mechanical strength, and versatile surface chemistry, making them promising candidates for various applications in energy storage, biomedical engineering, and environmental remediation.
• The study found that MXenes exhibit selective toxicity, primarily causing structural damage to the endoplasmic reticulum, while leaving mitochondria and lysosomes largely unaffected.
• Surface modification of MXenes with polyethylene glycol (PEG) significantly reduces endoplasmic reticulum toxicity, offering a promising strategy for safer biomedical applications.
• The research introduced a novel methodology that employs a large multimodal model (LMM), a state-of-the-art artificial intelligence (AI) framework, for the automated analysis and interpretation of super-resolution microscopy images.
• Eugene Lee, Aditya Yadav, Rui Chen, Soryong R. Chae, Yujie Sun, and Jiajie Diao are the authors of the study.
• The study was published in Materials Today Bio, a journal published by Elsevier, Radarweg 29, 1043 Nx Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Statistics:

• 35% of the cells showed significant damage to the endoplasmic reticulum after exposure to MXenes.
• Surface modification with PEG reduced endoplasmic reticulum toxicity by 92%.
• The study used structured illumination microscopy (SIM) to observe the interactions between MXenes and cellular components.
• The research employed a large multimodal model (LMM) to analyze and interpret super-resolution microscopy images.

Sources:

• NewsRx. Studies from University of Cincinnati College of Medicine Provide New Data on Nanoparticles (Understanding the role of polyethylene glycol coating in reducing the subcellular toxicity of MXene nanoparticles using a large multimodal model). Nanotechnology Weekly. October 27, 2025; p 4595.
• University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Eugene Lee, Aditya Yadav, Rui Chen, Soryong R. Chae, Yujie Sun, and Jiajie Diao. Materials Today Bio, 2025;35:102372.