Interaction of carbohydrate modified boron nitride nanotubes with living cells

•The functionalization of the BNNTs by hydroxylation (h-BNNTs) and carbohydrate modification increase their dispersibility and cellular uptake.•The BNNTs interact with the medium proteins, peptides and amino acids.•The BNNTs-protein/media mixture promotes the cellular uptake of the BNNTs.•The BNNTs, hydroxylated BNNTs and modified BNNTS are shown not toxic on HDF cells while the BNNTs and hydroxylated BNNTs are toxic on A549 cancer cells.•The carbohydrate modification decreases toxicity of the BNNTs even at increased concentrations.