Evaluation of the toxicity of graphene derivatives on cells of the lung luminal surface

Abstract

Graphene-based nanomaterials are expected to have a profound impact on a broad range of applications. However, studies devoted to investigating the putative adverse health effects of these nanomaterials are hugely underrepresented in the current scientific literature. We have investigated the in vitro short-term cellular toxicity associated with graphene derivatives (GD): graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide. This study focused on the toxicity of GD on two cell types (i.e., epithelial cells and macrophages) found in the luminal aspect of the respiratory system, where the initial exposure to these materials is most prominent. Graphene oxide exhibited a mild cytotoxic action in comparison to carbon nanotubes on epithelial cells and macrophages. The interaction of the nanomaterial with the cell surface generated reactive oxygen species during the initial phase of the exposure and transmission electron microscopy studies showed that graphene oxide flakes of different sizes are taken up by cells via an endocytic pathway, both in epithelial cells and macrophages.

Toxicity of Graphene Oxide on Intestinal Bacteria and Caco-2 Cells

“…The mild cytotoxicity of GO can be explained by the presence of GO nanosheets in phagoendosomes not causing any apparent adverse changes in the cellular morphology and ultrastructure (12). Some studies investigated graphene in the form of a film that can exhibit excellent biocompatibility with no viability inhibition of mammalian cells.…”

Techniques for physicochemical characterization of nanomaterials

“…Lately there has been public and government concern about the toxicity of nanomaterials and their related adverse health effects, such as pronounced pulmonary inflammation (Horváth et al, 2013; Karlsson et al, 2009; Oberdörster, 2005). Other examples include the smaller silver NPs causing a greater apoptotic effect against certain cell lines and 20 nm silica NPs exhibiting more toxicity than negatively-charged 100 nm silica NPs (Kim et al, 2012; Park et al, 2013; Sosenkova and Egorova, 2011).…”

“…Although NPs with certain chemical compositions were reported to be more toxic compared to their larger counterparts of the same composition, a consensus on the increased toxicity and putative health risks of nanomaterials may not emerge due to the lack of obvious size-related change in toxicity in other NPs, e.g. titanium oxide and iron oxides (Buzea et al, 2007; Horváth et al, 2013; Karlsson et al, 2009; Park et al, 2007; Warheit et al, 2006). The relationship of size and/or shape to nanoparticle toxicity or nanomedicine efficacy has to be investigated on a case by case basis, because of the wide differences in the behavior of different nanomaterials.…”

The mechanisms of graphene-based materials-induced programmed cell death: a review of apoptosis, autophagy, and programmed necrosis

“…14,15 For example, GO and rGO treatments resulted in dose-dependent cell death in A549 cells and HUVEC cells, and the functionalization decreased cytotoxicity and cell death. 16,17 Cell death is a signal that reflects the toxicity of GBMs, [18][19][20] and this review focuses on the mechanisms of GBMsinduced PCD.…”