Graphene and graphene oxide induce ROS production in human HaCaT skin keratinocytes.

The extraordinary physicochemical properties of graphene-based nanomaterials (GBNs) make them promising tools in nanotechnology and biomedicine. Considering the skin contact as one of the most feasible exposure routes to GBNs, the mechanism of toxicity of two GBNs (few-layer-graphene, FLG, and graph...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Pelin, Marco, Fusco, Laura, Martín Jiménez, Cristina, Sosa, Silvio, Frontiñán Rubio, Javier, González Domínguez, José Miguel, Durán Prado, Mario, Vázquez Fernández-Pacheco, Ester, Prato, Maurizio, Tubaro, Aurelia
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2018
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha
Repositorio:RUIdeRA. Repositorio Institucional de la UCLM
OAI Identifier:oai:ruidera.uclm.es:10578/20712
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10578/20712
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Graphene
Graphene oxide
ROS
HaCaT
Xanthine
NADH
Descripción
Sumario:The extraordinary physicochemical properties of graphene-based nanomaterials (GBNs) make them promising tools in nanotechnology and biomedicine. Considering the skin contact as one of the most feasible exposure routes to GBNs, the mechanism of toxicity of two GBNs (few-layer-graphene, FLG, and graphene oxide, GO) towards human HaCaT skin keratinocytes was investigated. Both materials induced a significant mitochondrial membrane depolarization: 72 h cell exposure to 100 µg mL-1 FLG or GO increased mitochondrial depolarization by 44% and 56%, respectively, while the positive control valinomycin (0.1 µg mL-1) increased mitochondrial depolarization by 48%. Since the effect was not prevented by cyclosporine-A, it appears to be unrelated to mitochondrial transition pore opening. By contrast, it seems to be mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) production: FLG and GO induced time- and concentration-dependent cellular ROS production, significant already at the concentration of 0.4 µg mL-1 after 24 h exposure. Among a panel of specific inhibitors of the major ROS-producing enzymes, diphenyliodonium, rotenone and allopurinol significantly reverted or even abolished FLG- or GO-induced ROS production. Intriguingly, the same inhibitors also significantly reduced FLG- or GO-induced mitochondrial depolarization and cytotoxicity. This study shows that FLG and GO induce a cytotoxic effect due to a sustained mitochondrial depolarization. This seems to be mediated by a significant cellular ROS production, caused by the activation of flavoprotein-based oxidative enzymes, such as NADH dehydrogenase and xanthine oxidase.