Apoptotic and anti-apoptotic genes transcripts patterns of graphene in mice

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Toxicology
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Graphene oxide (GO) accumulation in vital organs like the kidney and liver after intravenous injection is a growing concern.
• Assessing the impact of GO on tissue stress, particularly through lethal and apoptosis gene expression, is crucial for understanding its safety profile.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the in vivo dose-dependent effects of graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide nanoplatelets on mouse kidney and liver tissues.
• To evaluate the impact of these nanoparticles on apoptosis-related gene expression and liver enzyme levels.

Main Methods:

• Balb/C mice were intravenously administered graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide nanoplatelets at a dose of 20 mg/kg body weight.
• Molecular biology techniques were employed to analyze gene expression (BAX, BCL2) and serum levels of liver enzymes (SGPT, SGOT).

Main Results:

• Intravenous injection of graphene nanoplatelets led to significant overexpression of the BAX gene in both kidney and liver tissues (P≥0.01).
• A significant increase in BCL2 gene expression was observed in kidney and liver tissues (P≥0.05).
• Graphene administration significantly elevated SGPT and SGOT levels in treated groups compared to the control group (P≤0.05).

Conclusions:

• Graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide nanoplatelets induce significant alterations in apoptosis gene expression in mouse kidney and liver.
• These nanoparticles demonstrably impact liver function, as indicated by elevated SGPT and SGOT levels.
• The findings highlight the potential toxicity of graphene nanoplatelets in vivo, necessitating further safety evaluations.