High doses of graphene quantum dots impacts on microcirculation system: An observational study

Aline Oliveira da Silva Barros; Eduardo Ricci-Junior; Jonathas Xavier Pereira; Konstantin Pikula; Kirill Golokhvast; Alex Christian Manahães; Pedro Filho Noronha Souza; Luciana Magalhães Rebelo Alencar; Eliete Bouskela; Ralph Santos-Oliveira

doi:10.1016/j.ejpb.2022.05.013

High doses of graphene quantum dots impacts on microcirculation system: An observational study

Eur J Pharm Biopharm. 2022 Jul:176:180-187. doi: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2022.05.013. Epub 2022 May 28.

Affiliations

¹ Brazilian Nuclear Energy Commission, Nuclear Engineering Institute, Laboratory of Nanoradiopharmaceuticals and Synthesis of Novel Radiopharmaceuticals, Rio de Janeiro 21941906, Brazil.
² Laboratório de Desenvolvimento Galênico, Departamento de Fármacos e Medicamentos, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (FF/UFRJ), Brazil.
³ Instituto de Patologia Tropical e Saúde Pública (IPTSP), Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG), Goiás 74690-900, Brazil.
⁴ Polytechnical Institute, Far Eastern Federal University, 10 Ajax Bay, Russky Island, 690922 Vladivostok, Russia; Federal Research Center the Yakut Scientific Center of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 2, Petrovskogo Str., 677000 Yakutsk, Russia.
⁵ Polytechnical Institute, Far Eastern Federal University, 10 Ajax Bay, Russky Island, 690922 Vladivostok, Russia; Federal Research Center the Yakut Scientific Center of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 2, Petrovskogo Str., 677000 Yakutsk, Russia; Laboratory of Supercritical Fluid Research and Application in Agrobiotechnology, The National Research Tomsk State University, 36, Lenin Avenue, 634050 Tomsk, Russia.
⁶ Laboratório de Neurofisiologia, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes,Universidade Do Estado Do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 20550170, Brazil.
⁷ Laboratory of Plant Defense Proteins, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil; Drug Research and Development Center, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Federal University of Ceará, Brazil.
⁸ Federal University of Maranhão, Campus Avançado, Maranhão, Center for Social Sciences, Health and Technology, Maranhão 65900-410, Brazil; Federal University of Maranhão, Department of Physics, Laboratory of Biophysics and Nanosystems, Campus Bacanga, Maranhão 65080-805, Brazil.
⁹ Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Laboratório de Pesquisas Clínicas e Experimentais em Biologia Vascular (BioVasc), Rio de Janeiro 20550-013, Brazil.
¹⁰ Brazilian Nuclear Energy Commission, Nuclear Engineering Institute, Laboratory of Nanoradiopharmaceuticals and Synthesis of Novel Radiopharmaceuticals, Rio de Janeiro 21941906, Brazil; Rio de Janeiro State University, Laboratory of Nanoradiopharmaceuticals and Radiopharmacy, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 23070200, Brazil. Electronic address: roliveira@ien.gov.br.

PMID: 35640783
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2022.05.013

Abstract

Graphene and its derivatives are in the edge of technology with a wide and diverse range of applications. In the last years, especially graphene quantum dots (GQDs) have had their biomedical application expanded in scope, mainly focused on cancer therapy, drug delivery and imaging. Although many studies have evaluated the application of this nanomaterial in biomedical field, only a few studies aimed to understand their biological impact in human health. In this regard, here we evaluated the impact of high doses of GQDs on the microcirculation of a healthy animal model to better assess risks of its use in humans. Our data show that successive applications of GQDs cause irreversible damage to the microcirculation. After seven days, a complete destruction of the microcirculation has been observed. In addition, GQDs showed substantial activity in human erythrocytes. Our findings suggest that risks associated with the use of GQDs, as well as all graphene derivatives, must be better understood, especially concerning biomedical application. A greater understanding of how GQDs impact body circulation, including the context of environmental and engineered nanosystems, is of paramount importance.

Keywords: Circulatory system; Graphene; Graphene quantum dots (GQDs); Microcirculation; Preclinical study; Toxicity.

Publication types

Observational Study

MeSH terms

Animals
Graphite*
Microcirculation
Nanostructures*
Quantum Dots*

Substances

Graphite