The ex vivo and in vivo biological performances of graphene oxide and the impact of surfactant on graphene oxide's biocompatibility.
Graphene oxide (GO) displays promising properties for biomedical applications including drug delivery and cancer therapeutics. However, GO exposure also raises safety concerns such as potential side effects on health. Here, the biological effects of GO suspended in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) with or without 1% nonionic surfactant Tween 80 were investigated. Based on the ex vivo experiments, Tween 80 significantly affected the interaction between GO and peripheral blood from mice. GO suspension in PBS tended to provoke the aggregation of diluted blood cells, which could be prevented by the addition of Tween 80. After intravenous administration, GO suspension with or without 1% Tween 80 was quickly eliminated by the mononuclear phagocyte system. Nevertheless, GO suspension without Tween 80 showed greater accumulation in lungs than that containing 1% Tween 80. In contrast, less GO was found in livers for GO suspension compared to Tween 80 assisted GO suspension. Organs including hearts, livers, lungs, spleens, kidneys, brains, and testes did not reveal histological alterations. The indexes of peripheral blood showed no change upon GO exposure. Our results together demonstrated that Tween 80 could greatly alter GO's biological performance and determine the pattern of its biodistribution in mice.
State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China. gbqu@rcees.ac.cn
Guangbo
G
Qu
Xiaoyan
X
Wang
Qian
Q
Liu
Rui
R
Liu
Nuoya
N
Yin
Juan
J
Ma
Liqun
L
Chen
Jiuyang
J
He
Sijin
S
Liu
Guibin
G
Jiang
D000818:Animals; D006108:Graphite / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D006403:Hematologic Tests; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010087:Oxides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D011136:Polysorbates / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D010087:Oxides; D011136:Polysorbates; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D006108:Graphite