Graphene-based nanomaterials are widely applied in many different areas owing to their unique physicochemical characteristics, demanding more understanding about their biological impacts to enhance sustainability. Protein corona is often formed when the nanomaterials are present in biological systems, which could in turn contribute to their biological responses. Herein, we assess the toxicological effects of the reduced graphene oxide (rGO) dispersed in different sodium cholate concentrations. Interestingly, we found that the rGO coated with a lower surfactant concentration (named c-rGO) exhibited higher toxicity, and its protein corona-coated form showed increased cytotoxicity compared to the no-corona coated form. Measurement of several oxidative stress endpoints, including reactive oxygen species production, lipid membrane peroxidation, mitochondrial potential, and real-time ATP production rates, revealed elevated oxidative stress and significant disruption to mitochondria-based ATP synthesis with the protein-coated c-rGO. Through proteomic study of the corona formation, we identified several proteins involved in cellular redox mediation strongly adsorbed onto c-rGO. We have been investigating how the adsorption of such proteins could contribute to more adverse impacts, expecting to reveal the possibility of modulating the toxicity of rGO through surface coating modification and corona formation.

Toxicity induced by reduced-graphene oxide and impacts from protein corona

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ACS Fall 2022

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