Graphene Oxide (GO) Sub Chronic Toxicity in Liver, Kidney and Spleen: Macroscopic Observation and Histo-biochemical Examination
摘要
Graphene oxide (GO) nanoparticles are biocompatible nanomaterials currently being researched for biomedical applications such as cell and tumor imaging and drug delivery. Nevertheless, for these applications, the safety of GO is uncertain. In this study, we evaluated the impact of this nanomaterial on structural, biochemical and tissue humidity changes in the liver, kidney and spleen by administering GO intraperitoneally to male Swiss mice at varying doses (2 mg kg−1 and 5 mg kg−1) twice a week for 46 days. The results demonstrated that GO nanoparticles have no significant effect on the weight of the mice. In contrast, these GO nanoparticles induced dose-dependent toxic effects in vital organs. In addition, biochemical analyses of various biochemical markers showed that GO increased phosphatase levels, decreased creatinine and changed transaminase levels: Aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT). Also, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and catalase activity increased significantly. Furthermore, GO induced structural changes in mice's liver, kidney and spleen, and these changes were dose-dependent. In addition, tissue humidity analysis showed a very significant increase in the liver and spleen in mice given 5 mg kg−1, whereas in mice given 2 mg kg−1, humidity levels were observed in the kidneys. In conclusion, these results suggest that GO has dose-dependent toxic effects potentially mediated by oxidative stress.