Value of mir-247 in warning of graphene oxide toxicity in nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

Abstract

Graphene oxide (GO) induces some dysregulated microRNAs (miRNAs), such as mir-247, in Caenorhabditis elegans. We here further investigated the role and value of mir-247 in detecting GO toxicity in nematodes after prolonged exposure. In nematodes, mir-247 acted in neurons to regulate GO toxicity, and neuronal overexpression of mir-247 induced a susceptibility to GO toxicity. We detected the significant increase in mir-247 in wild-type nematodes exposed to GO at concentrations of more than 10 μg L⁻¹. Moreover, we found the GO toxicity in a transgenic strain overexpressing neuronal mir-247 after exposure to GO at concentrations of more than 10 μg L⁻¹. Therefore, our results imply the important potential of mir-247 in warning of the formation of GO toxicity in the range of μg L⁻¹ in nematodes.