Issue 2, 2015

Transgenerational safety of nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots and the underlying cellular mechanism in Caenorhabditis elegans

Abstract

Nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots (N-GQDs) are of potential use for cellular imaging. We here employed the in vivo Caenorhabditis elegans assay system to investigate the transgenerational behavior of N-GQDs and the underlying cellular mechanism involved. Prolonged exposure to N-GQDs did not induce lethality, lifespan reduction, or change the functions of primary and secondary targeted organs in the wild-type nematode and in nematodes with mutations of the sod-2 or sod-3 genes that encode Mn-SODs. Moreover, no adverse effects were detected in progeny of N-GQD-exposed wild-type and mutant nematodes. N-GQDs were only distributed in the intestine of both wild-type and mutant nematodes. No N-GQD accumulation was observed in embryos and progeny of exposed nematodes. After N-GQD exposure, the normal biological state of the intestinal barrier and defecation behavior were maintained in the wild-type and mutant nematodes. We hypothesize that the physiological states of the intestinal barrier and defecation behavior may contribute greatly to the lack of translocation of N-GQDs into secondary targeted organs and progeny of exposed nematodes. Our data provide systematic in vivo evidence to indicate the transgenerational safety of N-GQDs and the underlying cellular mechanism.

Graphical abstract: Transgenerational safety of nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots and the underlying cellular mechanism in Caenorhabditis elegans

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
10 Eyl 2014
Accepted
27 Eki 2014
First published
27 Eki 2014

Toxicol. Res., 2015,4, 270-280

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