Sublethal exposure of small few-layer graphene promotes metabolic alterations in human skin cells

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 10; no. 1; p. 18407
• Main Authors: Frontiñan-Rubio, Javier, Gomez, M. Victoria, González, Viviana Jehová, Durán-Prado, Mario, Vázquez, Ester
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 27.10.2020; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 631/80; 692/499; Alternative energy sources; Calcium; Calcium - metabolism; Cell proliferation; Glutamine; Glycolysis; Graphene; Graphite - toxicity; Homeostasis; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Keratinocytes; Mitochondria; multidisciplinary; NAD(P)H oxidase; Oxidants; Oxidative Phosphorylation; Oxidizing agents; Phosphorylation; Reactive oxygen species; Reactive Oxygen Species - metabolism; Redox properties; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Skin - cytology; Skin - drug effects; Skin - metabolism
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-75448-0

Small few-layer graphene (sFLG), a novel small-sized graphene-related material (GRM), can be considered as an intermediate degradation product of graphene. GRMs have a promising present and future in the field of biomedicine. However, safety issues must be carefully addressed to facilitate their implementation. In the work described here, the effect of sub-lethal doses of sFLG on the biology of human HaCaT keratinocytes was examined. A one-week treatment of HaCaTs with sub-lethal doses of sFLG resulted in metabolome remodeling, dampening of the mitochondrial function and a shift in the redox state to pro-oxidant conditions. sFLG raises reactive oxygen species and calcium from 24 h to one week after the treatment and this involves the activation of NADPH oxidase 1. Likewise, sFLG seems to induce a shift from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis and promotes the use of glutamine as an alternative source of energy. When sub-toxic sFLG exposure was sustained for 30 days, an increase in cell proliferation and mitochondrial damage were observed. Further research is required to unveil the safety of GRMs and degradation-derived products before their use in the workplace and in practical applications.