Abstract
Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) have attracted significant interests due to their unique chemical and physical properties. In this study, we investigated the potential effects of hydroxyl-modified GQDs (OH-GQDs) on the human esophageal epithelial cell line HET-1A. Our data revealed significant cytotoxicity of OH-GQDs which decreased the viability of HET-1A in a dose and time-dependent manner. The moderate concentration (25 or 50 mg/ml) of OH-GQDs significantly blocked HET-1A cells in G 0 /G 1 cell cycle phase. An increased percentage of γH2AX-positive and genomically unstable cells were also detected in cells treated with different doses of OH-GQDs (25, 50, and 100 mg/ml). Microarray data revealed that OH-GQDs treatment down-regulated genes related to DNA damage repair, cell cycle regulation and cytoskeleton signal pathways indicating a novel role of OH-GQDs. Consistent with the microarray data, OH-GQDs disrupted microtubule structure and inhibited microtubule regrowth around centrosomes in HET-1A cells. In conclusion, our findings provide important evidence for considering the application of OH-GQDs in biomedical fields.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 339-352 |
Number of pages | 14 |
Journal | Toxicological Sciences |
Volume | 164 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jul 1 2018 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Cell cycle regulation
- DNA damage
- Esophageal epithelial cells
- Microtubule structure
- OH-GQDs
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Toxicology