Exploring the mechanisms of graphene oxide behavioral and morphological changes in zebrafish

Author(s)

Clemente, Zaira ^{[1, 2]} ; Silva, Gabriela Helena ^{[1, 2, 3]} ; de Souza Nunes, Miriam Celi ^[4] ; Teodoro Martinez, Diego Stefani ^{[2, 3]} ; Maurer-Morelli, Claudia Vianna ^[4] ; Thomaz, Andre Alexandre ^{[5, 6]} ; Scherholz Salgado Castro, Vera Lucia ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Embrapa Environm, Lab Ecotoxicol & Biosafety, BR-13820000 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Brazilian Ctr Res Energy & Mat CNPEM, Brazilian Natl Nanotechnol Lab LNNano, BR-04023 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Ctr Nucl Energy Agr CENA, BR-13416000 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[4] Univ Campinas UNICAMP, Sch Med Sci, Dept Med Genet, BR-13087883 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[5] Univ Campinas UNICAMP, Dept Quantum Elect, Inst Phys Gleb Wataghin, BR-13083859 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[6] Univ Campinas UNICAMP, Natl Inst Photon Appl Cell Biol INFABIC, BR-13083859 Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Environmental Science and Pollution Research; v. 26, n. 29, p. 30508-30523, OCT 2019.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

The presence of natural organic matter such as humic acid (HA) can influence the behavior of graphene oxide (GO) in the aquatic environment. In this study, zebrafish embryos were analyzed after 5 and 7 days of exposure to GO (100 mg L-1) and HA (20 mg L-1) alone or together. The results indicated that, regardless of the presence of HA, larvae exposed to GO for 5 days showed an increase in locomotor activity, reduction in the yolk sac size, and total length and inhibition of AChE activity, but there was no difference in enzyme expression. The statistical analysis indicated that the reductions in total larval length, yolk sac size, and AChE activity in larvae exposed to GO persisted in relation to the control group, but there was a recovery of these parameters in groups also exposed to HA. Larvae exposed to GO for 7 days did not show significant differences in locomotor activity, but the RT-PCR gene expression analysis evidenced an increase in the AChE expression. Since the embryos exposed to GO showed a reduction in overall length, they were submitted to confocal microscopy and their muscle tissue configuration investigated. No changes were observed in the muscle tissue. The results indicated that HA is associated with the toxicity risk modulation by GO and that some compensatory homeostasis mechanisms may be involved in the developmental effects observed in zebrafish. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 14/15640-8 - Functional studies of genes of inflammation and microRNAs related to seizures using the zebrafish model
• Grantee: Cláudia Vianna Maurer Morelli
• Support type: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 14/12891-0 - Nanoecotoxicological evaluation graphene oxide
• Grantee: Vera Lucia Scherholz Salgado de Castro
• Support type: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 14/01995-9 - Nanoecotoxicologial evaluation of graphene oxide in Danio rerio (zebrafish): influence of interaction with humic substances
• Grantee: Zaira Clemente
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctorate