Oxidative damage in the kidney and brain of mice induced by different nano-materials

With the rapid development of nanotechnology, nanomaterials have been used in numerous fields. However, these nanomaterials could also result in risk for human and environmental health. To make a comparison of the health effects of three different kinds of nanomaterials, 28 male BALB/c mice were randomly divided into four groups. Three experimental groups were exposed to different kinds of nanomaterials including graphene, graphene oxide and single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) by intraperitoneal injection while the control group received a saline injection. The exposure dose of experimental groups was 4mg/kg. After seven days, sections of mice kidney were taken, the organ coefficient of both kidney and brain was counted, and the reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content was measured. Our results showed that in the experimental groups, the organ coefficient and GSH content in mice kidneys and brains decreased, whereas the ROS level and MDA content increased, when compared with the control. The graphene oxide group was statistically significant (p < 0.05), while the SWCNTs group had extremely significant difference (p < 0.01). Morphological changes in the kidney were also seen in the experimental groups. These results demonstrate that oxidative damage to mice kidneys and brains induced by SWCNTs and graphene oxide is more severe than graphene. The degree of damage caused by these three typical nanomaterials is different, probably due to several parameters including particle size, surface character, and shape.