Reaction between Graphene Oxide and Intracellular Glutathione Affects Cell Viability and Proliferation

Graphene oxide (GO) is currently developed for biomedical applications as a promising nanoplatform drug delivery, phototherapy, and biosensing. As consequence, its safety cytotoxicity issues have attracted extensive attention. It has been demonstrated that GO causes an increase of intracellular oxidative stress, likely leading to inhibition cell proliferation. Being one the main reductive substances, glutathione (GSH) vital in regulation stress level maintain normal cellular functions. In this study, we found GSH could be oxidized GSSG by GO, formation reduced (rGO). depletion affects reductive/oxidative balance, provoking reactive oxygen species level, sequentially inhibiting viability Therefore, reaction between provides new perspective explain origin cytotoxicity.