Evaluation of the Toxic Potential of Graphene Copper Nanocomposite (GCNC) in the Third Instar Larvae of Transgenic Drosophila melanogaster (hsp70-lacZ)Bg9

Abstract

Graphene, a two-dimensional carbon sheet with single-atom thickness, have attracted the scientific world for its potential applications in various field including the biomedical areas. In the present study the graphene copper nanocomposite (GCNC) was synthesized, characterized and evaluated for its toxic potential on third instar larvae of transgenic Drosophila melanogaster (hsp70-lacZ)Bg9. The synthesized GCNC was analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning/transmission electron microscopy (SEM/TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The GCNC in 0.1% DMSO was sonicated for 10 min and the final concentration of 0.033, 0.099, 0.199 and 3.996 µg/µl of diet were established. The third instar larvae were allowed to feed on it separately for 24 and 48 hrs. The hsp70 expression was measured by O-nitrophenyl-β-D-galactopyranoside assay, tissue damage by trypan blue exclusion test and β-galactosidase activity was monitored by in situ histochemical β-galactosidase staining. Oxidative stress was monitored by performing lipid peroxidation assay and total protein estimation. Ethidium bromide/acridine orange staining was performed on midgut cells for apoptotic index and the comet assay was performed for the DNA damage. The results of the present study showed that the exposure of 0.199 and 3.996 µg/µl of GCNC were toxic for 24 hr of exposure and for 48 hr of exposure: 0.099, 0.199 and 3.996 µg/µl of GCNC was toxic. The dose of 0.033 µg/µl of GCNC showed no toxic effects on its exposure to the third instar larvae for 24 hr as well as 48 hrs. This dose can be considered as No Observed Adverse Effect Level (NOAEL).

Effect of capsaicin on the oxidative stress and dopamine content in the transgenic Drosophila model of Parkinson’s disease

“…The flies were cultured on standard Drosophila food containing agar, corn meal, sugar and yeast at 25 °C (24 ± 1) [30]. Crosses were set up as described in our earlier published work [27]. The PD flies were allowed to feed separately on different doses of capsaicin (Sigma, USA) mixed in the diet.…”

Potential Role of Mosquito Larvae <i>Culex Pipiens</i> as a Biological Indicator of Environmental Water Pollution in Egypt

“…These results may be due to DNA repair occurred which differ from the study of Yousef et al (2010) that there were a higher DNA damage in the mature adults with respect to the long period of feeding of Shistocerca gregaria on clover treated with CdCl 2 and PbCl 2 reflects the absence of repair mechanism. But there are many studies used the comet assay to observe DNA repair in irradiated cells (Isabel and Maria, 2014) and in different cells of Drosophila after exposure to different genotoxic agents (Bilbao et al, 2002;Mukhopadhyay et al, 2004;Siddique et al, 2005bSiddique et al, , 2013García -Sar et al, 2012;Sharma et al, 2012;Mishra et al, 2014;Gaivã o et al, 2014;Isabel and Maria, 2014).…”

A critical review of nanohybrids: synthesis, applications and environmental implications

“…[4,191] For example, bimetallic conjugation of non-toxic parent materials Au and Pt with variable compositions has generated antimicrobial responses against E. coli, Salmonella choleraesius, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa by cell membrane damage and incremental increses in the intracellular level of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). [192] Recent studies involving grapheneZnO [193] and graphene-Cu [194] NHs showed increased toxicity in comparison to their parental components towards a model organism transgenic Drosophila melanogaster as demonstrated by enhanced lipid peroxidation and apoptosis. On the contrary, the presence of a silica-based shell structure reduced ZnO toxicity towards E. coli.…”