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Oxidized graphene-aggravated allergic asthma is antagonized by antioxidant vitamin E in Balb/c mice

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Abstract

Nanomaterials have been widely used in a number of applications; however, these nanomaterials may potentially be risky for human health, particularly for the respiratory system. In this study, we used a mouse asthma model to study whether graphene oxide (GO), a promising carbonaceous nanomaterial with unique physicochemical properties, aggravates allergic asthma via the oxidative stress pathway. Mice were sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA) to trigger immune reactions, while vitamin E (Ve) was administered as an antioxidant. Our results showed that GO aggravated OVA-induced allergic asthma in mice, as suggested by increased reactive oxygen species (ROS), elevated total immunoglobulin E (IgE), upregulated Th2 response, and the aggravation of allergic asthma symptoms, such as airway remolding, collagen deposition with mucus hypersecretion, and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). The administration of Ve dramatically attenuated all of the above effects. In conclusion, Ve showed anti-allergic properties in antagonizing the exacerbation of allergic asthma induced by GO, providing a new possibility for the treatment of allergic asthma.

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Acknowledgments

This work was funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China (81372948 and 21577045), Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education (20130182120025), and Chongqing Natural Science Foundation (cstc2012jjA1137).

Author’s contributions

Shuai Shang, Jinquan Li, Zhuge Xi, Xu Yang, and Rui Li conceived and designed the experiments. Shuai Shang, Jinquan Li, and Yun Zhao performed the experiments. Shuai Shang, Jinquan Li, Zhisong Lu, Xu Yang, and Rui Li analyzed the data. Zhuge Xi, Zhisong Lu, Xu Yang, and Baizhan Li contributed reagents, materials, and analysis tools. Shuai Shang, Jinquan Li, Zhisong Lu, Xu Yang, and Rui Li wrote the manuscript. All authors have given approval to the final version of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Environmental Biomedicine, Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, College of Life Science, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, 430079, China

    Shuai Shang, Jinquan Li, Yun Zhao, Xu Yang & Rui Li

  2. National Centre for International Research of Low-carbon and Green Buildings, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400045, People’s Republic of China

    Jinquan Li & Baizhan Li

  3. Institute of Health and Environmental Medicine, Dali Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300050, People’s Republic of China

    Zhuge Xi

  4. Institute for Clean Energy and Advanced Materials, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, People’s Republic of China

    Zhisong Lu

Authors
  1. Shuai Shang
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  2. Jinquan Li
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  3. Yun Zhao
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  4. Zhuge Xi
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  5. Zhisong Lu
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  6. Baizhan Li
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  7. Xu Yang
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  8. Rui Li
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Xu Yang or Rui Li.

Ethics declarations

Compliance with National Institutes of Health Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, and were approved by the Office of Scientific Research Management of Central China Normal University (No. CCNU-SKY-201-008).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Responsible Editor: Philippe Garrigues

Shuai Shang and Jinquan Li contributed equally to this work.

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Shang, S., Li, J., Zhao, Y. et al. Oxidized graphene-aggravated allergic asthma is antagonized by antioxidant vitamin E in Balb/c mice. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24, 1784–1793 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-7903-7

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