Review Article

Oxidative Stress and Mitochondrial Activation as the Main Mechanisms Underlying Graphene Toxicity against Human Cancer Cells

Table 1

Influence of graphene-based nanomaterials on cancer cells.

Cell/tissueGraphene-based nanomaterialsDose and time incubationPercentage of inhibitionEffectsReference

MCF-7  
breast
O-GNR-PEG-DSPE (oxidized-graphene nanoribbons O-GNRs with amphiphilic polymer PEG-DSPE)10–400 μg/mL  
24 h  
48 h
24 h: 
400 μg/mL = 15%
48 h:
400 μg/mL = 20%
Slight reduction of cell viability Mullick Chowdhury et al. [30]
GO (1970 nm)
B-rGO (3833 nm)
0–100 μg/mL  
24 h
100 μg/mL = 42%
100 μg/mL = 64%
(i) Reduction of cell viability  
(ii) ROS generation  
(iii) Released LDH
Gurunathan et al. [31]
GO (153 nm)10–80 μg/mL  
24 h
80 μg/mL = 13,1% Reduction of cell viabilityChaudhari et al. [32]

MDA-MB-231  
breast
GO (1880 nm)



GE-rGO (3200 nm)
0–150 μg/mL  
24 h   
48 h
24 h:
150 μg/mL = 40%
48 h:
150 μg/mL = 50%
24 h:
150 μg/mL = 50%
48 h:
150 μg/mL = 70%
(i) Reduction of cell viability  
(ii) ROS generation  
(iii) Released LDH
Gurunathan et al. [5]
GO (156,4 nm)100–500 μg/mL  
48 h
500 μg/mL = 40% (i) Reduction of cell viability  
(ii) DNA damage  
(iii) Interfered with gene expression  (iv) Apoptosis
Liu et al. [13]

SKBR3  
breast
O-GNR-PEG-DSPE (oxidized-graphene nanoribbons O-GNRs with amphiphilic polymer PEG-DSPE)10–400 μg/mL  
24 h  
48 h
24 h:   
400 μg/mL = 10%
48 h:   
400 μg/mL = 22%
(i) Slight reduction of cell viability  
(ii) Slight released LDH
Shim et al. [29]

HeLa  
cervix
GQD – PEG0–160 μg/mL  
24 h
160 μg/mL = <5% Slight reduction of cell viabilityChong et al. [16]
O-GNR-PEG-DSPE (oxidized-graphene nanoribbons O-GNRs with amphiphilic polymer PEG-DSPE)10–400 μg/mL  
24 h  
48 h
24 h:   
400 μg/mL = 60%
48 h:   
400 μg/mL = 63%
(i) Reduction of cell viability  
(ii) Released LDH
Mullick Chowdhury et al. [30]
GO (graphene oxide)0–80 μg/mL  
24 h
80 μg/mL = 50% (i) Reduction of cell viability  
(ii) Released LDH  
(iii) Increased MDA  
(iv) Decreased SOD   
(v) ROS generation
Zhang et al. [33]
Graphene nanoflakes  
80 nm   
30 nm
400 μg/mL  
24 h
80 nm:   
400 μg/mL = 14%
30 nm:   
400 μg/mL = 29%
Reduction of cell viabilityYoon et al. [34]

A549GQDs with modified groups NH2, COOH, and CO-N (CH3)20–200 μg/mL  
24 h
200 μg/mL = <20%Slight reduction of cell viabilityYuan et al. [6]
GO  
1320 nm  
130 nm
10; 50; 100 μg/mL  
24 h
100 μg/mL = 10% (i) Slight reduction of cell viability  
(ii) Genotoxic effect
de Marzi et al. [22]
GO
HHG (highly hydrogenated graphene)
0–400 μg/mL  
24 h
400 μg/mL = 57% 
400 μg/mL = 74%
Reduction of cell viabilityChng et al. [24]
GO 
s-GO (160 ± 90 nm)   
m-GO (430 ± 300 nm)   
l-GO (780 ± 410 nm)
0–200 μg/mL  
24 h
s-GO:   
200 μg/mL = <33%
m-GO, l-GO:   
200 μg/mL = <20%
(i) Reduction of cell viability  
(ii) ROS generation
Chang et al. [35]
GO nanosheets0–100 μg/mL  
24 h
100 μg/mL = 50%Reduction of cell viabilityHu et al. [36]
GO nanosheets 
rGO nanosheets
20 μg/mL 
85 μg/mL 
24 h
85 μg/mL = 50% 
85 μg/mL = 85%
Reduction of cell viabilityHu et al. [37]

HepG2  
liver
GO

rGO
0-200 μg/mL  
24 h
EC20 = 10 μg/mL  
EC50 = 81 μg/mL
EC20 = 8 μg/mL  
EC50 = 46 μg/mL
(i) Reduction of cell viability  
(ii) Increased MDA  
(iii) ROS generation  
(iv) DNA damage  
(v) Mitochondrial disorders  
(vi) Increase in Bax  
(vii) Decrease in Bcl2
Chatterjee et al. [4]

U87  
nerve
GPs (graphene platelets) 0–100 μg/mL 
24 h
100 μg/mL = 46%(i) Reduction of cell viability  
(ii) Released LDH  
(iii) Apoptosis
Jaworski et al. [10]
GO  
100 nm–10 μm 
rGO  
100 nm–1,5 μm
0–100 μg/mL 
24 h
100 μg/mL = 28% 

100 μg/mL = 64%
(i) Reduction of cell viability  
(ii) Apoptosis  
(iii) Reduction of cell proliferation
Jaworski et al. [14]

U118  
nerve
GPs (graphene platelets) 0–100 μg/mL 
24 h
100 μg/mL = 42% (i) Reduction of cell viability  
(ii) Released LDH  
(iii) Apoptosis
Jaworski et al. [10]
GO  
100 nm–10 μm  
rGO 
100 nm–1,5 μm
0–100 μg/mL 
24 h
100 μg/mL = 22% 

100 μg/mL = 51%
(i) Reduction of cell viability  
(ii) Apoptosis  
(iii) Reduction of cell proliferation
Jaworski et al. [14]

U-138  
nerve
nGr (nanographene)50; 100; 250 μg/mL  
24 h
250 μg/mL = 35% Reduction of cell viabilityMoore et al. [17]

RPMI-8226  
peripheral blood
GO0–100 μg/mL   
24 h
100 μg/mL = 20% Slight reduction of cell viability Wu et al. [38]

PC3  
prostate
CRGO: chemically reduced graphene oxide 0–180 μg/μL  
72 h
160 μg/mL = 60% Reduction of cell viabilityWang et al. [39]