Membrane cholesterol mediates the cellular effects of monolayer graphene substrates

• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03185-0
• Publication Date: 2018-02-19T11:58:06Z
• Authors: Kristina E. Kitko; Tu Hong; Roman M. Lazarenko; Da Ying; Ya-Qiong Xu; Qi Zhang
• Keywords: Male; Neurons; 0301 basic medicine; 0303 health sciences; Science; Q; Cell Membrane; Fibroblasts; Article; Rats; 12. Responsible consumption; Electrophysiology; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Mice; 03 medical and health sciences; Cholesterol; 13. Climate action; Receptors, Purinergic P2Y; NIH 3T3 Cells; Animals; Female; Graphite

Graphene possesses extraordinary properties that promise great potential in biomedicine. However, fully leveraging these requires close contact with the cell surface, raising concern of unexpected biological consequences. Computational models have demonstrated graphene preferentially interacts cholesterol, a multifunctional lipid unique to eukaryotic membranes. Here we demonstrate an interaction between and cholesterol. We find increases membrane cholesterol potentiates neurotransmission, which is mediated by number, release probability, recycling rate synaptic vesicles. In fibroblasts grown on graphene, also increase promotes activation P2Y receptors, family receptor regulated both cases, direct manipulation levels elucidates graphene-induced underlies observed potentiation each signaling pathway. These findings identify as mediator graphene's cellular effects, providing insight into impact graphene.