Uptake dynamics of graphene quantum dots into primary human blood cells following in vitro exposure

• Published in: RSC advances Vol. 7; no. 20; pp. 12208 - 12216
• Main Authors: Fasbender, Stefan, Allani, Sonja, Wimmenauer, Christian, Cadeddu, Ron-Patrick, Raba, Katharina, Fischer, Johannes C., Bulat, Bekir, Luysberg, Martina, Seidel, Claus A. M., Heinzel, Thomas, Haas, Rainer
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01-01-2017
• Subjects: Dynamics; Exposure; Graphene; Leukocytes; Lymphocytes; Membranes; Quantum dots; Uptakes
• ISSN: 2046-2069; 2046-2069
• DOI: 10.1039/C6RA27829A

Human leukocytes obtained from samples of leukapheresis products of three healthy donors stimulated by granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) were exposed to graphene quantum dots. A time- and concentration dependent uptake was observed with a significantly greater uptake into monocytes and granulocytes in comparison to lymphocytes, suggesting a better incorporation ability of cells with phagocytotic properties. The uptake rates also correlate with the cell membrane area. Looking at the different lymphoid subsets a greater uptake was found into CD19
+
B-, CD56
+
natural killer cells and CD34
+
hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) in comparison to CD4
+
T- and CD8
+
T cells. Independent of the cell type studied, the observed uptake dynamics is consistent with a diffusion-driven process, which allows the determination of cell-specific membrane permeabilities for the graphene quantum dots. The toxicity of the quantum dots is relatively low resulting in a 90% viability of the entire leukocyte population after 36 hours of exposure to GQDs at a concentration of 500 μg ml
−1
.