4189521

Analysis of lipid peroxidation kinetics in the presence of graphene quantum dots

Date
March 25, 2025

Oxidative stress induces lipid peroxidation in the cellular membrane, which leads to alterations in the membrane structure and derives ferroptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction. The inner mitochondrial membrane is particularly prone to oxidation as its primary component, cardiolipin, consists of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) tails. Extensive research on the biomedical application of graphene quantum dots (GQDs) has shown that GQDs exert a protective effect in various diseases accompanying oxidative stress. However, the exact underlying mechanism of the effect of GQDs on oxidative stress has not been studied thoroughly. GQDs are known to have radical scavenging ability; therefore, we investigated the impact of GQDs on lipid peroxidation induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS) radicals. Herein, we utilized a fluorescence probe, C11-BODIPY, to measure the lipid peroxidation rate in the reconstituted lipid membrane. Using fluorescence microscopy and spectroscopy, we confirmed that GQDs inhibit the oxidation of C11-BODIPY. Based on the first-order kinetics principle, we developed an assay that can measure the radical scavenging ability of antioxidants. Compared to renowned antioxidants, GQDs exerted a similar or greater effect in inhibiting lipid oxidation induced by ROS radicals. Using 1H NMR, we analyzed the structure of biologically significant lipids with PUFA tails that were exposed to ROS radicals, and GQDs managed to inhibit the changes in lipid structure by oxidation. Furthermore, in the presence of lipids with PUFA tails, GQDs decreased the oxidation rate of C11-BODIPY, inhibiting the oxidation of C11-BODIPY by the newly generated oxidized lipid radicals. Our studies showed that GQDs inhibit lipid peroxidation through ROS radical scavenging and prevent the disruption of lipid structure, supporting its mitoprotective role under oxidative stress.

Presenter

Co-Author

Speaker Image for Wade Zeno
University of Southern California

Related Products

Thumbnail for Biomaterials & Biointerfaces:
Biomaterials & Biointerfaces:
Division/Committee: [COLL] Division of Colloid & Surface Chemistry
Thumbnail for Biomaterials & Biointerfaces:
Biomaterials & Biointerfaces:
Division/Committee: [COLL] Division of Colloid & Surface Chemistry
Thumbnail for Biomaterials & Biointerfaces:
Biomaterials & Biointerfaces:
Division/Committee: [COLL] Division of Colloid & Surface Chemistry
Thumbnail for Biomaterials & Biointerfaces:
Biomaterials & Biointerfaces:
Division/Committee: [COLL] Division of Colloid & Surface Chemistry