<i>In Vivo</i> Pharmacokinetics, Long-Term Biodistribution, and Toxicology of PEGylated Graphene in Mice

TLDR

Graphene is a promising nanomaterial with potential biomedical applications. The study aims to investigate the long‑term in vivo biodistribution and potential toxicity of PEGylated graphene sheets in mice. The authors used 125I‑labeled PEGylated nanographene sheets and monitored their distribution and toxicity over time. PEGylated NGS accumulate mainly in the liver and spleen, are gradually cleared via renal and fecal routes, and do not cause significant toxicity at 20 mg/kg over three months, supporting further biomedical use.

Abstract

Graphene has emerged as interesting nanomaterials with promising applications in a range of fields including biomedicine. In this work, for the first time we study the long-term in vivo biodistribution of 125I-labeled nanographene sheets (NGS) functionalized with polyethylene glycol (PEG) and systematically examine the potential toxicity of graphene over time. Our results show that PEGylated NGS mainly accumulate in the reticuloendothelial system (RES) including liver and spleen after intravenous administration and can be gradually cleared, likely by both renal and fecal excretion. PEGylated NGS do not cause appreciable toxicity at our tested dose (20 mg/kg) to the treated mice in a period of 3 months as evidenced by blood biochemistry, hematological analysis, and histological examinations. Our work greatly encourages further studies of graphene for biomedical applications.