1
|
Deleye L, Franchi F, Trevisani M, Loiacono F, Vercellino S, Debellis D, Liessi N, Armirotti A, Vázquez E, Valente P, Castagnola V, Benfenati F. Few-layered graphene increases the response of nociceptive neurons to irritant stimuli. NANOSCALE 2024; 16:2419-2431. [PMID: 38226500 DOI: 10.1039/d3nr03790h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
The unique properties of few-layered graphene (FLG) make it interesting for a variety of applications, including biomedical applications, such as tissue engineering and drug delivery. Although different studies focus on applications in the central nervous system, its interaction with the peripheral nervous system has been so far overlooked. Here, we investigated the effects of exposure to colloidal dispersions of FLG on the sensory neurons of the rat dorsal root ganglia (DRG). We found that the FLG flakes were actively internalized by sensory neurons, accumulated in large intracellular vesicles, and possibly degraded over time, without major toxicological concerns, as neuronal viability, morphology, protein content, and basic electrical properties of DRG neurons were preserved. Interestingly, in our electrophysiological investigation under noxious stimuli, we observed an increased functional response upon FLG treatment of the nociceptive subpopulation of DRG neurons in response to irritants specific for chemoreceptors TRPV1 and TRPA1. The observed effects of FLG on DRG neurons may open-up novel opportunities for applications of these materials in specific disease models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lieselot Deleye
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132 Genova, Italy.
| | - Francesca Franchi
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132 Genova, Italy.
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Martina Trevisani
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132 Genova, Italy.
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Physiology, University of Genova, Genoa, 16132, Italy.
| | - Fabrizio Loiacono
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Silvia Vercellino
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132 Genova, Italy.
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Doriana Debellis
- Electron Microscopy Facility, IIT, Via Morego 30, 16163, Genoa, Italy
| | - Nara Liessi
- Analytical Chemistry Facility, IIT, via Morego, 30, 16163, Genoa, Italy
| | - Andrea Armirotti
- Analytical Chemistry Facility, IIT, via Morego, 30, 16163, Genoa, Italy
| | - Ester Vázquez
- Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Castilla La-Mancha, Ciudad Real, 13071 Spain
| | - Pierluigi Valente
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132 Genova, Italy
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Physiology, University of Genova, Genoa, 16132, Italy.
| | - Valentina Castagnola
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132 Genova, Italy.
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Fabio Benfenati
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132 Genova, Italy.
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132 Genova, Italy
| |
Collapse
|