Administração de nanopartículas de óxido de grafeno durante prenhez de ratas: repercussões fetais

Abstract

One of the areas that has received attention in studies in recent years is nanomedicine, which uses nanoparticles (NPs). The applications of NPs in biomedicine are abundant, with graphene oxide (GO) being a promising NP. However, there are few studies that document the effects of GO during pregnancy. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the fetal repercussions of the administration of GO during pregnancy in rats. For this, Wistar rats were mated and randomized into three experimental groups (n=12 rats/group). Pregnant rats received water (Control) or OG at a dose of 2.5 (Graphene 2.5) or 5.0 (Graphene 5.0) mg/kg. Administration of OG nanoparticles was performed daily orally during pregnancy (days 0 to 21). On the 21st day of pregnancy, a laparotomy was performed and the fetuses and their respective placentas were immediately removed and weighed, for subsequent analysis of external and internal anomalies (visceral and skeletal). The results demonstrated that the administration of OG caused an increase in fetuses classified as small (SGA) for gestational age in the Graphene 2.5 group. The Graphene 5.0 group showed an increase in fetal and placental weights, fetuses classified as large (LGA) for gestational age and ossification sites. In conclusion, the results indicate that the administration of GO nanoparticles (in a higher dose) during a pregnancy cause fetal macrosomia. These data highlight the importance of research with NPs to verify possible adverse effects of these materials, especially during the gestational period.