The Effects of Graphene Oxide and Partially Reduced Graphene Oxide on Staphylococcus aureus, Dermal Fibroblasts, and Keratinocytes

Graphene and graphene oxide are being investigated for use in drug delivery systems, bioimaging, and antimicrobial applications. However, their effects, if any, on healthy cells need to be established before they can be deemed safe for therapeutic use. This research tested whether graphene oxide (GO) and/or partially reduced graphene oxide (pRGO) exhibit antimicrobial properties on Staphylococcus aureus; and also examined the growth and proliferation of dermal fibroblasts and keratinocytes in media modified with graphene oxide or partially reduced graphene oxide. Staphylococcus aureus was able to proliferate in both GO and pRGO- modified growth media as well as on gelatin made with GO and pRGO solutions. Both GO and pRGO increased dermal fibroblast doubling time and displayed lower cell counts compared to the control, with pRGO exerting a more pronounced effect than GO. After 4 days of keratinocyte incubation, GO and pRGO showed cell counts 75-80% less than the control. Cell counts of test samples dropped even lower by day 5 while the control cell count increased, suggesting that more investigation into the properties as well as the safety of graphene and its derivatives needs to be done before it is implemented for medical applications.