Submitted by Caroline Xavier (caroline.xavier@pucrs.br) on 2017-06-30T18:19:34Z No. of bitstreams: 1 DIS_JESSICA_CAVALHEIRO_SOARES_PARCIAL.pdf: 613600 bytes, checksum: 2e577069eeb48be6afd6a79bac3f8992 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Caroline Xavier (caroline.xavier@pucrs.br) on 2017-06-30T18:19:41Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 DIS_JESSICA_CAVALHEIRO_SOARES_PARCIAL.pdf: 613600 bytes, checksum: 2e577069eeb48be6afd6a79bac3f8992 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-06-30T18:19:49Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DIS_JESSICA_CAVALHEIRO_SOARES_PARCIAL.pdf: 613600 bytes, checksum: 2e577069eeb48be6afd6a79bac3f8992 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-02-21 / Recent studies have shown several applications of graphene oxide (GO) in neurology in the imaging area as a contrast agent for diagnostic purposes, for drug delivery of anticarcinogenic drugs, proteins and peptides and in the field of tissue engineering for applications in the regeneration of nervous lesions. Advances in GO applications research in neurology require addressing its potential toxic mechanisms of action. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) has been widely used in neurotoxicological trials due to the homology of biochemical processes and neural structures with vertebrates. To investigate the potential neurotoxic effects of GO exposure in different concentrations at development period, we evaluated in vivo parameters for initial toxicological screening. We found that GO did not induce changes in survival, hatching and spontaneous movement. However, an increase in heart rate at 48 hpf was found and a reduction in body length without altering the ocular area at 5 dpf. Additionally, molecular gene expression analyses of nervous system-related proteins were performed, showing synapsin IIa expression is increased and dopamine transporter (dat) gene expression is reduced, suggesting a potential compensatory mechanism. The evaluation of the locomotion behavior of animals exposed at GO showed an increase in the absolute turn angle. Based on these initial parameters, we performed biochemical analyzes to determination of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and dopamine levels. The exposure at GO did not change AChE activity and decreased dopamine levels. Additionally, the gene expression of B cell lymphoma 2 (bcl2) gene and caspase 3 (casp3) gene were evaluated for the group of larvae exposed to GO, demonstrating an increase of bcl2 and unchanged casp3 expression, suggesting no apoptosis involvement. The tissue and cellular structure of zebrafish larvae brain exposed at GO was evaluated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and cell dead by autophagosome formation with loss of cellular architecture was observed most likely due to exposure to the nanomaterial. Further studies are necessary to the complete understanding of the neurological changes observed in zebrafish by exposure to GO and the mechanisms involved in this process, are necessary. / Estudos recentes t?m mostrado diversas aplica??es do ?xido de grafeno (GO) como agente de contraste para fins de diagn?stico, para o endere?amento de drogas (do ingl?s drug delivery) de f?rmacos anticarcinog?nicos, prote?nas e pept?deos e na ?rea de engenharia tecidual para aplica??es na regenera??o de les?es nervosas. O avan?o em pesquisas relacionadas a aplica??es do GO em neurologia exige a investiga??o dos mecanismos de a??o potencialmente t?xicos desencadeados pela exposi??o ao nanomaterial. O zebrafish (Danio rerio) tem sido amplamente utilizado em ensaios neurotoxicol?gicos devido ? homologia de processos bioqu?micos e estruturas neurais com outros vertebrados, vis?veis desde o in?cio de seu desenvolvimento externo. Para investigar os efeitos neurot?xicos da exposi??o a diferentes concentra??es do GO no per?odo de desenvolvimento, foram avaliados diversos par?metros in vivo para avalia??o toxicol?gica preliminar. Foi verificado que o GO n?o induziu altera??es na sobreviv?ncia, eclos?o e movimentos espont?neos. Contudo, o aumento dos batimentos card?acos em 48 hpf foi constatado e redu??o do tamanho do eixo axial, sem altera??o na ?rea ocular em 5 dpf. Adicionalmente, an?lises moleculares da express?o de genes espec?ficos para prote?nas do sistema nervoso foram realizadas mostrando que o GO aumenta a express?o de sinapsina IIa e reduz a express?o do transportador de dopamina (dat), sugerindo um prov?vel mecanismo compensat?rio. A avalia??o da locomo??o dos animais expostos ao GO mostra o aumento do ?ngulo absoluto de virada. Com base nestes par?metros iniciais, foram realizadas an?lises bioqu?micas para a determina??o da atividade da enzima acetilcolinesterase (AChE) e dosagem dos n?veis de dopamina. A exposi??o ao GO n?o alterou a atividade da AChE e reduziu os n?veis de dopamina. Adicionalmente, a express?o do gene de linfoma de c?lulas B2 (do ingl?s B cell lymphoma 2 (bcl2) ) e do gene que codifica para caspase 3 (casp3) foram avaliadas para o grupo de larvas expostas ao GO onde foi mostrado aumento da express?o de bcl2, enquanto que a express?o de casp3 permaneceu inalterada, sugerindo que o GO parece n?o induzir mecanismo de apoptose. A estrutura tecidual e celular do c?rebro de larvas de zebrafish expostas ao GO foi avaliada por microscopia eletr?nica de transmiss?o (TEM) onde morte celular por necrose com perda da arquitetura celular foi constatada. Estudos adicionais para o completo entendimento das altera??es neurol?gicas observadas pela exposi??o ao GO e dos mecanismos envolvidos nesse processo s?o necess?rios.