Effect of C₇₀ fullerene derivatives on the transcriptional activity of genes of oxidative metabolism

   Objective. We aimed to study the effect of water-soluble aryl C70 fullerene derivatives on the transcriptional activity of genes regulating oxidative metabolism.

   Methods. The toxicity of two derivatives of C70 with minor changes in the structure was studied using the MTT test on a culture of human embryonic lung fibroblasts as well as intracellular reactive oxygen species, expression of NOX4 and NRF2 genes and proteins. Fluorescence microscopy, real-time PCR-RT, and flow cytometry were used.
   Results. Both compounds equally caused a decrease in intracellular ROS during the day, an increase in the expression of the NOX4 gene and protein, and an increase in the expression of the NRF2 gene and protein. Probably, an increase in NOX4 expression is compensatory in response
to the development of an intracellular antioxidant state, and an increase in NRF2 expression is compensatory in response to NOX4 activation.

   Conclusion. Modification of the surface with substituents that enhance the antioxidant properties of the substance leads to a change in the mechanism of the influence of nanoparticles on genes, while minor differences in the structure of substituents do not significantly determine the effects.

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