Multigenerational selection towards longevity changes the protective role of vitamin C against graphene oxide-induced oxidative stress in house crickets

Highlights: • A recovery effect after graphene oxide treatment was measured in Acheta domesticus. • Vitamin C was used as a potent antioxidant to enhance the potential recovery effect. • Organisms selected for longevity reveal different sensitivity for graphene oxide and vitamin C. • Elimination of graphene oxide from the experimental model leads to a reduction in oxidative stress. • Vitamin C has no evident remedial effect on graphene oxide treated animals. This research was designed to investigate changes that can arise in an invertebrate organism due to stress caused by a strong prooxidant, graphene oxide (GO), and a potent antioxidant, vitamin C. The study aimed to investigate if vitamin C may support convalescence after chronic GO intoxication. We investigated the toxicity of chronic dietary graphene oxide administration in house cricket (Acheta domesticus) types: wild and selected for longevity (with a better developed antioxidant system, conducive to long life). Vitamin C was applied immediately after cessation of graphene oxide intoxication to check if it can support the remedial effect. The condition of cells, DNA stability, catalase activity, and the reproduction potential, measured as the Vitellogenin (Vg) protein expression level, were investigated in control and GO treated groups, recovery groups (-GO), and recovery groups with Vit. C (-GO + Vit.C). In this study vitamin C had no evident remedial effect on the house crickets exposed to graphene oxide. Most probably, the mechanism of vitamin C action, in case of intoxication with nanoparticles, is much more complicated. In the context of the results obtained, it is worth considering whether Vit. C, applied after GO intoxication, causes further disturbance of homeostasis in terms of the cells' redox potential.