The Protective Roles of Selenium on Hepatic Tissue Ultrastructure and Mitochondrial Antioxidant Capacity in Copper-Overloaded Rats

• Published in: Biological trace element research Vol. 167; no. 1; pp. 110 - 114
• Main Authors: Su, Rongsheng, Cao, Huabin, Pan, Jiaqiang, Li, Chengmei, Chen, Yizhou, Tang, Zhaoxin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.09.2015; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animals; Antioxidants; Antioxidants - metabolism; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biotechnology; Catalase - metabolism; Copper; Copper - pharmacology; Enzymatic activity; Glutathione Peroxidase - metabolism; Glutathione Reductase - metabolism; Hepatocytes - drug effects; Hepatocytes - metabolism; Hepatocytes - ultrastructure; Hepatology; Life Sciences; Lipid Peroxidation - drug effects; Liver - drug effects; Liver - metabolism; Liver - ultrastructure; Male; Malondialdehyde - metabolism; Melanins - metabolism; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; Mitochondria; Mitochondria, Liver - drug effects; Mitochondria, Liver - metabolism; Mitochondria, Liver - ultrastructure; Nutrition; Oncology; Peroxidation; Protective Agents - pharmacology; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Rodents; Selenium; Selenium - pharmacology; Sodium Selenite - pharmacology; Superoxide Dismutase - metabolism; Tissues; Hepatic mitochondria; Sodium selenite; Copper; Toxicity; Ultrastructure
• ISSN: 0163-4984; 1559-0720
• DOI: 10.1007/s12011-015-0293-8

The aim of this study was to explore the effects of selenium addition on hepatic tissue ultrastructure and mitochondrial antioxidant capacity in copper-overloaded rats. Eighteen adult male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into three groups ( n  = 6 per group). Each group received 1 mL (intragastrically) of water (control, group I) or water containing copper chloride (CuCl 2, 1 mol/L) (group II) or a mixture of CuCl 2 (1 mol/L) with sodium selenite (Na 2 SeO 3 , 0.05 mol/L) (group III) once daily for 30 days. Histological examination revealed normal hepatocyte structure and no ultrastructural changes in mitochondria in controls. In contrast, group II exhibited severe ultrastructural alterations, fuzzy mitochondrial membranes, irregularly shaped and fragmented rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER), and the high melanin content; group III also exhibited larger amounts of engulfing vesicles (EV) in the cytoplasm. Compared to controls, the CuCl 2 treatment lowered ( P  < 0.05) hepatocyte enzymatic activities and increased lipid peroxidation as indicated by an increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. The effects of CuCl 2 were attenuated by simultaneous administration with Na 2 SeO 3 . These results indicated that the adverse effects of copper toxicity can be partially attenuated by providing a source of selenium.