[doi: 10.5505/2017ichc.PP-17]

Evaluation of the oxidant-antioxidant enyzmes and apoptosis of rats treated with vitamin E and selenium against monocrotalin induced hepatotoxicity

¹Necmettin Erbakan University, Meram Medical Faculty, Histology and Embryology, Konya, Turkey
²Necmettin Erbakan University, Meram Medical Faculty, Biochemistry, Konya, Turkey

Monocrotaline (MCT) is a plant-derived hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloid (PA), exposure to which is attributable to consumption of contaminated grains, herbal teas, and medicines. The present study was performed to investigate the protective antioxidant effects of selenium and vitamin E against liver damage induced by MCT.
Twenty-eight female Wistar–Albino rats were divided into four groups: a control group, an MCT-only group (300 mg/kg i.p.), an MCT + sodium selenite group (300 mg/kg i.p. + 0.25 mg/kg sodium selenite), and an MCT + vitamin E group (300 mg/kg i.p. + 200 mg/kg vitamin E). Sodium selenite and vitamin E were administered via gavage for 7 days.
The animals were then sacrificed, and liver tissues harvested into 10% formalin for tissue processing. After routine histological processing, paraffin blocks were prepared and sections 4-mm thick were cut. Anti-von Willebrand factor (vWF) immunohistochemistry, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL), and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, were performed. Serum and liver tissue glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) levels were measured.
Histopathological and TUNEL data showed a significant increase in liver damage in the MCT-only group compared to the controls. Histopathological and TUNEL staining indicated significant improvements in the MCT + vitamin E and MCT + selenium groups compared to the MCT-only group. MCT significantly reduced the serum levels of GSH and GPx and the liver level of GPx. Biochemical data indicated an significant improvement in serum GSH level in the MCT + vitamin E group compared to the MCT-only group.These observations suggest that vitamin E and selenium exert limited protective effects against the hepatotoxicity of MCT.

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Figure 1

Representative serum and liver concentrations of GSH, GPx and CAT. Group 1, control; group 2, MCT only;
group 3, MCT + Se; group 4, MCT + Vitamin E. *p < 0.05 vs. group 1; &p < 0.05 vs. group 2.

Figure 2

Representative H & E stained liver sections. A) Control group. B–F) MCT-only group. G) MCT + Vitamin E group. H)
MCT + Se group. Black arrows indicate leukocyte infiltrations and necrosis. Green arrows indicate polyploidy. Yellow arrows
indicate binucleate hepatocytes. Heterochromatin was observed in one nucleus of the hepatocytes with two nuclei. Red arrows
indicate pleomorphisms. Blue arrows indicate pyknotic nuclei and eosinophilic cytoplasm. PT, portal triad; CV, central vein.

Figure 3

Representative TUNEL stained liver sections. A) Control group. B−D) MCT only group. E) MCT + Vitamin E
group. F) MCT + Se group. Arrows indicate TUNEL-positive cells.

Figure 4

Representative anti-vWF antibody stained liver sections. A) Control group. B) MCT only group. C) MCT + Vitamin E
group. D) MCT + Se group. Arrows indicate endothelial cells.

Table 1

	Control	MCT	MCT + Se	MCT + Vit E
TUNEL	1.28 ± 0.18	20. 14 ± 1.5a	6 ± 0.61 a,b	9 ± 0.81a,b
Histopathological score	0.28 ± 0.18	13.85 ± 0.55a	5.85 ± 0.63a,b	6.14 ± 0.26a,b

TUNEL and histopathology results, a:p < 0.05 compared to controls, b:p < 0.05 compared to MCT group.