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. 2020 Spring;13(2):168-176.

The effect of glycyrrhizin acid on Bax and Bcl2 expression in hepatotoxicity induced by Titanium dioxide nanoparticles in rats

Mahmoud Orazizadeh  1 , Layasadat Khorsandi  1 , Esrafil Mansouri  1 , Fereshtesadat Fakhredini  1   2
Affiliations

The effect of glycyrrhizin acid on Bax and Bcl2 expression in hepatotoxicity induced by Titanium dioxide nanoparticles in rats

Mahmoud Orazizadeh et al. Gastroenterol Hepatol Bed Bench. 2020 Spring.

Abstract

Aim: This research studied the effects of glycyrrhizic acid (GA) on apoptosis induced with by titanium dioxide (NTiO2) in the liver of rats.

Background: It is widely accepted that the contamination resulting from nanoparticles (NPs) is an emerging dangerous issue. Metal oxide nanoparticles have high environmental stability and cause toxicity in the food chain. Thus, the present study investigated the anti-apoptotic effects of glycyrrhizic acid (GA) on the hepatotoxicity generated by titanium dioxide (NTiO2) NPs in the liver tissue.

Methods: Thirty-two male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups. NTiO2-treated rats were given 300 mg / kg of NTiO2 solution via gavage for 14 days; GA-treated were administered 100 mg/kg GA for 14 days; protection group was pre-treated with GA before NTiO2 administration for 7 days. Then, apoptotic index was evaluated through immunolocalization of Bax and Bcl-2 and TUNEL assay.

Results: we found that HSCORE of Bax expression and apoptotic index experienced a significant increase with NTiO2 (P <0.001), while Bcl-2 expression significantly diminished in NTiO2-treated rats (P <0.001). The results revealed that the increased Bax expression and apoptotic index were reversed by GA and enhanced the activities of Bcl2.

Conclusion: The results revealed that GA effectively attenuated apoptosis against NTiO2 in rats.

Keywords: Apoptosis; Histopathological; Immunohistochemistry; NTiO2; TUNEL.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
AFM image of NTiO2 showed distinct spherical particles in the size range between 50 and 100 nm
Figure 2
Figure 2
Pilot results for an appropriate dose of GA. The values are expressed as mean ± SD. (* P <0.05), (†p < 0.05). * and † symbols indicate comparison to control and NTiO2-intoxicated groups respectively
Figure 3
Figure 3
The optical microscope image of the rat liver in the control group (A), GA (B), NTiO2(C) and GA + NTiO2 (D) group by IHC staining of Bax protein. In the control group and GA, no color is observed, but in the NTiO2 group in the cytoplasm, hepatocytes have expressed the Bax (brown) protein. In the GA + NTiO2 group, this protein is also less pronounced than in the NTiO2 group (250 ×).
Figure 4
Figure 4
HSCORE assessments of Bax protein in the control groups, GA, NTiO2 and treatment (GA + NTiO2). The values are expressed as mean ± SD. (*** P <0.001), (††† p < 0.001). * And † symbols indicate comparison to control and NTiO2-intoxicated groups respectively
Figure 5
Figure 5
The optical microscope image of the rat liver in the control group (A), GA (B), NTiO2 (C) and GA + NTiO2 (D) group by immunohistochemical staining of Bcl-2 protein. In the control group and GA, the expression of Bcl-2 protein (brown color) is observed, but in the NTiO2 group, the expression of Bcl-2 protein is not observed in hepatocyte cytoplasm. In the GA + NTiO2 group, this protein is more pronounced than in the NTiO2 group (250 ×).
Figure 6
Figure 6
Comparison of Bcl-2 protein expression in control groups, GA, NTiO2and treatment (GA + NTiO2). The values are expressed as mean ± SD (†† p< 0.01), (*** p < 0.001). * And † symbols indicate comparison to control and NTiO2-intoxicated groups respectively
Figure 7
Figure 7
Light microscopy of cross-sections of TUNEL stained liver from control and experimental groups. (A) Control group; (B) GA group; (C) NTiO2-intoxicated group; (D) NTiO2 + GA group. Arrows indicate TUNEL-positive reaction. Magnification: 250×
Figure 8.
Figure 8.
Apoptotic index of control and experimental groups. Values expressed as mean ± SD for 8 mice. **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001, †† p < 0.01, ††† p < 0.001; * and † symbols respectively indicate comparison to control and NTiO2- intoxicated group
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