Protective effects of Vitamin E against Zinc Oxide nanoparticles-induced histotoxicity of liver and testicular tissue, genotoxicity and biomarker stress in male albino rats

Abstract

Abstract Nano zinc oxide has the potency to be harmful, so it is important to assess its effects on the human health and biological system. In the current study, vitamin E (100 mg/kg) was used to explore its antioxidant role in mitigating the potential toxicity of ZnO NPs (50 and 200 mg/kg) in male albino rats tissues. Sixty adult male albino rats weighing 180–200 g were arbitrarily divided into six groups: G1:control group,G2: vita E (100 mg/kgb.w) group, G3: Zn NPs (50 mg/kg b.w) group, G4: Zn NPs (200 mg/kg b.w), G5: vita E + Zn NPs(50 mg/kg b.w) group and G6:Vita E + Zn NPs (200 mg/kg b.w) group. Giving both Vita and ZnNPs daily by oral gavage for 4 weeks. The results revealed that exposure to the structure of the liver and testicular tissues was examined by light microscopy, DNA damage by the comet assay, metallothionein levels and sex hormones evaluation by ELISA, and several stress markers by spectrophotometric methods. Sperm count and motility were assessed by optical microscopy. Detailed analysis of the liver and testicular tissue of rats treated with 50 and 200 mg/kg ZnO NPs revealed many adverse effects of nanoscale particles in tissues structure, accompanied by focal necrosis, inflammatory cellular infiltration in liver tissues and distorted seminiferous tubules with disorganized germ cells in tests tissues, increased lipid peroxidation, DNA damage, and reduced levels of antioxidant enzymes. Due to their tiny size that allow them to penetrate physiological barriers, ZnO NPs can enter, translocate within, and damage living organisms. Nevertheless, co-administration of ZnO NPs with Vita E significantly (p < 0.05) reversed the biochemical alterations associated with ZnO NPs administration and lead to improvement of the histopathological picture of hepatic and testicular tissues. Findings related to Vita E may either inhibit the activity of (ROS) molecules and prevent their binding to the DNA structure and /or scavenging peroxyl lipid radicals inducing DNA-damaging products. So, the present results indicated that Vita E effectively attenuates the adverse effects of ZnO NPs and could mitigate or prevent its toxicity which lead finally to healthy tissues of liver and testes.