Comparative Analysis of the Rabbit Endothelial Progenitor Cells from Bone Marrow and Peripheral Blood Treated with Selenium Nanoparticles

Abstract

Background: Selenium nanoparticles (Se-NPs) are known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, which are effective in preventing oxidative damage and improving physiological processes. Objectives: This study aimed at investigating the effects of biosynthesized Se-NPs on bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells (bone marrow-derived EPCs) and blood-derived endothelial progenitor cells (blood-derived EPCs) isolated from rabbits in vitro. Methods: The cultured EPCs incubated with biosynthesized Se-NPs at the concentrations of 0.19, 0.38, 0.76, 1.71, 3.42, 7.03, 14.25, 28.50, 57, 114, and 228 μg/ml for 48 h. After screening of the proliferative potential of the Se-NPs by the MTT assay, the best concentrations were selected for real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Real-time quantification of vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor-1 (LOX-1), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) gene expressions were analyzed by normalizing with glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) as an endogenous reference gene. Results: Blood-derived EPCs and bone marrow-derived EPCs showed morphological differences before treatment in vitro. Se-NPs treated EPCs indicated a significant dose-dependent proliferative activity (P<0.01). In general, the expression levels of VCAM-1, LOX1, and MCP-1 mRNA were significantly decreased (p<0.01), whereas that of the eNOS expression was significantly increased at the concentrations of 7.3 and 14.25 µg/ml (p<0.01). Although the expressions of MCP-1, LOX-1, and eNOS mRNA were decreased at certain concentrations of Se-NPs (p<0.01 and p<0.05, respectively) in the treated bone marrow-derived EPCs, no significant differences were observed in the VCAM-1 mRNA expression levels in bone marrow-derived EPCs compared with the control group (P>0.05). Conclusions: This was the first report to demonstrate the effects of Se-NPs on proliferative, anti-oxidative, and anti-inflammatory activities for bone marrow-derived EPCs and blood-derived EPCs. Our findings suggested that Se-NPs could be considered as an effective agent that may ameliorate vascular problems.