Molecular Mechanisms of Selenium Mitigating Lead Toxicity in Chickens via Mitochondrial Pathway: Selenoproteins, Oxidative Stress, HSPs, and Apoptosis.

ABSTRACT: Lead (Pb), a hazardous heavy metal, can damage the health of organisms. However, it is not clear whether Pb can damage chicken cerebellums and thalami. Selenium (Se), an essential nutrient for organisms, has a palliative effect on Pb poisoning in chickens. In our experiment, a model of chickens treated with Pb and Se alone and in combination was established to investigate the molecular mechanism of Se alleviating Pb-caused damage in both chicken cerebellums and thalami. Our morphological results indicated that Pb caused apoptotic lesions, such as mitochondrial and nuclear damage. Further, the anti-apoptotic gene Bcl-2 decreased; on the contrary, four pro-apoptotic genes (p53, Bax, Cyt c, and Caspase-3) increased under Pb treatment, meaning that Pb caused apoptosis via the p53-Cyt c-Caspase

SUBMITTER: Hong W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10536545 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature