Protective role of sodium selenite on histopathological lesions, decreased T-cell subsets and increased apoptosis of thymus in broilers intoxicated with aflatoxin B1

• Published in: Food and chemical toxicology 2013-09, Vol.59, p.446-454
• Main Authors: Chen, Kejie, Shu, Gang, Peng, Xi, Fang, Jing, Cui, Hengmin, Chen, Jin, Wang, Fengyuan, Chen, Zhengli, Zuo, Zhicai, Deng, Junliang, Geng, Yi, Lai, Weimin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aflatoxin B1; Bcl-2; Biological and medical sciences; Caspase-3; Food toxicology; Medical sciences; Plant poisons toxicology; Sodium selenite; T-cell subsets; Thymus; Toxicology
• ISSN: 0278-6915; 1873-6351
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2013.06.032

•We investigate the effects of sodium selenite against AFB1 in thymus of broilers.•Sodium selenite reduces AFB1-induced histological lesions in thymus.•Sodium selenite decreases AFB1-induced excessive apoptosis of thymocytes.•Sodium selenite restores the percentage of thymic T-cell subsets impaired by AFB1.•Sodium selenite reduces the immunotoxicity of AFB1 in thymus. For evaluating the ability of selenium (Se) in counteracting the adverse effects of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), two hundred 1-day-old male Avian broilers, divided into five groups, were fed with basal diet (control group), 0.3mg/kg AFB1 (AFB1 group), 0.3mg/kg AFB1+0.2mg/kg Se (+Se group I), 0.3mg/kg AFB1+0.4mg/kg Se (+Se group II) and 0.3mg/kg AFB1+0.6mg/kg Se (+Se group III), respectively. Compared with control group, the decreased relative weight of thymus and percentages of mature thymocytes, congestion in medulla and much debris in cortex of thymus, and the increased apoptotic thymocytes were observed in AFB1 group. However, supplied dietary sodium selenite could increase the relative weight of thymus and percentages of mature thymocytes, and alleviate histopathological lesions. Compared with AFB1 group, the percentages of apoptotic thymocytes detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling method and flow cytometry method in three +Se groups were decreased, the expression of Caspase-3 and Bax, through quantitative real-time PCR and immunohistochemical method, in three +Se groups were decreased, while the expression of Bcl-2 was increased. The results indicate that sodium selenite supplied in the diet, through a mechanism of apoptosis regulation, may ameliorated AFB1-induced lesions of thymus and accordingly improve the impaired cellular immune function.