Selenium alleviates oxidative stress and autophagy in lead-treated chicken testes.

Lead (Pb) is an environmental pollutant and has toxic effect on birds. Selenium (Se) has alleviative effect on Pb poisoning. This study investigated mitigative effect of Se on autophagy in Pb-treated chicken testes. Seven-day-old male chickens were randomly divided into four groups with 45 birds in each group. The birds of the control group were offered drinking water (DW) and commercial diet (CD) (0.49 mg/kg Se). The birds of the Se group were offered DW and CD containing sodium selenite (SeCD) (1.00 mg/kg Se). The birds of the Pb group were offered DW containing lead acetate (PbDW) (350.00 mg/L Pb) and CD. The birds of the Pb/Se group were offered PbDW and SeCD. On the 30th, 60th, and 90th days, respectively; histology, antioxidant indexes (hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), catalase (CAT), total antioxidant capacity (TAOC), reduced glutathione (GSH), and superoxide dismutase (SOD)), mRNA and protein levels of autophagy-related genes (autophagy-related proteins 5, Beclin 1, Dynein, light chain 3 (LC3)-I, LC3-II, and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)) were performed in chicken testes. The results of this study showed that Pb caused histological changes; increased H2O2 content; decreased CAT, TAOC, and SOD activities and GSH content; and increased mRNA and protein levels of the above autophagy-related genes except that mTOR decreased in chicken testes. Se alleviated the above changes. Se alleviated histological damage, oxidative stress, and autophagy in the Pb-treated chicken testes.

Alleviation of lead-induced oxidative stress and immune damage by selenium in chicken bursa of Fabricius.

We investigated lead (Pb)-induced oxidative stress and immune damage in the chicken bursa of Fabricius (BF) and the ameliorative effect of selenium (Se). Seven-day-old male chickens were randomly divided into four groups and were provided standard diet and drinking water, Na2SeO3 added to the standard diet and drinking water, standard diet and (CH3COO)2Pb added to drinking water, and Na2SeO3 added to the standard diet and (CH3COO)2Pb added to drinking water for 30, 60, and 90 days. The presence of Pb inhibited total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione S-transferase (GST), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activities; decreased glutathione (GSH) content; increased malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) contents; inhibited interleukin (IL)-2 and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) messenger RNA (mRNA) expression; and increased IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12ß, and IL-17 mRNA expression. The presence of Se relieved all of the above Pb-induced changes. There were close correlations among GSH, CAT, T-AOC, SOD, GPx, MDA, and H2O2 and among IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-12ß, IL-17, and IFN-γ. Our data showed that Pb caused oxidative stress and immune damage in the chicken BF. Se alleviated Pb-induced oxidative stress and immune damage in the chicken BF.