Protective Effects of Selenium in Tacrolimus-induced Lung Toxicity: Potential Role of Hemeoxygenase-1

Abstract The present study aimed to evaluate the protective effects of selenium administration against tacrolimus (Tac) induced lung toxicity and to assess the relation between heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) and these effects. The study was conducted on 36 Wistar male albino rats equally divided into 4 groups: (1) normal control, (2) Selenium (Sel 0.1mg/kg/day p.o for four weeks), (3) TAC 3mg/ml as single oral dose on 27th day (4) Tac + Sel. Lung tissues, lung homogenate, and bronchoalveolar lavage of the sacrificed animals were investigated biochemically, histopathologically, by immunohistochemistry or by PCR. Tac group showed significantly lower expression of HO-1. Administration of selenium was associated with increased HO-1 expression. Oxidative (malondialdehyde: MDA, reduced glutathione: GSH, superoxide dismutase: SOD, myeloperoxidase: MPO, glutathione peroxidase activity: GPx) and nitrosative stress (Nitric oxide: NO) markers and markers of inflammation (Interleukins: IL1β, 6 and 10) showed changes corresponding to HO-1 levels in rats groups. Tac group showed the highest expression of caspase-3. Selenium exerted protective role against tacrolimus induced lung toxicity.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author