Investigati̇on of potential effects of low-dose zinc oxide nanoparticles and vitamin C combination on the regulation of aluminum-induced hepatotoxicity

Prolonged exposure to Al leads to liver toxicity results in the development of various liver diseases. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) have been the subject of several studies with many different usage areas that are becoming widespread nowadays. ZnO NPs are defined as GRAS (generally safe) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). When administered together with Vitamin C (Vit C), it is hypothesized that the antioxidant therapeutic potential of ZnO NPs can be enhanced. Therefore, this study focuses on the regulatory effects of low-dose ZnO NPs and Vit C, both individually and in combination, on Al-induced hepatotoxicity. For this purpose: AlCl3 (70 mg/kg/day) were administered to the rats intraperitoneally for 42 days, starting from the 15th day, ZnO NP (1 mg/kg/day) and Vit C (125 mg/kg/day) were administered to rats for 28 days. SOD, CAT and GST enzymes were measured as indicators of oxidative stress. Total GSH (Glutation) levels, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels as a marker of lipid peroxidation were determined. DNA damage was measured using the single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) method. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) as a marker of hepatocyte proliferation, BRCA1 to evaluate DNA repair and 8-OHdG as a DNA oxidation marker were measured using immunofluorescence labeling. The findings of this thesis indicate that the combined application of ZnO NP and Vit C effectively prevents increased oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation consequently of Al exposure. DNA damage and hepatocyte proliferation decreased moreover, it has demonstrated preventive and healing effects on pathological formations in liver tissue.