title: Toxicity of selenium nanoparticles in male Sprague-Dawley rats at supranutritional and nonlethal levels.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We synthesized selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) and examined their toxicity in male rats at supranutritional and nonlethal doses.
  
  
  METHODS
  The SeNPs were administered daily by gavage at doses of 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8, 2.0, 4.0, or 8.0 mg Se/kg-body weight (bw) in 2 mL of 0.9% saline for 14 consecutive days. Body weight, viscera index and blood biochemical parameters were measured. Histopathological examination was performed on selected tissues, and liver tissue was examined for apoptotic cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Body weight decreased considerably in the groups given doses of 2.0, 4.0, and 8.0 mg Se/kg-bw, but increased in the groups given doses of 0.2 and 0.4 mg Se/kg-bw. The viscera index and some biochemical parameters in the 8.0 mg Se/kg-bw group differed from the control group. Lesions in the liver, kidneys, lungs, and thymus, and apoptotic liver cells were observed in the 4.0 and 8.0 mg Se/kg-bw groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  From this study, we conclude that supranutritional levels of SeNPs had no obvious toxic effects in rats, and could be used as potential candidates for cancer chemoprevention, although doses greater than 2.0 mg Se/kg-bw induced chronic toxicity.
authors.affiliation: Feed Science Institute, College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, No. 866, Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Yudan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Feed Science Institute, College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, No. 866, Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Siyi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Feed Science Institute, College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, No. 866, Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Zixun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Feed Science Institute, College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, No. 866, Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Chu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Feed Science Institute, College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, No. 866, Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Feed Science Institute, College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, No. 866, Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang, China. Electronic address: wangmq@zju.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Minqi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012643:Selenium / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D012643:Selenium
keywords: Apoptosis; Pathology; Selenium nanoparticles; Toxicity; Viscera index