Antioxidant, antiapoptotic, antigenotoxic, and hepatic ameliorative effects of L-carnitine and selenium on cadmium-induced hepatotoxicity and alterations in liver cell structure in male mice

L-carnitine (LC) and selenium (Se) have significant protective and antioxidant effects on several tissues. Cadmium (Cd), widely used in some industries and emitted from fossil fuels, is a heavy metal having a number of side effects, including hepatotoxicity. This study aims to assess the ameliorative function of both LC and SeCl4 on cadmium chloride (CdCl2)-induced liver toxicity. In total, 70 male mice included in this study were allocated to seven groups: control, CdCl2, LC, SeCl4, CdCl2 plus SeCl4, CdCl2 plus LC, CdCl2 plus SeCl4 and LC groups. Hepatic aminotransferase (aspartate aminotransferase [AST] and alanine transaminase [ALT]) activity and tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF-α] levels, as well as the antioxidant biomarkers (superoxide dismutase [SOD], glutathione reductase [GRx], glutathione-S-transferase [GST] and catalase [CAT], were examined. Histological and transmission electron microscopic [TEM] variations in the liver were used as indicators of liver damage after the administration of CdCl2-alone or CdCl2 with LC, SeCl4, or both. Genotoxic effects of CdCl2 were also evaluated and the possible roles of SeCl4 and/or LC on the expression of the antioxidant enzymes were studied. Results showed that administration of LC and SeCl4 decreased CdCl2-induced increase in ALT and AST levels and reduced oxidative stress to normal levels. In addition, LC combined with SeCl4 had a highly synergistic effect and elevated significantly the enzymatic antioxidants and decreased lipid peroxidation levels compared with those in the CdCl2-treated group. It is clear from the data that both LC and SeCl4 inhibit liver injury and improve the redox state in mice.