Effect of Selenium on Chronic Cadmium Induced Nephrotoxicity and Testicular Toxicity in Adult Male Albino Rats

cadmium is a heavy metal with high toxic effects to human being. It is distributed widely in the environment due to its use in various industries. Cadmium may induce oxidative damage in different tissues by enhancing peroxidation of membrane lipids in tissues and altering the antioxidant systems of the cells. Selenium (Se) is an essential micronutrient with important biological and biochemical functions due to its unique antioxidant properties. It acts as a free radical scavenger. The present work aimed to evaluate using of selenium as an antioxidant to mitigate the chronic toxic effects of cadmium on the kidneys and testes in adult male albino rats. One hundred adult male albino rats were equally divided into five groups; 1, 2, 4, received no medication, distilled water, sodium biselenite respectively for 8 weeks. Rats of group 3 and 5 were received cadmium chloride (10 mg/kg) once daily alone and in conjunction with sodium biselenite (0.5 mg/kg) respectively for 8 weeks. After 4 and 8 weeks of drug administration, the biochemical studies were done to measure renal and testicular glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and malondialdehyde (MDA) as a marker of oxidation and histopathological examination of kidneys and testes using H&E staining and immunohistochemistry. Cadmium toxicity was manifested by a marked decrease in |GPx and increase in MDA. Histologically, the kidney specimens showed shrunken glomeruli, tubular dilatation, tubular cast, apoptotic cells inflammatory cell infiltrate, edema and extravasation of blood, while the testes showed disorganized germinal epithelium, apoptotic cells, hemorrhage, basement membrane separation and interstitial spaces widening and this confirmed by immunohistochemical results. Se supplementation exerted a partial protective effect against Cd induced toxicity.