lipid peroxidation in liver of mice administrated with nickel chloride

The relationship between Ni-induced hepatic lipid peroxidation (LPO) and the concentrations of Ni and trace elements was investigated in male ICR mice. The protective effects of antioxidants were also examined. Hepatic LPO and the concentrations of Ni, Fe, Cu, and Zn in the liver were enhanced after an ip injection of nickel chloride (NiCl₂). Dose-response studies were conducted on male mice with different groups being injected with 50, 85, and 170 μmol Ni/kg. LPO increased significantly in a dose-dependent manner. In time-course studies, mice were administrated NiCl₂ (170 μmol Ni/kg) and killed at intervals of 6, 12, 24, and 48 h after injection. Both LPO and the accumulation of Ni, Fe, Cu, and Zn in the liver showed a significantly positive time-course relationship after NiCl₂ injection. At 1 h and 24 h after a single ip injection of 170 μmol Ni/kg, the mice were given an ip injection of ascorbic acid (vit C), glutathione (GSH), and selenium (Se). Vit C and GSH significantly decreased both the level of hepatic LPO and the concentration of Ni in the liver, but did not decrease the accumulation of Fe, Cu, and Zn. However, LPO in the experimental group of mice was different significantly from that in the control group. In conclusion, the results suggest that Ni-induced hepatic LPO may result from increasing the amounts of Ni, Fe, and Cu, since these elements are involved in the generation of hydroxyl radical by inducing the Fenton reaction, thus instigating the Ni-mediated hepatic LPO. The protective effects of vit C and GSH in hepatic LPO result not only from removing the oxygen reactive species, but also from decreasing the Ni concentration.