Effects of Arsenic Trioxide Treatment on Oxidative Stress and Methionine Sulfoxide Reductase Expression in Chicken Liver

This study aimed to investigate the effect of arsenic trioxide (ATO) on oxidative stress and methionine sulfoxide reductase (Msrs) expression in chicken liver. A total of 32 one-day-old chicks were divided into control group (saline solution), low-dose group (1 mg·kg^-1 ATO solution), medium-dose group (3 mg·kg^-1 ATO solution) and high-dose group (9 mg·kg^-1 ATO solution). Chickens were treated by gavage with ATO solution of corresponding concentration once a day for 5 weeks. The liver coefficient, histopathological sections, MDA level, SOD activity, Msrs gene and protein expression levels of liver were analyzed. The results showed that compared with the control group, the liver coefficient of the medium- and high-dose groups were significantly increased (P<0.01), and the liver congestion and vesicular degeneration were found in the medium- and high-dose groups. Meanwhile, the experimental groups had significantly increased MDA levels (P<0.01) and decreased SOD activity (P<0.01) as compared with the control group; MsrA, MsrB1, MsrB3 gene mRNA expression levels in the ATO treatment groups were significantly increased compared with the control group (P<0.01 or P<0.001); However, the protein levels of MsrA were reduced significantly (P<0.01). The results indicated that ATO induced oxidative stress in the liver of chickens, and at the same time promoted the expression of Msrs in liver to clear ROS and reduce liver oxidative damage.