Abstract
Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) have attracted attention due to their favorable properties, unique bioactivities, and potential for use in nutritional supplements and nanomedicine applications. However, the application of SeNPs in the clinic has been greatly hindered by their poor stability, and their potential to protect against alcohol-induced oxidative stress has not been fully investigated. Herein, SeNPs were synthesized in the presence of chitosan (CS) or chitooligosaccharide (COS), and a mixture of SeNPs, CS, and COS was spray-dried to prepare selenium-nanoparticles-loaded chitosan/chitooligosaccharide microparticles (SeNPs-CS/COS-Ms). Their physicochemical properties, including morphology, elemental state, size distribution, surface potential, and characteristic structure, were investigated. The release of SeNPs from the vehicle and the free radical scavenging ability of SeNPs-CS/COS-Ms were also studied. Furthermore, the safety of SeNPs-CS/COS-Ms and their antioxidant activity against alcohol were evaluated in mice. The results indicate that SeNPs-CS/COS-Ms, with a novel structure characterized by their smooth or wrinkled surface, hollow core, and COS body filled with SeNPs-CS nanobeads, were able to release SeNPs and scavenge DPPH and superoxide anion radicals. SeNPs-CS/COS-Ms were found to be much safer than selenite, and they might protect mice from ethanol-induced oxidative stress by reducing lipid and protein oxidation and by boosting glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT). In conclusion, SeNPs-CS/COS-Ms offer a new way to develop stable SeNPs with higher efficacy and better biosafety, and the antioxidant potential of SeNPs-CS/COS-Ms against ethanol deserves further development.
Highlights
As a dietary nutrient, selenium (Se) is an indispensable trace element required for animals and humans, and plays an essential role in many aspects of health [1,2]
Polysaccharides such as CS [10,11,32], alginate [33], sialic acid [34], and gum arabic [35] have been utilized to synthesize and stabilize selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs), and SeNPs with different morphologies have been obtained. It seems that polysaccharides of high molecular weight (MW) can be used to prepare and stabilize SeNPs
A few hours later, the bare SeNPs that were synthesized in water without any surface decoration quickly aggregated into bulks (Figure 1A), while a change in shape and aggregation of SeNPs were found in the COS solution at 24 h after the initial formation stage (Figure 1B)
Summary
Selenium (Se) is an indispensable trace element required for animals and humans, and plays an essential role in many aspects of health [1,2]. Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs), a unique type of elemental selenium of nano-defined size, have attracted attention due to their favorable properties and excellent biological activities, such as scavenging free radicals [4,5], antibacterial activity [4,6], anti-tumor activity [4,7], promoting animal growth [4,8], boosting Se retention [4,8,9], and enhancing oxidant status in vivo [4,9,10,11].
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