Hexagonal Boron Nitride Nanoparticles Prevent Neurodegeneration in Septic Rat Brain


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Çakır Gündoğdu A., Kar F.

Osmangazi Tıp Dergisi, vol.45, no.5, pp.678-688, 2023 (Peer-Reviewed Journal)

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 45 Issue: 5
  • Publication Date: 2023
  • Doi Number: 10.20515/otd.1297467
  • Journal Name: Osmangazi Tıp Dergisi
  • Journal Indexes: TR DİZİN (ULAKBİM)
  • Page Numbers: pp.678-688
  • Kütahya Health Sciences University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Sepsis, which develops with the triggering of an uncontrolled inflammatory response, causes multiple organ damage and dysfunction. Neuroinflammation occurring in sepsis causes varying degrees of deterioration in the central nervous system. Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) nanoparticles composed of boron and nitrogen have potential biomedical applications and are well tolerated by animals. Research has indicated that h-BN nanoparticles exhibit antioxidative characteristics. Although the anti-inflammatory properties of the boron present in them, the effectiveness of h-BN nanoparticles on systemic inflammation or neuroinflammation is unknown. Thus, the aim of this research was to investigate the potential protective benefits of h-BN nanoparticles against inflammation induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in rat brains. An intraperitoneal 5 mg/kg dose of LPS was used to induce sepsis in Sprague Dawley rats. h-BN nanoparticles were given at 50 μg/kg and 100 μg/kg concentrations 24 h before LPS injection. To assess the prophylactic effect of h-BN nanoparticles in sepsis-induced neurodegeneration, besides measuring pro-inflammatory, oxidative stress, and apoptosis markers in brain tissues, the cerebral cortex and hippocampus were also examined histopathologically. Our ELISA results show that h-BN nanoparticles inhibit inflammation in the brain as evidenced by the reduction in LPS-induced increase in tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) levels. h-BN nanoparticles diminished the oxidative stress index and lowered cytochrome c and caspase-3 levels, components of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. Our histopathological analyzes demonstrated that neuronal and neuroglial damage in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus was also prevented by the treatment of h-BN nanoparticles. These results implicated that h-BN nanoparticles could have a neuroprotective effect against sepsis-induced neurodegeneration through their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-apoptotic properties.