Protective Effects of Sodium Selenite against Aflatoxin B(1)-Induced Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis in Broiler Spleen

The aim of this study was to investigate the possible protective role of sodium selenite on aflatoxin B(1)-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in spleen of broilers. Two hundred one-day-old male broilers, divided into five groups, were fed with basal diet (control group), 0.3 mg/kg AFB(1) (AFB(1) group), 0.3 mg/kg AFB(1) + 0.2 mg/kg Se (+Se group I), 0.3 mg/kg AFB(1) + 0.4 mg/kg Se (+Se group II) and 0.3 mg/kg AFB(1) + 0.6 mg/kg Se (+Se group III), respectively. According to biochemical assays, AFB(1) significantly decreased the activities of glutathione peroxidase, total superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase, catalase and the level of glutathione hormone, while it increased the level of malondialdehyde. Moreover, AFB(1) increased the percentage of apoptosis cells by flow cytometry and the occurrence of apoptotic cells by TUNEL assay. Simultaneous supplementation with sodium selenite restored these parameters to be close to those in control group. In conclusion, sodium selenite exhibited protective effects on AFB(1)-induced splenic toxicity in broilers by inhibiting oxidative stress and excessive apoptosis.