Histological and immunohistochemical studies on the effect of zinc oxide nanoparticles on the cerebellum of newborn and adult rats and the possible protective role of EDTA

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are involved in different applications such as nutrition, while, it causes damage to different organs of the body including the brain. This study aimed to compare between the effect of ZnO NPs on newborn and adult rats´ cerebellum and to evaluate the protective role of Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) against ZnO NPs toxicity. Thirty-two newborn (NBM)and thirty-two adult male (ADM) Sprague Dawley rats are used. Four groups (n = 8) of each are divided as following; Gp1: is served as control, Gp2: injected intraperitoneal (IP) with ZnO NPs (3 g/ kg). Gp3: injected IP with EDTA (500 mg/ kg) for 7 days. Gp4: injected with ZnO NPs and treated with EDTA as in Gp3. Brain tissue is prepared for biochemical and histopathological investigations. Newborn and adult rats injected with ZnO NPs showed degeneration of purkinje and granular cells in cerebellum tissue confirmed with high expression of caspase-3, while, treatment with EDTA post ZnO NPs showed lightly improvement. The body weights and relative brain weights is decrease in all the rats treated with ZnO NPs. In addition, our current study proved that the effect of ZnO NPs on ADM rats is more than on the NBM ones. Collectively, ZnO NPs injection caused damage of the cerebellum in newborn and adult rats, however, the treatment with EDTA stopped somewhat this damage.