Anti-anemic potential of cerium oxide nanoparticles in diet-induced obese rats: Role of hepcidin, oxidative stress, and inflammation

Background

Obesity and overweight result in low-grade systemic inflammation associated with an increase of oxidative stress and hepcidin discharging and lowering iron absorption giving rise to anemia. This study is aimed to investigate the anti-anemic effect of cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO₂NPs) in obese rats via investigation of hepcidin expression, ferritin, inflammatory markers, and oxidative stress parameters

Methods

CeO₂NPs were synthesized using sol–gel method. Eight male rats were specified as control non-obese. Twenty-four Wistar adult male rats were subjected to high fat diet /sucrose and they were divided into 3 groups; obese, 15 or 30 mg.kg⁻¹ CeO₂NPs IP treatment for the subsequent 8 weeks. Blood cell counts, hepicidin gene expression in adipose tissue, inflammatory and oxidative stress parameters beside iron parameters were evaluated in the experimental groups.

Results

CeO₂NPs crystallite size is 48.88 nm. The ratio of Ce⁴⁺ was 69.33 %. The intraperitoneal injection of obese rats with CeO₂NPs substantially reduced the elevetion in WBCs, platelets count, plasma cholesterol, triglycerides, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), TNF-α (Tumor necrosis factor alpha), IL-6 (Interleukin-6), and CRP (C-reactive protein) levels. Also, CeO₂NPs combate the increase of hepcidin gene expression, ferritin level, iron content in adipose tissue, body weight, body mass index (BMI) and plasma leptin concentration of obese rats. Moreover, RBCs and WBCs count, Hb level, adiponectin level, and reduced glutathione (GSH) were enhanced in obese rats given CeO₂NPs.

Conclusion

CeO₂NPs may have anti-anemic activity in obese rats via management of hepcidin gene expression along with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.