Oxidative injury in the mouse spleen caused by lanthanides

The organ-toxicity of high-dose lanthanides on organisms had been recognized, but very little is known about the injury of immune organ such as spleen induced by Ln. In order to understand the splenic toxicity of Ln, various biochemical and chemical parameters were assayed in the mouse spleen. Abdominal exposure to LaCl3, CeCl3, and NdCl3 at dose of 20 mg/kg body weight caused splenomegaly and oxidative stress to the spleen. Evident Ln deposition, congestion, mitochondria swelling, and apoptosis in the spleen could be observed, followed by increased generation of reactive oxygen species, lipid peroxidation and SOD activity, and decreased GSH-Px activity as well as nonenzymatic antioxidants such as glutathione and ascorbic acid content. In addition, the high amount of NO and increased NOS activities caused by Ln were measured. Furthermore, both Ce3+ and Nd3+ exhibited higher oxidative stress and toxicity on spleen than La3+, and Ce3+ caused more serve splenocyte injuries and oxidative stress than Nd3+, implying that the difference in the splenic injuries caused by Ln was related to the number of 4f electrons of Ln. (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.