EFFECT OF NANOCERIUM ON STRESS SYNDROME SEVERITY AND ANTHROPOMETRY IN RATS WITH CHRONIC STRESS AND OBESITY

Abstract

Introduction. Nanotechnology has opened new promising directions in modern biology and medicine. Nanocrystalline materials, such as cerium dioxide-based nanomaterials, play a leading role in these developments. Significant experimental data have been accumulated, demonstrating the high biological activity of nanocrystalline cerium and revealing its potential use in the development and application of nanocomposites capable of activating cellular and humoral immune defense systems. The aim of the study – effect of nanocerium on stress syndrome severity and anthropometry in rats with chronic stress and obesity. Research Methods. Experimental studies were conducted on 103 white non-linear rats of both sexes, modeling obesity induced by glutamate, chronic stress, both separately and in combination. Obesity was induced by postnatal subcutaneous injection of sodium glutamate. The animals were maintained on a standard vivarium diet for 4 months. Body weight, BMI, and Lee index were monitored weekly throughout the experiment. Chronic stress was modeled using Hans Selye’s method by immobilizing the animals on their backs for 5 hours. The severity of stress was assessed by Selye’s triad. Starting from 1 month of age and for the next three months, the experimental rats were orally administered nanocrystalline cerium dioxide using a probe. Somatometric measurements showed that in obese animals, growth was stunted, and body weight did not significantly differ from intact animals. Results and Discussion. For example, the body weight of intact animals was 165,2 ± 5,1 g, while rats with glutamate-induced obesity weighed 213,7 ± 9 g. Despite the increase in body weight, the body length of obese rats was shorter compared to intact animals. It has been shown that nanocrystalline cerium has high antioxidant activity and can be considered a candidate for the creation of a therapeutic agent for the treatment of obesity. Intravenous administration of nanocrystalline cerium to animals with modeled obesity and chronic stress associated with obesity significantly reduced BMI compared to respective control animals. Conclusions. Nanocerium effectively prevented the development of visceral obesity in animals exposed to isolated and combined effects of obesity and stress, as evidenced by a significant reduction in fat mass in the visceral fat depot of the animals. Thus, nanocrystalline cerium dioxide is a potential agent for correcting experimental obesity under chronic stress conditions, as confirmed by other studies.