Expression of apoptosis-Related genes bcl-2 and bax in rat brain hippocampus, followed by intraperitoneal injection of nanosilver

Silver nanoparticles are small scale substance ( 28 male Wistar rats were divided into four groups of control and three groups of the treatment. The control group received saline and the treatment groups received intraperitoneal injections of silver nanoparticles at doses of 100, 200 and 400ppm. Ten days after the last injection, the hippocampal region was dissected and removed and then the expression of bcl-2 and bax genes was evaluated using semi-qualitative RT-PCR and Densitometry assay.
The expression of anti- apoptotic b-cl2 gene was reduced in the treatment groups compared to the control group. In comparison, the expression of pro- apoptotic bax gene was increased in the treatment groups compared to the control group. This apoptotic affects was increased at higher doses.
The data suggest that silver nanoparticles may produce apoptosis by altering apoptosis- related genes expression, in rat brain hippocampus cells.