Anti-inflammatory Effects of Yttrium Oxide Nanoparticles on ‎Liver Fibrosis in ‎Rats

Liver fibrosis is a reversible disease that can be caused by various causes of liver damage and ultimately lead to severe complications such as cirrhosis, liver cancer or even death. Traditional treatments have several limitations, including insufficient therapeutic effects and side effects. Since the internalization, penetration and delivery of drugs have been facilitated with the help of nanomedicine, therefore, the use of nanotechnology in targeted drug delivery to improve liver fibrosis seems to be a suitable option. Male Wistar rats weighing 200-250 g were randomly divided into 5 groups of 8: control (healthy rats), sham (healthy rats + K3PO4), CCL4 (liver fibrosis model rats), Y2O3 30 (healthy rats + 30 mg/kg Y2O3) and CCL4+ Y2O3 30 (fibrotic rats + 30 mg/kg Y2O3). After induction of liver fibrosis by CCL4, rats received Y2O3 once daily for four weeks. At the end, the rats were anesthetized and blood was taken from the heart. A part of the liver samples was kept in 10% formalin and another part was kept at -80°C. Finally, oxidative stress markers (CAT, GPX, SOD and MDA) and liver enzyme levels (AST, ALT, ALP and GGT) were measured using ELISA method. Also, the expression of TGF-β and α-SMA genes in the liver was investigated by Real Time RT-PCR method. The use of 30 mg/kg of Y2O3 NPs did not have a favorable effect on regulating the levels of CAT, SOD, GPX, TGF-β and α-SMA, as well as MDA, AST, ALT, ALP and GGT in fibrotic rats. However, a significant improvement was observed in reducing liver tissue inflammation in CCL4+ Y2O3 30 group rats. The dose of 30 mg/kg of Y2O3 nanoparticles did not have a favorable effect on the antioxidant and biochemical indices of the liver in order to reduce liver fibrosis. But its favorable effects were observed in the fibrotic liver tissue of mice treated with Y2O3 30, especially the reduction of inflammation.