Assessment of Rat Spleen Structure under an Isolated and Combined Action of Selenium and Ethyl Carbamat
Authors: Samakina Ekaterina S. , Struchko Gleb Yu. , Merkulova Larisa M. , Kostrova Olga Yu. , Nyuganen Anna O. 
Published: December 2024

The immune system, having a complex structural organization, performs the main functions in providing an anti-inflammatory and antitumor immune response. The spleen, as a peripheral organ of the immune system, plays an important role in realization of these functions and contains a significant number of immune cells. Ethylcarbamate, being a group 2A carcinogen, can provoke the development of neoplastic processes through activation of Kras gene mutation and stimulation of oncogenic signals. Alongside with that, selenium affects the immune response, reducing the proliferation of tumor cells and producing an anti-inflammatory effect. Despite the existence of several studies on the effect of ethyl carbamate and selenium on the animal body, there is no data on the combined effect of these substances on the rat spleen under experimental conditions in the scientific literature. The aim of the study was to evaluate morphological and morphometric changes in the structure of the spleen in male rats with oral administration of selenium into their body and intraperitoneal injection of ethyl carbamate. Materials and methods of the study. The body mass of male rats and their spleen were studied, morphological and morphometric parameters of the spleen were evaluated, the lymphoid coefficient and the Kernoghan index were calculated. The animals were divided into four groups: N1 – control group; N2 – animals receiving selenium with drinking water; N3 – animals injected intraperitoneally with ethyl carbamate; N4 – animals receiving selenium with drinking water followed by injection of ethyl carbamate. Results. It was found that in the group 2, the area of lymphoid nodules was reduced, the Kernoghan index was reduced and the lymphoid coefficient was increased, while the body weight of rats and their spleen remained unchanged. In a month after an isolated intake of ethyl carbamate, both the body weight and the spleen weight in rats were significantly decreased. At this, in group 3, the area and the diameter of the germinal center, the thickness of the periarterial lymphoid sheath and the Kernoghan index were increased, and the lymphoid coefficient was reduced. At the ultramicroscopic level, an increase in the number of plasma cells was detected in group N3, as well as the number of swollen mitochondria in lymphocytes. In group 4, an increase in the area and the diameter of lymphoid nodules, the germinal center, as well as the lymphoid coefficient was determined, and the Kernoghan index was unchanged. When studying ultrathin sections in group 4 lymphocytes of various transitional forms were revealed. Conclusions. It was found that against the background of selenium intake into the body of male rats, a morphological rearrangement of the white pulp of the spleen occurred, probably associated with the reaction of T-lymphocytes. Ethyl carbamate injection resulted in a predominant effect on the B-cell link of the immune response of the spleen. In combined intake of selenium and ethyl carbamate, hyperplasia of the white pulp was revealed, consisting in an increase in its structures.