Mitigating effect of selenium nanoparticles modified with Lycium barbarum polysaccharide on acute liver injury

Selenium nanoparticles (Se NPs) have received considerable attention for their prominent role in mitigating acute liver injury (ALI) due to their excellent bioactivity and favorable nanoscale properties. However, their poor stability poses a serious challenge for their application. In this study, using Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) as stabilizer and dispersant, LBP-modified selenium nanoparticles (LBP-Se NPs) were synthesized by a chemical reduction method based on sodium selenite/vitamin C. The results showed that compared with unmodified Se NPs (particle size of 179.21 ± 3.01 nm), LBP-Se NPs possessed small particle size (107.8 ± 0.50 nm), good dispersibility, and enhanced cellular uptake. The high-performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (HPLC-ICP-MS) results showed that LBP-Se NPs were mainly metabolized into selenocysteine (SeCys2) in vivo, thereby exerting antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. The results of in vivo animal experiments showed that LBP-Se NPs exhibited excellent protective effects against carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced ALI by improving liver function, alleviating the level of oxidative stress, inhibiting the production of inflammatory factors, and attenuating pathological damage. This study not only provides a theoretical basis for the preparation of stable and efficient selenium-based nanomaterials, but also offers a potential therapeutic strategy for alleviating ALI.