Abstract:[Objective] To investigate the preventive effect of natural selenium-enriched black soybean protein (SeBSP, selenium mass fraction is 84.00 mg/kg) on the liver injury induced by benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), a harmful product of high-temperature processed food, in BALB/c mice. [Method] This study used normal black bean protein (BSP, selenium mass fraction is 0 mg/kg) as a control. Both SeBSP and BSP, were characterized and used to feed BaP exposed mice by gavage. After 30 d of gavage, the liver tissues of mice were observed histopathologically, and the levels of serum liver function indicators, liver oxidative indicators, BaP metabolism-related indicators and pyroptosis-related inflammatory factors were detected. [Result] Both SeBSP and BSP prevented the liver injury caused by BaP, improved lipid metabolism, reduced the levels of MDA and H2O2, and increased the levels of GSH-Px and T-SOD in mice. SeBSP outperformed BSP in inhibiting the formation of the final carcinogen BPDE-DNA by effectively reducing the activity of BaP metabolism-related enzyme AhR and the relative mRNA levels of CYP1A1, CYP1B1 and GSTP1, thus attenuating the hepatotoxicity of BaP. Moreover, SeBSP significantly down-regulated the relative mRNA levels of NLRP3, ASC, Caspase-1, GSDMD and inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-18, iNOS and COX-2), thereby ameliorating the BaP-induced pyroptotic injury in the liver. [Conclusion] The results revealed that SeBSP could effectively prevent BaP-induced liver injury by inhibiting BaP-induced oxidative damage to the liver, regulating BaP metabolism-related enzymes and reducing pyroptosis. The findings provide a basis for controlling the hepatotoxicity of BaP and expanding the functions of selenium resources.
