The effect of silver nitrate on the alkaline phosphatase activity, TNF and IL-10 gene expression; Experimental and computational studies

Abstract

The present study examines the effects of silver nitrate on the activity of the enzyme alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and its regulatory influence on inflammatory cytokines, specifically interleukin-10 (IL-10) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). These parameters are critical for elucidating the biochemical and immunological responses associated with metal exposure. The research employed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) techniques to quantify IL-10 and TNF-α levels using serum assay kits. Additionally, gel filtration chromatography with Sephacryl S300 demonstrated that serum from silver nitrate-treated groups exhibited a significantly elevated concentration of high molecular weight alkaline phosphatase compared to control groups. In the TNF-α ELISA assay, no significant differences were observed between the control and treatment groups 15 days post-injection of silver nitrate. However, a statistically significant alteration was detected in both groups 45 days post-injection (P < 0.005). Molecular docking analysis further revealed that the optimal binding pose for ALP, based on the docking score, was −5.28 kcal/mol, with a re-ranking score of −7.43 kcal/mol. Collectively, the findings indicate that silver nitrate exerts a significant impact on ALP activity, leading to a sustained increase in TNF-α levels over time, while IL-10 levels remain unaffected. © 2025 The Authors