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Comparison of histological and ultrastructural changes in mice organs after supplementation with inorganic and organic selenium.

Two organic compounds of selenium, 4-o-totyl-selenosemicarbazide p-chlorobenzoic acid (chain compound) produced at the Chemistry Department of the University Medical School in Lublin, and one inorganic compound of sodium IV selenite (Na(2)SeO(3)) were used. The preparations were used per os in doses of 1 mg/kg body weight and 0.5 mg/kg body weight. The studies were conducted on female Swiss mice, covering seven groups of animals, i.e. 6 experimental and 1 control. Histopathologic changes were observed in liver, kidney, lung and heart. Ultrastructural changes were observed in liver and kidney. Our studies indicate a dose-dependent effect of selenium on histopathologic and ultrastructural changes. It is possible therefore, that the extent of excess of selenium exerts a greater influence on a cell than the form of supplemented selenium.

Animals↗

Specific spectrophotometric method with trifluoroacetic acid for the determination of selenium(IV) in selenitetriglycerides.

The role of selenium as an antioxidant and anticancer agent is very well documented in the literature. Selenium compound showing the highest activity as a free radicals scavenger and as an anticancer agent should contain selenium at +4 oxidation level. The synthesis of selenitetriglycerides (named selol) was carried out in the Department of Drug Analysis at Warsaw Medical University (Polish Patent 1999). Selenitetriglycerides showed a dimeric structure. In a single dose toxicity studies performed in rats, LD50 was 100 mg Se kg(-1) after oral administration of selol. The subcutaneous and intraperitoneal administration of selol showed extremely low toxicity. The aim of this work was to develop a new specific method for the determination of Se(IV) in selol. We stated that selenitetriglycerides react quantitatively with trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) in dichloromethane giving a red-coloured conjugate. However, recorded spectrum showed the maximum absorption in the wavelength 380 nm. The optimal conditions of the reaction were established, namely temperature 35 degrees C and reaction time 35 min. The reaction was proved to be specific because neither selenites nor other selol constituents react with TFA. The constructed calibration curve obeyed the Lambert-Beer law in the range of 0.1-7.4 mg ml(-1). Molar absorption coefficient is epsilon =9.46 x 10(3) l mol(-1) cm(-1) and epsilon =2.36 x 10(5) l mol(-1) cm(-1) calculated for selenium and selenitetriglyceride dimer (m.w. 1972.72), respectively. Obtained results for selenium determination were confirmed by AAS method. The developed method showed specificity and high sensitivity.

Selenium↗

[The selenium content of milk].

The selenium content in milk of dairy cows from different countries varies between 2 and 60 micrograms/kg, because of differences in the selenium content in the feeds. With an increasing selenium content in the feed a decreasing part is secreted into the milk. A bigger part is utilized from natural selenium compounds in the feed than from selenite. In own investigations milk from Swedish cows had significantly lower selenium content during summer and autumn than during winter and spring (p less than 0,0001). The LS-means between different regions also differed significantly (p less than 0,0001). From the autumn of 1980 the feed manufacturers have been allowed to add sodium-selenite to concentrates and mineral feeds in amounts permitting a selenium content of 0,1 mg/kg DM in the total ration of dairy cows. The year after the selenium fortification was allowed, the LS-means for the selenium content of milk were 1 microgram/kg higher than the year before (p less than 0,001). In the southern parts of Sweden the selenium content was 8-10 and in the central and northern parts 7-9 micrograms/kg. These means were substantially lower than the figure of 15 micrograms/kg which was reported from the central part of Sweden two decades ago. The low selenium content in the milk during summer in some parts of Sweden could possibly mean that there is still a risk of selenium deficiency among the cattle. Anyhow the milk will not always cover the selenium requirement of the sucking or milkfed calf.

Animal Feed↗

Transient hypothermia and hyperphagia induced by selenium and tellurium compounds in mice.

The effects of sublethal doses of selenite, selenate, selenocystine (Se-Cys) and selenomethionine (Se-Met) as well as of tellurite on body temperature and feeding behavior were examined in male ICR mice. Ten or 30 mumol/kg of chemicals were injected subcutaneously and body temperature was measured up to 4 h. In a separate experiment, the gastric content was weighted 4 h after injection. All chemicals except Se-Met induced both hypothermia and hyperphagia, suggesting that: (a) these two effects are related to each other; (b) among the chemicals tested, Se-Cys appears to be the most potent hypothermia inducer; (c) Se-Met is unique in that it has neither effect.

Animals↗

Effects of methylmercury and organic acid mercurials on the disposition of exogenous selenium in rats.

Interaction of methylmercury (MM), an environmental and industrial toxicant, with selenium is well known but incompletely understood. Therefore, the effects of MM (10 micromol/kg i.v.) on the disposition of exogenous selenium were compared with those of other organic mercurials (merbromine, mercuribenzene sulfonic acid, and mercuribenzoic acid) in anesthetized bile duct-cannulated rats injected with sodium [(75)Se]selenite (10 micromol/kg i.v.). The mercurial organic acids (10 micromol/kg i.v.) differed strikingly from MM in their influence on selenium disposition. They promoted renal and hepatic accumulation as well as biliary excretion of selenium but decreased distribution to the muscle, testis, and brain as well as the pulmonary excretion of selenium. In contrast, MM altered selenium distribution in an opposite fashion: it diminished the biliary output of selenium and enhanced selenium exhalation. GC-MS analysis verified that this latter paradoxical effect resulted from increased exhalation of dimethyl selenide. Further studies indicated that the MM-induced increase in pulmonary excretion of dimethyl selenide cannot be due to a diminished conversion of this volatile selenium compound to trimethylselenonium ion (TMSe(+)), because MM influenced neither the urinary excretion nor the hepatic and renal concentration of TMSe(+) in selenite-injected rats. Compared to the selenite-exposed rats, the selenite plus MM-injected animals exhibited a significant rise in the hepatic level of S-adenosylmethionine (SAME), the endogenous methyl donor in selenium methylation, and the ratio of SAME to S-adenosylhomocysteine. Based on these and others' observations, it is hypothesized that MM may increase hepatic availability of SAME in selenite-dosed rats by counteracting selenite-induced inactivation of SAME synthetase, thereby facilitating SAME synthesis, and/or by acting as a methyl donor in formation of dimethyl selenide, thereby sparing SAME. In summary, the toxicologically and ecologically relevant interaction of MM and selenite is not mimicked by organic acid mercurials, possibly because it results in formation of lipophilic Hg- and Se-containing common compound(s) and because it also appears to involve methyl transfer from MM to selenium.

Animals↗

Comparative cytotoxicity of 14 novel selenocysteine se-conjugates in rat renal proximal tubular cells.

Recently, Se-substituted selenocysteine conjugates were proposed as potential prodrugs to target biologically active selenol compounds to tissues containing high activities of cysteine conjugate beta-lyases, such as the kidneys. However, several selenium compounds are known to be relatively toxic compounds. In the present study, the cytotoxicity of 14 selenocysteine Se-conjugates was determined in freshly isolated rat renal proximal tubular cells (RPTC). The results of this study show that four selenocysteine Se-conjugates with alkyl substituents (methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, and n-butyl) did not cause significant cytotoxicity to RPTC up to concentrations of 500 microM after 90 min of incubation. Also, no effect was observed on mitochondrial functioning as indicated by the unaffected mitochondrial membrane potential (delta psi). Se-(i-Propyl)-selenocysteine, however, appeared to be a cytotoxic compound, causing time- and dose-dependent cytotoxicity, and caused a decrease of delta psi in remaining viable cells. Aminooxyacetic acid (AOAA) provided significant protection against cell death of Se-(i-propyl)-selenocysteine, pointing to involvement of cysteine conjugate beta-lyase. AOAA, however, did not prevent the decrease of delta psi. Differentially substituted Se-(phenyl)-L-selenocysteine and Se-(benzyl)-L-selenocysteine conjugates appeared to be cytotoxic to RPTC at a concentration of 200 microM, as indicated by increased cell death and a decreased delta psi in remaining viable cells. Within the Se-benzyl-series, Se-(4-methoxybenzyl)-L-selenocysteine was the most toxic conjugate, whereas Se-(4-chlorophenyl)-L-selenocysteine was the most toxic conjugate of the Se-phenyl compounds. The selenocysteine Se-conjugates with nonsubstituted phenyl and benzyl substituents were nontoxic at 200 microM, but caused significant cell death at a concentration of 500 microM. Preincubation with AOAA, an inhibitor of cysteine conjugate beta-lyase, provided only partial protection against the cytotoxicity of Se-(phenyl)-L-selenocysteine (500 microM) and Se-(4-methoxybenzyl)-L-selenocysteine (200 microM). AOAA did not protect against cytotoxicity of the other conjugates, suggesting direct effects of these compounds or involvement of alternative routes of bioactivation. This study demonstrates that cytotoxicity of selenocysteine Se-conjugates is strongly dependent on the nature of the Se-bound substituent. The nontoxic Se-(alkyl)-Se-conjugates may be promising candidates for further evaluation for chemopreventive activities.

Aminooxyacetic Acid↗

Chemoprevention of cancer by organoselenium compounds.

A major research goal of our laboratories is the development of new organoselenium cancer chemopreventive agents with less toxicity compared to some of the historical selenium compounds, such as sodium selenite. Ideally, such agents would be employed to inhibit tumor development in different organs caused by a variety of chemical carcinogens, particularly those present in the human environment. A series of organoselenium compounds has been synthesized and evaluated for their chemopreventive efficacy in vivo. Parallel to these studies, short-term in vitro and in vivo assays were employed to understand the mechanism of action and to rapidly evaluate their efficacy in eventual long-term preclinical investigations. We demonstrated that one of the most effective of these organoselenium compounds, 1,4-phenylenebis(methylene)selenocyanate (p-XSC, Fig. 1), is capable of inhibiting tumors in the mammary glands, colon, and lung of laboratory animals. Dietary p-XSC inhibited mammary tumor development induced by 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) during both the initiation and post-initiation phases of carcinogenesis in female CD rats. p-XSC inhibited DMBA-DNA adduct formation in the mammary glands. In collaboration with other laboratories, we demonstrated that p-XSC inhibited thymidine kinase in mammary tumor cell lines derived from both humans and rats. Employing mammary carcinoma cell lines, p-XSC was also shown to inhibit cell growth and induce a dose-dependent increase in cell death by apoptosis. In these assays p-XSC appears superior to selenite and to its sulfur analog, 1,4-phenylenebis(methylene)thiocyanate. Dietary p-XSC decreased colon tumor induction by azoxymethane in F344 rats during both phases of carcinogenesis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Selenium speciation in human body fluids.

Selenium consumed by humans in foods and in supplements exists in a number of different organic and inorganic forms including selenomethionine, selenocysteine, selenate and selenite. Animal and human studies have established that the bioavailability of the selenium depends upon the chemical form, which also influences the distribution of selenium in the body. These studies have included urinary excretion of selenium following ingestion of different forms of selenium and the response of tissue selenium concentrations and activities of functional selenoproteins to these selenium compounds. Selenomethionine is retained in tissue proteins to a greater extent than selenocysteine and the inorganic forms, but the selenium is not necessarily immediately available for functional selenoproteins. A number of other factors besides chemical form may also influence the bioavailability and distribution of selenium, including other dietary components, selenium status, physiological status and species. Knowledge of these factors and of speciation of selenium in foods, tissues and functional selenoproteins is important for the accurate assessment of selenium status. Speciation of selenium also has implications with respect to the determination of selenium requirements and to the investigation of relationships between selenium status and health and disease.

Biological Availability↗

Effects of dietary selenium on sperm motility in healthy men.

A deficiency of dietary selenium leads to immotile, deformed sperm and infertility in rats, whereas supplementation of the diet with selenium compounds has been associated with both beneficial and deleterious effects on sperm function, depending on the chemical form of selenium. We conducted a randomized, controlled, and blinded intervention study on the effects of selenium in food on semen quality. Eleven healthy men were fed a controlled diet of foods naturally high or low in selenium for 120 days while confined in a metabolic research unit. Dietary selenium was 47 microg/d for the first 21 days, then either 13 microg/d or 297 microg/d for 99 days, resulting in significant changes in selenium concentrations in blood and semen. Seminal plasma selenium concentration increased 50% with high selenium and decreased 40% with low selenium. The fraction of motile sperm in the high-selenium group decreased by 32% by week 13 and ended 18% lower than baseline. Selenium concentrations changed in seminal plasma but not in sperm, and serum androgen concentrations were unchanged in both groups, indicating this effect was neither androgen dependent nor caused by a change in the selenium supply to the testes. Serum triiodothyronine decreased and thyroid-stimulating hormone increased in the high-selenium group, suggesting that altered thyroid hormone metabolism may have affected sperm motility. Although this decrease in sperm motility does not necessarily predict decreased fertility, the increasing frequency of selenium supplementation in the healthy population suggests the need for larger studies to more fully assess this potential side effect.

Dietary Supplements↗

[Biochemical role of selenium].

The molecular mechanisms of selenium regulation of biochemical functions in animal and human tissues are presented in review. It is shown, that in spite of high toxicity selenium is an essential nutrient for people and animals. Taking into account deficit of this microelement in fodder it is necessary to use the selenium compounds in rations of domestic animals and poultry. The study of properties and characteristics of selenoproteins is important in discovering selenium role in regulation of cellular growth processes, the protective effect of this element in prevention of toxic action of heavy metals, xenobiotics and bacterial toxins on organism and anticarcinogenic effect of selenium.

Animals↗

Mode of in vitro interaction of mercuric mercury with selenite to form high-molecular weight substance in rabbit blood.

Mode of interaction of mercuric mercury and selenite in rabbit blood was investigated in vitro. After the incubation of rabbit blood with 10(-5) M each of 203HgCl2 and Na2(75)SeO3, the amounts of both 203Hg and 75Se incorporated into erythrocytes were markedly larger than the case where the blood was treated separately with one of these compounds. Most of 203Hg and 75Se distributed into plasma and erythrocytes were found in high-molecular weight substance(s) (HMWS) fractionated by gel filtration at a molar ratio of 1:1. The 203Hg and 75Se in HMWS found in plasma and erythrocytes were hardly diffusable through the erythrocytes membrane. The formation of the HMWS containing mercury and selenium was observed in stroma-free hemolysate incubated with mercuric chloride and selenite, but not in plasma. Addition of reduced glutathione (GSH) to the plasma, however, gave the HMWS as reaction products containing equimolar amounts of mercury and selenium. Further the binding properties of selenium to proteins were studied in the plasma incubated with selenodiglutathione (GSSeSG) or with selenite in the presence of GSH. The results indicated that GSH, a cellular component, is essential for the formation of an active selenium compound from selenite and that the interaction of mercuric mercury and selenite in plasma in the presence of GSH may occur through the other mechanism than the formation of GSSeSG.

Animals↗

Selenium: inhibition of microtubule formation and interaction with tubulin.

We have studied the interaction of Na2SeO3 with microtubule proteins and tubulin. This selenium compound inhibits the polymerization of MTP (half-inhibition occurred for Na2SeO3 10 microM), and to a lesser that of tubulin. This effect of selenite is related to the formation of disulfide bridges between tubulin sulfhydryl groups, inducing a conformational change of the protein. This is corroborated by the modified binding of colchicine and vinblastine in presence of selenium. The selenite inhibitory concentrations are similar to the toxic blood levels of selenium (40 microM).

Animals↗

Selenium. Preclinical studies of anticancer therapeutic potential.

Selenium is a trace element that is essential to the human diet. Deficiency states have been described in both animals and humans. In addition, selenium compounds have demonstrated toxicity in humans, as well as in human tissues in culture. As early as 1956, one form of selenium was used as an antineoplastic agent in humans with some demonstrated activity. Recently, evidence in both tumor-bearing animals and human tumor cells in culture have confirmed an antitumor effect of potential clinical benefit. The mechanism of this cytoxic effect appears, at least in part, to relate to the property of some forms of selenium to oxidize critical sulfhydral groups in the cell. Evidence for this, and the resulting implications for the use of selenium in anticancer treatment, is presented in this manuscript.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

Modern trends in the speciation of selenium by hyphenated techniques.

The complexity of selenium speciation in the environment and in living organisms results in broad analytical challenges. The importance of the selective determination of the particular species of this element, to understand its metabolism and biological significance in clinical chemistry, biology, toxicology, and nutrition, calls for state-of-the-art analytical techniques. In this paper hyphenated techniques are evaluated with particular emphasis on interfaced separation with element-selective detection and identification of the selenium compounds detected.

Chromatography, Gas↗

Selenomethionine regulation of p53 by a ref1-dependent redox mechanism.

The cancer chemopreventive properties of selenium compounds are well documented, yet little is known of the mechanism(s) by which these agents inhibit carcinogenesis. We show that selenium in the form of selenomethionine (SeMet) can activate the p53 tumor suppressor protein by a redox mechanism that requires the redox factor Ref1. Assays to measure direct reduction/oxidation of p53 showed a SeMet-dependent response that was blocked by a dominant-negative Ref1. By using a peptide containing only p53 cysteine residues 275 and 277, we demonstrate the importance of these residues in the SeMet-induced response. SeMet induced sequence-specific DNA binding and transactivation by p53. Finally, cellular responses to SeMet were determined in mouse embryo fibroblasts wild-type or null for p53 genes. The evidence suggests that the DNA repair branch of the p53 pathway was activated. The central relevance of DNA repair to cancer prevention is discussed.

Animals↗

Report on the 1986 A.S.P.E.N. Research Workshop on selenium in clinical nutrition.

Selenium in human nutrition was the theme of the 1986 Research Workshop of the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition. At the workshop, evidence for the nutritional essentiality of selenium to humans was reviewed, and it was concluded that Keshan disease, the cardiomyopathy of children and young women described in China, is now firmly linked to selenium deficiency, although other factors may be involved. Selenium metabolism and techniques for assessing selenium status also received attention at the workshop. A measurement of blood selenium levels was accepted, in general, as a valid technique for assessing selenium status in individuals with relatively constant selenium intakes. Clinical practitioners at the workshop reported that some of their total parenteral nutrition patients not receiving selenium presented biochemical evidence of selenium deficiency, but no characteristic clinical syndrome due to selenium deficiency has yet been observed in such patients. The workshop attendees acknowledged the need for an official guideline for selenium use in total parenteral nutrition, but were unable to develop a consensus regarding such a guideline. However, the workshop agreed that any guideline established in the future should specify the type of patients to be supplemented, the dose of selenium to be administered, and the selenium compound to be used. Until that time, the physician supervising the therapy must assume responsibility both for determining the need for selenium supplementation, and for the administration of the supplemental selenium.

Adult↗

Comparison of cytotoxicity of mercury-selenium and mercury compounds on cultured cells.

In vitro effects of mercury-selenium (Hg-Se) compounds, as compared with their original mercury compounds, against growth and viability of HeLa cells were studied. A water-soluble, ethanol-insoluble black complex (GX) formed from HgCl2, Na2SeO3 and GSH was less toxic than HgCl2, but the cytotoxicity of bis(methylmercuric) selenide (BMS) seemed to be similar to that of methylmercury. This may be due to the instability of BMS; i.e., there is a possibility that BMS decomposed to methylmercury and selenium under our culture conditions.

Cell Survival↗

Selenocysteine lyase, a novel enzyme that specifically acts on selenocysteine. Mammalian distribution and purification and properties of pig liver enzyme.

We have found a novel enzyme that exclusively decomposes L-selenocysteine into L-alanine and H2Se in various mammalian tissues, and have named it selenocysteine lyase. The enzyme from pig liver has been purified to homogeneity. It has a molecular weight of approximately 85,000, and contains pyridoxal 5'-phosphate as a coenzyme. Its maximum reactivity is at about pH 9.0. Balance studies showed that 1 mol of selenocysteine is converted to equimolar amounts of alanine and H2Se. The following amino acids are insert: L-cysteine, L-serine, L-cysteine sulfinate, selenocysteamine, Se-ethyl-DL-selenocysteine, and L-selenohomocysteine. L-Cysteine (Ki, 1.0 mM) competes with L-selenocysteine (Km, 0.83 mM) to inhibit the enzyme reaction. The enzyme is the first proven enzyme that specifically acts on selenium compounds.

Animals↗