The acute-phase response (APR) is characterized by an impaired metabolism of the essential trace element selenium (Se). Moreover, low-Se concentrations correlate to mortality risk in sepsis. Therefore, we analyzed the expression of the central Se transport and storage protein selenoprotein P (Sepp1) during an APR in mice. Serum Se and Sepp1 concentrations declined in parallel after injection of lipopolysaccharide to 50 and 39% of control-injected littermates, respectively. This negative APR proceeded largely independent from hepatic Sepp1 transcript concentrations. Instead, we identified a set of hepatic transcripts involved in Se metabolism, which declined coordinately during the APR, including the selenocysteine-specific elongation factor (EFsec), selenophosphate-synthetase 2 (Sephs2), selenocysteine-tRNA[Ser]Sec synthase (SecS), and phosphoseryl-tRNA[Ser]Sec kinase (Pstk). Pstk reacted most strongly and qualified as a new limiting factor for Sepp1 biosynthesis in siRNA-mediated knockdown experiments in hepatocytes in culture. Analogous experiments were performed with mice transgenic for hepatocyte-specific human Sepp1 cDNA to verify this hypothesis. Similar kinetics and effect sizes of Sepp1 expression were observed as before in wild-type mice. We conclude that hepatic translation of Sepp1 mRNA is specifically impaired during the APR. This deficit disrupts regular Se metabolism, transport, and supply to peripheral tissues and likely aggravates the pathological status.

Selenium modifies inflammatory reactions in rodents and humans. The liver controls metabolism and transport of selenium via hepatically-derived SEPP (selenoprotein P). Intracellular SEPS (selenoprotein S) modifies endoplasmic-reticulum function and immune-cell activity. Polymorphisms in SEPS have been associated with cytokine levels and inflammatory diseases in a subset of clinical studies. In the present study, we hypothesized that sex and selenium represent decisive parameters controlling the immune response and regulation of SEPS expression in vivo. Male and female mice fed a selenium-poor diet were supplemented or not with selenite for 3 days and injected with saline or LPS (lipopolysaccharide) 24 h before analysis. Selenium supplementation mitigated the LPS-induced rise in circulating cytokines in male mice. Serum SepP and selenium concentrations decreased in response to LPS, whereas hepatic SepS was specifically up-regulated despite declining selenium concentrations in the liver. Hepatic SepS induction was mainly controlled by post-transcriptional mechanisms and attributed to hepatocytes by analysing transgenic mice. Notably, selenium supplementation was essential for an optimal SepS induction. We conclude that selenoprotein biosynthesis becomes redirected in hepatocytes during the acute-phase response at the expense of dispensable selenoproteins (e.g. SepP) and in favour of SepS expression, thereby causing declining serum selenium and improving liver function. The selenium status and sex control SepS expression and modify cytokine response patterns in serum, which might explain contradictory results on associations of SEPS genotype and inflammatory diseases in clinical studies.

Selenium deficiency constitutes a risk factor for the incidence and negative course of severe diseases including sepsis, stroke, autoimmune diseases or cancer. In this study, hypoxia is identified as a powerful stimulus to redirect selenoprotein biosynthesis causing reduced selenoprotein P expression and diminished selenium export from hepatocytes in favour of increased biosynthesis of the essential protective intracellular phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase GPX4. Specifically, hypoxia decreases transcript concentrations of central factors controlling selenium and selenocysteine metabolism including selenophosphate synthetase-2, phosphoseryl-tRNA(SerSec) kinase and selenocysteine lyase, which are all proven to be rate-limiting enzymes in selenoprotein biosynthesis. These effects are paralleled by a general decline of selenoprotein expression; however, not all selenoproteins are affected to the same extent by hypoxia, and GPX4 constitutes an exception as its expression becomes slightly increased. Supplemental selenium is able to overcome the hypoxia-dependent down regulation of selenoprotein expression in our cell culture model system, supporting the concept of using selenium as an adjuvant treatment option in severe diseases. Although it remains to be tested whether these effects constitute a hepatocyte-specific response, the selenium-dependent decline of selenoprotein P biosynthesis under hypoxic conditions may explain the progressive selenium deficit developing in severe diseases.