Selenium, selenoproteins and human health: a review

Brown, K.M.; Arthur, J. R.

doi:10.1079/phn2001143

Cited by 804 publications

(441 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…The negative association between SOD activity and dietary fibre intake could have been due to increased fibre intake being simultaneously associated with an increased phytic acid in the diet, which could reduce bioavailability of dietary zinc and other trace elements such as manganese, which act as cofactors for SOD. In this study, zinc intake from food sources alone was indeed positively associated with SOD activity, although there was no association between selenium intake and GPX activity, which is well established (Brown and Arthur, 2001). The intakes of various trace elements (calcium, magnesium, zinc, selenium) were associated with the activities of different antioxidant enzymes.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 43%

Influence of habitual diet on antioxidant status: a study in a population of vegetarians and omnivores

et al. 2007

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Background: Antioxidant status can be used as a biomarker to assess chronic disease risk and diet can modulate antioxidant defence. Objective: To examine effects of vegetarian diet and variations in the habitual intakes of foods and nutrients on blood antioxidants. Subjects and Setting: Thirty-one vegetarians (including six vegans) and 58 omnivores, non-smokers, in Northern Ireland. Design: A diet history method was used to assess habitual diet. Antioxidant vitamins, carotenoids, uric acid, zinc-and ferricreducing ability of plasma (FRAP) were measured in fasting plasma and activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPX), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) and level of reduced glutathione (GSH) were measured in erythrocytes. Results: Vegetarians had approximately 15% higher levels of plasma carotenoids compared with omnivores, including lutein (Pp0.05), a-cryptoxanthin Pp0.05), lycopene (NS), a-carotene (NS) and b-carotene (NS). The levels/activities of all other antioxidants measured were similar between vegetarians and omnivores. Total intake of fruits, vegetables and fruit juices was positively associated with plasma levels of several carotenoids and vitamin C. Intake of vegetables was positively associated with plasma lutein, a-cryptoxanthin, a-carotene and b-carotene, whereas intake of fruits was positively associated with plasma b-cryptoxanthin. Intake of tea and wine was positively associated with FRAP value, whereas intake of herbal tea associated positively with plasma vitamin C. Intakes of meat and fish were positively associated with plasma uric acid and FRAP value. Conclusions: The overall antioxidant status was similar between vegetarians and omnivores. Good correlations were found between intakes of carotenoids and their respective status in blood.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 43%

Influence of habitual diet on antioxidant status: a study in a population of vegetarians and omnivores

et al. 2007

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“…Particular attention should be paid to the genetic characterization of subjects, the distribution of Se status within the population, and the quality of the marker(s) adopted for assessment of Se status. 311 Finally, a number of unresolved questions need to be dealt with, such as the dynamics and regulation of the biosynthesis of Seproteins, and the comprehension of the biochemical function for most of the Se-proteins.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Selenium biochemistry and its role for human health

Roman¹,

Jitaru²,

Barbante³

2014

Metallomics

654

451

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Despite its very low level in humans, selenium plays an important and unique role among the (semi)metal trace essential elements because it is the only one for which incorporation into proteins is genetically encoded, as the constitutive part of the 21st amino acid, selenocysteine. Twenty-five selenoproteins have been identified so far in the human proteome. The biological functions of some of them are still unknown, whereas for others there is evidence for a role in antioxidant defence, redox state regulation and a wide variety of specific metabolic pathways. In relation to these functions, the selenoproteins emerged in recent years as possible biomarkers of several diseases such as diabetes and several forms of cancer. Comprehension of the selenium biochemical pathways under normal physiological conditions is therefore an important requisite to elucidate its preventing/therapeutic effect for human diseases. This review summarizes the most recent findings on the biochemistry of active selenium species in humans, and addresses the latest evidence on the link between selenium intake, selenoproteins functionality and beneficial health effects. Primary emphasis is given to the interpretation of biochemical mechanisms rather than epidemiological/observational data. In this context, the review includes the following sections: (1) brief introduction; (2) general nutritional aspects of selenium; (3) global view of selenium metabolic routes; (4) detailed characterization of all human selenoproteins; (5) detailed discussion of the relation between selenoproteins and a variety of human diseases.

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“…However, as noted by Daniels (2004), selenium 'depletion' as opposed to 'deficiency' is becoming associated with many diverse disease states including cardiovascular disease (Neve, 1996), cancer (Combs and Gray, 1998), thyroid dysfunction (Kohrle, 1999) and viral infections such as HIV (Beck et al, 1995;Kupka et al, 2004). The broad health implications of low selenium levels in humans have been covered in several recent reviews (Kohrl et al, 2000;Rayman, 2000;Brown and Arthur, 2001).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Selenium status in Southern Tasmania

et al. 2007

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Objective: To assess the selenium status of Southern Tasmanians. Design: Cross-sectional. Settings: One thousand and five hundred adults randomly selected from the electoral roll living in the Greater Hobart region of Southern Tasmania, Australia, were invited to participate. Subjects: The overall response rate was 22% (335/1500). Interventions: A venous blood sample was collected and a questionnaire administered (consisting of brief demographic details and health questions) to subjects who granted informed consent. A previously validated assay using magnetic sector ICP-MS was employed for plasma analysis. Results: Total plasma selenium levels for this sample population were normally distributed with a mean level of 110 mg/l (range 67-268 mg/l) indicating that the majority of the subjects were not selenium-depleted (71% with levels greater than 100 mg/l). Adjustment for differential age/gender response rates produced similar values. More women under 50 (42%) and men over 50 (32%) had selenium levels o100 mg/l with the potential for sub-optimal selenoprotein activity. Low education attainment was associated with low total selenium level (Po0.02). Conclusions: The majority of participants were not deficient in selenium. Given the narrow therapeutic window of supplementation, dietary advice to increase foods rich in selenium, particularly to higher risk groups, may be an effective means of increasing plasma selenium toward target levels.

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Selenium, selenoproteins and human health: a review

Cited by 804 publications

References 43 publications

Influence of habitual diet on antioxidant status: a study in a population of vegetarians and omnivores

Influence of habitual diet on antioxidant status: a study in a population of vegetarians and omnivores

Selenium biochemistry and its role for human health

Selenium status in Southern Tasmania

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