Allergies are aggravated by mild selenium deficiency and abrogated by supplementation with selenomethionine

Abstract

The present study investigated the effects of selenium status on allergy in vivo. A total of 20 NC/Nga mice or 20 BALB/c mice were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups and given a diet containing 0, 1, 2 or 3 µg/g selenomethionine. Their allergic responses were subsequently evaluated. Spontaneous dermatitis was inhibited in NC/Nga mice given a diet without selenomethionine, enhanced in mice given a diet containing 1 µg/g selenomethionine and suppressed in mice given a diet containing 3 µg/g selenomethionine. Further, active cutaneous anaphylaxis, a type-I allergic response of BALB/c mice, was inhibited in mice given a diet without selenomethionine, enhanced in mice given a diet containing 1 µg/g selenomethionine and suppressed in mice given a diet containing 3 µg/g selenomethionine. Allergies seem to be aggravated in the presence of a slight selenium deficiency, but abrogated when the diet is sufficient in, or supplemented with, selenomethionine.