Distribution of selenium in erythrocytes, plasma, and urine of Chinese men of different selenium status

Abstract

Blood and urine were collected from Chinese men living in areas of China with deficient, adequate, and excessive levels of selenium (Se). Se content and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity were determined on blood fractions and total Se and trimethylselenium (TMSe) determined in the urine. There was an increase of erythrocyte and plasma Se concentration with each increase of Se status. In contrast, this was not true for the GSH-Px activity. Both erythrocyte and plasma GSH-Px activity were higher in men with adequate Se intake than in those with deficient intakes of this element, but this activity was not any higher in men with excessive Se intake than those with adequate intake. The percentage of Se associated with GSH-Px in both plasma and erythrocytes was inversely related to the Se status of the men. Gel filtration of erythrocyte lysates revealed basically one major Se peak from all men, but the amounts of Se in this peak differed greatly among the three groups. Most of this Se was associated with hemoglobin. In contrast, different patterns were obtained in the plasma from the various men. One main peak was obtained with plasma from Se-deficient men, but two Se peaks were obtained with plasma from men with adequate Se status, and up to four peaks were obtained with plasma from men with excessive Se status. The excretion of Se in urine increased proportionally with the Se status and TMSe increased from none detectable in deficient men, to 2% of total Se in men with adequate status to 7% of total Se from men with excessive Se intake.