Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune and inflammatory disease that can cause joint damage. Among the environmental risk factors, diet plays an important role because it can aggravate or attenuate inflammation. Selenium (Se) is considered an essential trace element since it is a structural component of antioxidant enzymes; however, its concentration can be affected by diet, drugs and genetic polymorphisms. Studies have reported that RA patients have a deficient diet in some food groups that is associated with parameters of disease activity. Furthermore, it has been shown that there is an alteration in serum Se levels in this population. Although some clinical trials have been conducted in the past to analyze the effect of Se supplementation in RA, no significant results were obtained. Contrastingly, experimental studies that have evaluated the effect of novel Se nanoparticles in RA-induced models have shown promising results on the restoration of antioxidant enzyme levels. In particular, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) is an important selenoprotein that could have a modulating effect on inflammation in RA. Considering that RA patients present an inflammatory and oxidative state, the aim of this review is to give an overview of the current knowledge about the relevance of Se status in RA.
Highlights
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune, chronic and inflammatory disease that affects~1% of the global population [1]
Based on studies showing that RA patients may present a poor diet quality compared to healthy controls, the relevance of nutritional treatment in the RA approach may be useful for the improvement of some clinical parameters of the disease
It has frequently been evidenced that these patients present a decrease in serum Se levels [100], which is a fundamental component for the formation of antioxidant enzymes
Summary
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune, chronic and inflammatory disease that affects. The importance of an adequate consumption of trace elements such as selenium (Se), zinc, copper and iron, is supported by their effects on the activation of the immune system for the protection of infections caused by bacteria, viruses and parasites These nutrients are cofactors and structural components of important antioxidant enzymes that limit inflammatory activity [9,10]. In this context, there has recently been an increase in the evidence of the benefits of diet and immunonutrients in RA, a specific nutritional treatment guide for this population has not yet been established, so it remains of special interest to study the effect of dietary patterns and the addition of individual nutrients in the diet of patients with RA, as is the case of trace elements.
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