Whole Blood Selenium Research Articles

Geographic differences in exposures to metals and essential elements in pregnant women living in Suriname.

In Suriname, 20% of pregnancies end in adverse birth outcomes. While prenatal exposure to metals may lead to adverse health outcomes, exposure assessments in Suriname are scant. Environmental contamination from mercury (Hg) used in artisanal goldmining in the Amazonian Interior, and the uncontrolled use of pesticides in suburban regions are of particular concern. This study assessed geographic differences in exposures to metals and essential elements in pregnant Surinamese women. This study is a subset (n = 400) of the Caribbean Consortium for Research in Environmental and Occupational Health (CCREOH) cohort study. Sector-field inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used to determine concentrations of lead (Pb), Hg, selenium (Se), cadmium (Cd), manganese (Mn) and tin (Sn) in whole blood of the pregnant women. High vs. low exposures to Pb and Hg were determined and were based respectively on CDC (3.5 ug/dL) and USEPA (3.5 ug/L) action levels. Differences in geographic exposures were tested with the Mann-Whitney U-test, and differences between blood elemental concentrations and action levels for Pb and Hg with the Wilcoxon signed rank test. The association between demographics and high exposures of Pb and Hg was examined with multivariate logistic regression models. The median concentrations of Pb, Hg and Se (5.08 μg/dL, 7.87 μg/L, and 228.26 μg/L respectively) in Interior women, were higher than the Urban and Suburban regions (p < 0.001), and higher than internationally accepted action levels (p < 0.001). The median concentrations of Mn and Sn found in Suburban women (17.55 and 0.97 ug/L respectively) were higher than Urban and Interior regions (p < 0.02). Pregnant women living in Suriname's Amazonian Interior are exposed to Hg and Pb at levels of public health concern. Urgently needed is a comprehensive source characterization assessment and the development, implementation and monitoring of environmental health policies, specifically addressing the chemicals of concern. In a subset of participants enrolled in the CCREOH environmental epidemiology cohort study elevated levels of Hg and Pb were identified. This is the first comprehensive exposure assessment in the Surinamese population. Health concerns include adverse birth- and neurodevelopmental outcomes. Geographic differences require a tailored approach to health intervention and comprehensive source characterization. Future research should ascertain the role of Se as a potential protective factor. Environmental policy development, implementation and monitoring is pivotal to mitigate exposures to these neurotoxicants.

Effects of Regular Brazil Nut (Bertholletia excelsa H.B.K.) Consumption on Health: A Systematic Review of Clinical Trials.

The Brazil nut (BN) is a promising food due to its numerous health benefits, but it is still necessary to systematically review the scientific evidence on these benefits. Thus, we examined the effects of regular BN consumption on health markers in humans according to the health state (with specific diseases or not) of the subjects. PubMed, Embase®, and Scielo databases were used to search for clinical trials. The PRISMA guideline was used to report the review, and the risk of bias for all studies was assessed. Twenty-four studies were included in the present review, of which fifteen were non-randomized. BNs were consumed in the context of a habitual free-living diet in all studies. Improvement in antioxidant status through increased levels of selenium and/or glutathione peroxidase activity in plasma, serum, whole blood, and/or erythrocytes was observed in all studies that evaluated antioxidant status, regardless of the health state of the sample. In addition, healthy subjects improved lipid markers and fasting glucose. Subjects with obesity had improvement in markers of lipid metabolism. Subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus or dyslipidemia improved oxidative stress or DNA damage. Subjects undergoing hemodialysis benefited greatly from BN consumption, as they improved lipid profile markers, oxidative stress, inflammation, and thyroid function. Older adults with mild cognitive impairment improved verbal fluency and constructional praxis, and controversial results regarding the change in a marker of lipid peroxidation were observed in subjects with coronary artery disease. In conclusion, the benefits of BN consumption were found in different pathways of action and study populations.

Increased hypertension risk for the elderly with high blood levels of strontium and lead.

Hypertension has long been recognized as the global health burden. Heavy metal pollution may be one of the environmental risk factors of hypertension. However, the association remains unclear. We studied the levels of aluminum (Al), vanadium (V), manganese (Mn), arsenic (As), selenium (Se), strontium (Sr), barium (Ba), titanium (Ti), lead (Pb) and cobalt (Co) in whole blood, and the relationship between trace element exposure and hypertension in the elderly community-based Chinese population. A total of 1013 participants from the west of Anhui Province in China were consecutively enrolled in this study in 2016. The general sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyles, disease history and physical examination information were collected by face-to-face survey and physical examination. The levels of ten trace elements were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Multivariable logistic regression model was used to assess the association of trace element exposure with the risk of hypertension. Results showed that the odds ratio of hypertension in the highest quartile was 1.811 (95% CI 1.175-2.790, P trend = 0.005) and 1.772 (95% CI 1.121-2.800, P trend = 0.022), respectively, after adjusting for potential confounders, as compared with the lowest quartile of blood Pb and Sr levels.

Supranutritional Selenium-Yeast Supplementation of Beef Cows during the Last Trimester of Pregnancy Results in Higher Whole-Blood Selenium Concentrations in Their Calves at Weaning, but Not Enough to Improve Nasal Microbial Diversity.

Simple SummaryWe previously showed that feeding selenium-enriched alfalfa hay to weaned beef calves diversified the nasal microbiome and improved health and growth in the feedlot, resulting in greater carcass weight and quality at slaughter. The objective of the current study was to see whether selenium supplementation of dams during various pregnancy trimesters similarly improves health and performance. Maternal supranutritional selenium supplementation during pregnancy increases selenium concentrations in calves, but is more effective the shorter the time period between maternal supplementation and assessment. Thus, calves should be fed selenium-enriched forages again at weaning in order to see a benefit in the nasal microbiome abundance and diversity, and consequently, in carcass measurements at slaughter.We previously reported that feeding Se-biofortified alfalfa hay to weaned beef calves in a preconditioning program increases whole-blood Se (WB-Se) concentrations and nasal microbiome abundance and diversity during the preconditioning period, decreases morbidity and mortality during the feedlot period, and increases carcass weight and quality at slaughter. The objective of the current study was to see whether similar improvements can be achieved through Se supplementation of dams during various pregnancy trimesters. In a two-year experimental study, 80 Angus-cross cows received once-weekly Se-yeast boluses containing 105 mg of Se, during either the first (TR-1), second (TR-2), or third (TR-3) pregnancy trimester, or were not bolused (CTR). Whole-blood Se concentrations were higher from CTR, to TR-1, to TR-2, and to TR-3 in newborn calves (all p < 0.01). At weaning, only calves from TR-3 mothers had higher WB-Se concentrations compared with calves from CTR mothers (p = 0.02), and no significant differences in nasal microbiome abundance and diversity or nasal microbiota were observed. In the feedlot period, morbidity was low, and no differences were observed. At slaughter, no differences in carcass weight and quality were observed. In conclusion, Se supplementation of pregnant cows is effective for increasing WB-Se concentration of newborn calves, and the increase can be sustained until weaning for calves born to TR-3 dams. However, the increase in WB-Se concentrations is small and does not result in beneficial changes in the nasal microbiome. Thus, calves should be fed Se-biofortified forages again at weaning in a preconditioning program in order to diversify the nasal microbiome prior to entering the feedlot.

Reference Ranges of Selenium in Plasma and Whole Blood for Child-Bearing-Aged Women in China.

Selenium (Se) is a “dual-surface” element. Both Se-deficiency and Se-overload have bad effects on humans. The amount of Se in the blood is a good indicator of Se intake, and there are considerable differences in the reference ranges among different regions and populations. The purpose of this study was to establish the age-specific reference interval of blood Se in healthy child-bearing-aged women in China. A total of 187 healthy women aged 18–45 years old were enrolled with strict inclusion criteria from the China Adult Chronic Disease and Nutrition Surveillance (2015 CACDNS) database to establish the reference interval of Se. Plasma and whole-blood Se were detected by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The reference range (RR) estimated as P2.5–P97.5 percentiles (geometric mean) was 73.81–140.75 (100.94) μg/L and P2.5–P97.5 percentiles (median) 81.06–164.75 (121.05) μg/L for plasma and whole-blood Se, respectively. The proposed RR of plasma Se in this study was used to evaluate the Se nutritional status of a representative sample of 1950 women of child-bearing age who were randomly selected from 2015 CACDNS. The proportion of Se level lower than P2.5 cut-off value was 24.05%, and there were 5.08% child-bearing-aged women with plasma Se higher than the upper limit of RR. Women in the western and rural areas tend to have lower Se levels.

Analysis of Whole Blood and Urine Trace Elements in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Autistic Behaviors

The relationship between trace elements and neurological development is an emerging research focus. We performed a case–control study to explore (1) the differences of 13 trace elements chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), cobalt (Co), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As), selenium (Se), molybdenum (Mo), cadmium (Cd), stannum (Sn), stibium (Sb), mercury (Hg), titanium (TI), and plumbum (Pb) concentration in whole blood and urine between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) children and their typical development peers, and (2) the association between the 13 trace elements and core behaviors of ASD. Thirty ASD subjects (cases) and 30 age-sex-matched healthy subjects from Baise City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China, were recruited. Element analysis was carried out by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry. Autistic behaviors were assessed using Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC), Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), and Children Neuropsychological and Behavior Scale (CNBS). The whole blood concentrations of Mo (p = 0.004), Cd (0.007), Sn (p = 0.003), and Pb (p = 0.037) were significantly higher in the ASD cases than in the controls. Moreover, Se (0.393), Hg (0.408), and Mn (− 0.373) concentrations were significantly correlated between whole blood and urine levels in ASD case subjects. There were significant correlations between whole blood Sb (0.406), Tl (0.365), Mo (− 0.4237), Mn (− 0.389), Zn (0.476), and Se (0.375) levels and core behaviors of ASD. Although the mechanism of trace element imbalance in ASD is unclear, these data demonstrate that core behaviors of ASD may be affected by certain trace elements. Further studies are recommended for exploring the mechanism of element imbalance and providing corresponding clinical treatment measures.

Association of blood lead and blood selenium with serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein among Chinese adults aged 19 to 79 years

Objective: To investigate the association of blood lead and blood selenium with serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) among Chinese adults aged 19 to 79 years. Methods: The participants were enrolled from the first wave of China National Human Biomonitoring (CNHBM) conducted from 2017 to 2018. 10 153 participants aged 19 to 79 years were included in this study. Fasting blood samples were obtained from participants. Lead and selenium in whole blood and hs-CRP in serum were measured. Individuals with hs-CRP levels above 3.0 mg/L were defined as elevated hs-CRP. Generalized linear mixed models and restricted cubic spline models were used to analyze the association of blood lead and blood selenium with elevated hs-CRP. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the multiplicative scale and additive scale interaction between blood lead and blood selenium on elevated hs-CRP. Results: The age of participants was (48.91±15.38) years, of which 5 054 (61.47%) were male. 1 181 (11.29%) participants were defined as elevated hs-CRP. After multivariable adjustment, results from generalized linear models showed that compared with participants with the lowest quartile of blood lead, the OR (95%CI) of elevated hs-CRP for participants with the second, third, and highest quartiles were 1.14 (0.94-1.37), 1.25 (1.04-1.52) and 1.38 (1.13-1.68), respectively. When compared with participants with the lowest quartile of blood selenium, the OR (95%CI) of elevated hs-CRP for participants with the second, third and highest quartiles were 0.86 (0.72-1.04), 0.91 (0.76-1.11), and 0.75 (0.61-0.92), respectively. Results from the interaction analysis showed no significant interaction between lead and selenium on elevated hs-CRP. Conclusion: Blood concentration of lead was positively associated with elevated serum hs-CRP, and blood concentration of selenium was inversely related to elevated hs-CRP, while blood lead and selenium did not present interaction on elevated hs-CRP.

High manganese and nickel concentrations in human hair and well water and low calcium concentration in blood serum in a pristine area with sulphide-rich bedrock

We report the trace element status of residents living in areas with naturally sulphide-rich bedrock and soil in two municipalities in Finland, Sotkamo and Kaavi. Altogether, 225 people from these sparsely populated regions participated voluntarily by providing hair and blood samples. The concentrations of calcium, zinc and copper in serum as well as selenium and cadmium in whole blood did not show correlation with those concentrations in hair samples. Calcium concentration in serum was slightly lower in the sulphide-rich areas (median value 91.4 mg/l, n = 103) than in the areas with adjacent sulphur-poor bedrock (median value 93.6 mg/l, n = 82). The concentrations of Ni and Mn in hair correlated with those in drinking water. The highest Mn and Ni concentrations in the water samples from private wells were 1620 µg/l and 51 µg/l and the highest concentrations in human hair samples 36.44 mg/kg and 12.3 mg/kg, respectively. The challenge with elevated trace element concentrations in some well waters is well documented. In northern countries (Finland, Sweden, Norway and Canada), only 10% of the population depend on private well water, and 90% have access to monitored municipal water supplies. Compared with data available from sulphide mine sites globally, the nickel and manganese concentrations in human hair samples were high in our sulphide-rich study area at Sotkamo representing the trace element status of residents under natural conditions.

Maternal selenium intake and selenium status during pregnancy in relation to preeclampsia and pregnancy-induced hypertension in a large Norwegian Pregnancy Cohort Study

BackgroundPregnancy-induced hypertensive disorders (PIHD), including preeclampsia, cause maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Several studies have linked selenium supplementation and selenium status to the risk of preeclampsia, but there are no published prospective population-based studies examining associations between dietary selenium intake and preeclampsia. AimTo examine associations between selenium intake from diet and supplements and selenium blood status and PIHD incidence, with sub-analyses for pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) and preeclampsia, in a large pregnancy cohort. MethodThe study is based on 69,972 singleton pregnancies from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study. Maternal dietary selenium intake was assessed with a validated, semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire at about gestational week 22. Maternal selenium concentrations were measured in whole blood collected around gestational week 18 in a subset of 2572 women. Preeclampsia and PIH diagnosges were obtained from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway. ResultsParticipants had a median dietary selenium intake of 53 μg/day (IQR 44–62). Dietary selenium intake was not significantly associated with PIHD (adjusted (a) OR 1.03, 95% CI 0.98, 1.08 per SD of selenium intake), preeclampsia or PIH. Threshold analyses for deciles of dietary selenium intake did not show any significant associations. Neither inorganic (aOR 1.01, 95% CI 0.98, 1.05) or organic selenium supplement intake (aOR 0.98, 95% CI 0.95, 1.02) or selenium blood status was significantly associated with PIHD (aOR 1.03, 95% CI 0.86, 1.22) or PIHD subgroups. ConclusionNo significant associations were found between reported selenium intake from diet, or dietary supplements or whole-blood selenium status and PIHD in general or preeclampsia specifically. Hence, the results of this large population-based study, with selenium intake close to the recommended daily intake, do not support previous findings indicating a possible protective effect of selenium supplementation or selenium status with regard to preeclampsia incidence.

Maternal Dietary Selenium Intake during Pregnancy and Neonatal Outcomes in the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort Study.

Properly working antioxidant defence systems are important for fetal development. One of the nutrients with antioxidant activity is selenium. Increased maternal selenium intake has been associated with reduced risk for being small for gestational age and preterm delivery. Based on the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort Study and the Medical Birth Registry of Norway, we investigated the association of maternal selenium intake from food and dietary supplements during the first half of pregnancy (n = 71,728 women) and selenium status in mid-pregnancy (n = 2628 women) with neonatal health, measured as two composite variables (neonatal morbidity/mortality and neonatal intervention). Low maternal dietary selenium intake (<30 µg/day) was associated with increased risk for neonatal morbidity/mortality (adjusted odds ratio (adjOR) 1.36, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.08–1.69) and neonatal intervention (adjOR 1.16, 95% CI 1.01–1.34). Using continuous variables, there were no associations between maternal selenium intake (from diet or supplements) or whole-blood selenium concentration and neonatal outcome in the adjusted models. Our findings suggest that sufficient maternal dietary selenium intake is associated with neonatal outcome. Adhering to the dietary recommendations may help ensure an adequate supply of selenium for a healthy pregnancy and optimal fetal development.

Increased depression risk for elderly women with high blood levels of strontium and barium

There are few epidemiological studies on the relationships between trace element exposure and depression in the elderly Chinese population. We studied the levels of strontium (Sr), manganese (Mn), vanadium (V), barium (Ba), aluminum (Al), titanium (Ti), arsenic (As) and selenium (Se) in whole blood, and the relationships between trace element exposure and depressive symptoms in elderly Chinese individuals in a community. Data was obtained from the baseline investigation of the Health of Elderly and Environment Risk Factor Cohort, established in Lu'an municipality, Anhui Province, China, from June to September 2016. The levels of eight trace elements were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), reflecting individuals’ exposure levels. The geriatric depression scale (GDS-30) was applied to screen depression in the elderly cohort. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the associations between trace elements and depressive symptoms. All analyses were stratified by sex. Results show that among of 954 elderly participants, 27.13%, had depressive symptoms according to the GDS-30. The detection rate of Al was 91.70%, the detection rate of Ti was 89.55%, and the detection rate of other six mineral elements was 94.12–94.31%. High concentrations of Sr and Ba were found to be risk factors for depressive symptoms. Sr and Ba tertiles were related to an increased risk of depressive symptoms, with odds ratios (ORs) of 1.84 and 2.15 for the highest tertiles, respectively. When stratified by sex, increased whole blood levels of Sr and Ba were associated with depressive symptoms in women, but not in men.

Selenium status is independently related to bone mineral density, FRAX score, and bone fracture history: NHANES, 2013 to 2014.

Selenium is an essential trace mineral element for humans. Although previous in vitro and animal studies have reported the vital role of selenium in bone, the results of the relationship between the selenium status and bone health were inconsistent in epidemiological studies. The risk of selenium deficiency is negligible for U.S. general population, however, the relationship between selenium status and bone health has never been surveyed in a nationally representative sample. In this study, we analyzed the data of 2983 adults (aged ≥40years) in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2013-2014 to investigate the association among three markers of the selenium status (measured from whole blood, serum, and dietary intake), total spine and femur bone mineral density (BMD), and FRAX scores, and history of bone fractures. We found a one-unit increase in the ln-whole-blood selenium level was correlated with an increase in the total femur BMD of 0.064g/cm2 (S.E. = 0.025; P=0.022) in all participants and 0.086g/cm2 (S.E. = 0.031; P=0.013) in menopausal women. Additionally, a one-unit increase in the ln-selenium intake amount was associated with an increase in the total femur BMD of 0.014g/cm2 (S.E. = 0.007; P=0.043) in all participants. We also found that the dietary and whole-blood selenium statuses were negatively associated with the FRAX score, while levels of all the three selenium biomarkers were negatively associated with a history of bone fractures. In conclusion, increased selenium status is correlated with an increased total femur BMD, decreased FRAX scores, and a reduced incidence of previous bone fractures in the U.S. representative survey of adults. Further study is warranted to clarify the causal inference.

The Association Between Maternal and Umbilical Cord Selenium Status and Fetal and Infant Growth in a Birth Cohort in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Abstract Objectives To estimate the associations of maternal and fetal selenium status [whole blood selenium (WBSe), serum selenium (SerumSe) and selenoprotein P (SEPP1)] with infant growth at birth and 12 months. Methods This study included a sub-sample from the randomized, placebo-controlled, multi-arm Maternal Vitamin D for Infant Growth trial in Dhaka, Bangladesh (n = 986). Selenium markers were measured in maternal and cord blood at delivery and scaled to one standard deviation for analyses. WBSe and SerumSe were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma dynamic reaction cell mass spectrometry. SEPP1 was analysed by enzyme-linked immunoassay. Growth outcomes of interest were weight-for-gestational age z score (WAZ), low birthweight (LBW, &amp;lt;1500 g) and small for gestational age (SGA) based on measurements within 48 hours of birth, and infant length-for-gestational-age (LAZ), weight-for-length (WFL) and head circumference-for-gestational age (HCAZ) z scores at birth and 12 months. Associations were estimated by multivariable linear and modified Poisson regression models, adjusting for vitamin D and other potential confounders. Results Maternal SerumSe and SEPP1 were not associated with any of the growth outcomes at birth or at 12 months. None of the markers were associated with growth outcomes at 12 months. In adjusted models, higher maternal WBSe (1 SD = 18.5 ug/L) was associated with lower WAZ (β = −0.09, 95% CI: −0.168, −0.007) and an increased risk of LBW (RR: 1.20, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.39). Higher cord WBSe (1 SD = 23.2 ug/L) was associated with lower LAZ at birth (β = −0.089, 95% CI: −0.176, −0.001), lower WAZ (β = −0.10, 95% CI: −0.176, −0.023) and a higher risk of SGA (RR: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.07, 1.31). Higher cord SEPP1 (1 SD = 533.6 ng/mL) was associated with higher LAZ at birth (β = 0.098, 95% CI: 0.018, 0.178), higher WAZ (β = 0.086, 95% CI: 0.019, 0.154) and a decreased risk of SGA (RR: 0.87, 95% CI: 0.79, 0.97). Conclusions Both maternal and cord WBSe were negatively associated with measures of fetal growth, yet cord SEPP1 had a positive association. There were no associations with infant size at 12 months. These results do not provide evidence of a beneficial effect of higher maternal or fetal selenium status on fetal or infant growth. Yet, observed discrepancies between cord WBSe and SEPP1 require further investigation. Funding Sources This study was funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The Association Between Trace Elements Exposure and the Cognition in the Elderly in China.

This study aimed to evaluate the association between aluminum (Al), arsenic (As), barium (Ba), cobalt (Co), manganese (Mn), selenium (Se), strontium (Sr), thallium (Tl), and vanadium (V) levels in whole blood and the cognitive ability of people over 60years old. A total of 1217 eligible participants were enrolled in our study in Lu'an city, Anhui province, China. The inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to determine the concentration of nine trace elements in the whole blood, which reflect their exposure levels. Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE) scale was employed to screen the cognitive function of the elderly. Logistic regression was applied to assess the associations of nine whole blood trace elements with cognition. In the work, it has found that high levels of whole blood As and Se are risk factors for cognitive dysfunction. As and Se quartile were correlated with increased risk of cognitive dysfunction, and with the odds ratio (OR) of 2.06 (95% CI 1.30-3.25; p-trend = 0.002), 1.947 (95% CI 1.20-3.17; p-trend = 0.007) in the highest quartile. However, high concentration of Al, V, and Ba in whole blood were protective factors for cognitive function [OR = 0.63 (95% CI 0.40-0.98; p-trend = 0.040), 0.549 (95% CI 0.36-0.85; p-trend = 0.007), 0.460 (95% CI 0.28-0.75; p-trend = 0.002) respectively]. The study suggested that the exposure of some trace elements (As, Se) were associated with the increased risk of cognitive dysfunction; on the contrary, other elements (Al, V, Ba) could be protective factor for cognitive function. These findings need to be confirmed in additional research of a large elderly population.

A Comparative Study of Leptin, Oxidant/Antioxidant Status and Some Trace Elements in Women of Healthy Control and Unexplained Infertility in Basrah-Iraq

BACKGROUND: To date, there is no study regarding women with unexplained infertility in the province of Basrah, Iraq. This study was conducted to compare the level of leptin, oxidant/antioxidant status, and some trace element levels in women of healthy control and unexplained infertility.METHODS: From total 96 women subjects, 32 subjects had primary unexplained infertility, 31 had secondary unexplained infertility, while 33 fertile women were taken as controls. The body mass index (BMI) of subjects was calculated with standard procedures. The level of fasting serum leptin, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), prolactin (PRL), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE), lipid hydroperoxide (LOOH), glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methods. Magnesium (Mg) and zinc (Zn) were measured by flame, copper (Cu) by flameless atomic absorption spectrometry, while Selenium (Se) in whole blood was determined using hydride generation method.RESULTS: Non-significant changes (p&gt;0.05) were seen in the level of BMI, leptin, TSH, FSH, LH and LH/FSH ratio. Level of 4-HNE, LOOH and Cu were significantly increased (p&lt;0.01), while level of GSH, SOD, CAT, TAC, Se, Zn and Mg were significantly decreased (p&lt;0.01) in primary and secondary type of unexplained infertility, compared to control.CONCLUSION: Serum leptin hormone is significantly associated with BMI and physical activity in both groups. The significant difference in oxidant/antioxidants status between unexplained infertile and fertile women may suggests a possible additional role of oxidative stress mechanisms in pathophysiology of unexplained infertility.KEYWORDS: unexplained infertility, leptin, oxidative stress, antioxidants, trace elements

Efficacy of Long-term Selenium Supplementation in the Treatment of Chronic Keshan Disease with Congestive Heart Failure

Few effective treatments for chronic Keshan disease have been available till now. The efficacy of long-term selenium supplementation in the treatment of chronic Keshan disease with congestive heart failure is inconclusive. This study aimed to determine whether selenium supplementation is associated with a decreased risk of cardiac death in chronic Keshan disease with congestive heart failure by ten years of follow-up. A retrospective long-term follow-up analysis was performed on a monitored cohort consisting of 302 chronic Keshan disease patients with a mean age of 40.8±11.4 years. Of the 302 chronic Keshan disease patients, 170 (56.3%) were given selenium supplementation until the end point of follow-up. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to identify the independent predictors of cardiac events. Our results showed that during the follow-up, there were 101 deaths of patients with chronic Keshan disease in the selenium supplementation group (101/170, 59.4%) and 98 in non-selenium supplementation group (98/132, 74.2%). Multivariate analyses suggested that selenium supplementation was associated with a decreased risk of cardiac death (HR 0.39, 95% CI 0.28-0.53) after adjustment for baseline age, sex, cigarette smoking, family history of Keshan disease, body mass index (BMI), heart rate, electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities, blood pressure, initial cardiothoracic ratio, left ventricular ejection fractions (LVEF) and whole-blood selenium concentration. Our ten-year follow-up analysis indicated that selenium supplementation, specifically combined with the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and beta blocker therapy, improved the survival of patients with chronic Keshan disease with congestive heart failure. BMI, selenium deficiency, male, combined ECG abnormalities, LVEF, and fast heart rate increased the risk of cardiac events.

Effects of green tea polyphenols on trace metals level of rats on food restriction and high-fat diet

Little evidence showed the interplay between tea and diet in the regulation of trace metal. Here, we examined the effects of green tea polyphenols (GTPs) on the level of trace elements (TEs) in rats on food restriction or high-fat diet. Thirty-six rats (Wistar, male) were randomly divided into 6 groups and fed on standard diet, food restriction and high-fat diet with or without GTPs (200 mg/kg bw/day) supplementation, respectively. Levels of vanadium (V), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), selenium (Se), molybdenum (Mo) and cobalt (Co) in feed, whole blood, femur and urine were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Blood glucose, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C, HDL-C) in serum were determined. Decreased daily intakes of TEs were observed in rats on food restriction and high-fat diet. Decreased whole blood level of Zn, femur level of Co and increase urinary excretion of Se were observed in rats fed on high-fat diet. GTPs altered the whole blood level of several TEs in rats on food restriction (V, Zn, Co) or high-fat diet (V, Se), respectively, but not in rats fed on standard diet. The level of several TEs in femur and the daily urinary excretion of V and Mo were altered by GTPs in rats on all of the three diets. In addition, rats fed on high-fat diet developed dyslipidemia, which was ameliorated by GTPs. The data indicated that diet status played a role in the effects of GTPs on TEs and lipid metabolism, and trace elements may play a role in the modulation of lipid metabolic disturbances by high-fat diet and GTPs.

Supplementation of Merino ewes with vitamin E plus selenium increases α-tocopherol and selenium concentrations in plasma of the lamb but does not improve their immune function

Vitamin E and selenium have been reported to improve immune function across a range of species. Ewes lambing on poor-quality dry pasture in autumn in Western Australia are at risk of being deficient in vitamin E and selenium at lambing thus predisposing their lambs to deficiencies and increasing the risk of infection and disease. This study tested the hypotheses that (i) supplementation of autumn-lambing ewes with vitamin E plus selenium in late gestation will increase the concentrations of vitamin E and selenium in plasma in the ewe and lamb and (ii) that the increased concentrations of vitamin E and selenium in plasma in the lambs will improve their innate and adaptive immune responses and thus survival. Pregnant Merino ewes were divided into a control group (n=58) which received no supplementation or a group supplemented with vitamin E plus selenium (n=55). On days 111, 125 and 140 of pregnancy ewes in the vitamin E plus selenium group were given 4 g all-rac-α-tocopherol acetate orally. On day 111 the ewes were also given 60 mg of selenium as barium selenate by subcutaneous injection. The concentrations of α-tocopherol and selenium were measured in ewes and/or lambs from day 111 of pregnancy to 14 weeks of age±10 days (weaning). Immune function of the lamb was assessed by analysing the numbers and phagocytic capacities of monocytes and polymorphonuclear leucocytes and plasma IgG and anti-tetanus toxoid antibody concentrations between birth and 14 weeks of age±10 days. Maternal supplementation with vitamin E plus selenium increased the concentration of α-tocopherol in plasma (1.13 v. 0.67 mg/l; P<0.001) and selenium in whole blood (0.12 v. 0.07 mg/l; P<0.01) of the ewes at lambing compared with controls. Supplementation also increased the concentration of α-tocopherol (0.14 v. 0.08 mg/l; P<0.001) and selenium (0.08 v. 0.05 mg/l; P<0.01) in lambs at birth compared with controls. There was no significant effect of supplementation on immune function or survival in the lambs.

Investigation of Blood Selenium and Zinc in Type2 Diabetes with TCF7L2 (rs7903146 C/T) Genotypes

TCF7L2 (rs7903146) as one of the most significant single nucleotide polymorphism, is one of the associated genes with type 2 diabetes. This case-control study was performed on the whole blood of 87 patients with type 2 diabetes and 45 healthy people. Selenium and zinc concentrations in whole blood were measured using flameless atomic-absorption spectrometry. The genotype of TCF7L2 was achieved by real-time PCR and high-resolution melt (HRM). In order to data analyzing, the t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used. The difference of zinc levels and also selenium levels in whole blood for both healthy (Zinc: 164.75 μgr dL-1, selenium: 140.71 μgr L-1) and patients (Zinc: 136.77 μgr dL-1, selenium: 111.66 μgr L-1) groups was significant (P-value <0.05). The different levels of zinc and selenium in healthy genotype group (TT, CT, CC) and type 2 diabetic patient genotype (TT, CT, CC) group was also significant (P-value <0.05). The presence of the T allele as a risk factor led to reducing zinc levels in healthy subjects. Significant reduction in zinc in the diabetic CT versus healthy CC and in diabetic TT versus healthy CT can be considered as a result of the T allele risk. Amount of selenium in TT genotype in both control group and diabetic patients was reduced.

INFLUENCE OF DIETARY SUPPLEMENTATION OF VARIOUS SELENIUM SOURCES ON NUTRIENT DIGESTIBILITY, GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND BLOOD METABOLITES IN MALE BUFFALO CALVES

An experiment was conducted to compare the effect of organic (selenized yeast) and inorganic (Na-selenite) selenium on nutrient digestibility, growth performance and blood parameters of growing buffalo claves. Fifteen Egyptian healthy male buffalo calves were divided randomly into three groups (5 animals each). The treatment groups were as follows: control group (G1) fed basal diet without selenium supplement and treated groups fed 0.22 mg Se/kg DM as either Na –Selenite (G2) or selenized yeast (G3) to the concentrate mixture. All animals were fed 70% of their requirements as concentrate mixture, while wheat straw given as roughages ad libitumThe results indicated that there were significant (P<0.05) improvements in the digestibility coefficient of organic matter, crude protein, either extract and crude fibre due to dietary supplementation of both Se- yeast and Na-Selenite. No significant differences were observed in growth rate and total dry matter intake of calves between treatments groups. Dietary Se-yeast and Na-selenite supplementation led to significantly (P<0.05) improved fed conversion ratio for calves as compared with control group (10.86 and 11.09 vs. 11.99). Calves fed Se-yeast or Na-Selenite supplement had increased (P< 0.05) concentrations of selenium in whole blood, greater activity (P < 0.05) of blood glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) with lower (P< 0.05) cholesterol and urea concentration than those fed the control diet. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with Se-yeast was more effective than sodium selenite in improving nutrient digestibility, feed conversion efficiency and increasing both Se concentration and GSH-Px activity in the blood of buffalo calves.