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ARS Home » Plains Area » Grand Forks, North Dakota » Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center » Dietary Prevention of Obesity-related Disease Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #107903
Title: SELENIUM STATUS AFFECTS ARSENIC DEPRIVATION IN RATS

Author
item Uthus, Eric
item GAO, JUNQUAN - 5450-20-00
item Finley, John
item Davis, Cindy
item Nielsen, Forrest - Frosty

Submitted to: International Symposium on Metal Ions in Biology and Medicine
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/7/2000
Publication Date: 5/7/2000
Citation: Uthus, E.O., Gao, J., Finley, J.W., Davis, C.D., Nielsen, F.H. 2000. Selenium status affects arsenic deprivation in rats [abstract]. 6th International Symposium on Metal Ions in Biology and Medicine. Scientific Program and Book of Abstracts. p.133.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Since 1938 it has been recognized that arsenic (As) and selenium (Se) can affect the metabolism of each other. Furthermore, there is evidence that As and Se can substitute for each other to prevent signs of deficiency. Thus, two experiments were performed to ascertain whether high or low dietary As would enhance the signs of Se deficiency and whether high or low dietary Se would enhance the signs of As deficiency. Findings were obtained which suggest that high As does not affect the Se deficiency response, but does affect Se status indicators, with the effect dependent upon the form of Se, when adequate or high Se is fed. For example, Se deficiency decreased liver glutathione peroxidase; As did not affect this change. However, high dietary As depressed liver glutathione peroxidase activity in rats fed 0.1ug Se/g diet with the depression more marked when Se was supplemented as selenite; high dietary As increased glutathione peroxidase activity in rats fed 2.0 ug Se/g diet with the increase more marked when Se was supplemented as selenite. When adequate or high Se was fed, high dietary As tended to decrease plasma homocysteine except when the diet contained 2.0 ug Se/g as SeMeth; then high dietary As increased homocysteine. Preliminary evidence suggests that low or high dietary Se can enhance the signs of As deficiency. For example, when As was not supplemented, both low and high Se decreased the weight of rats. On the other hand, when As was supplemented, low Se did not markedly affect weight, while high Se did not depress weight as much as when low As was fed. The findings indicate that although high dietary As (5 ug/g) does not exacerbate signs of Se deficiency, both low and high dietary Se alters the response of rats to As deprivation.