Presence of Selenium-75 in the Mercapturic Acid Fraction of Dog Urine

Selenium Toxicity in Animals with Emphasis on Man

This review was undertaken to establish what might be the maximum safe dose of selenium that could be administered to man in studies on the use of the element in cancer prevention. The early history of selenium poisoning is briefly summarized. The literature on clinical signs and toxicity data for acute and for chronic selenosis in farm and experimental animals is discussed. Several cases of acute selenosis in man are reviewed, and a number of reports on chronic selenosis in man are reviewed and evaluated. Based on these, the maximum safe single oral dose of selenite, selenate, DL-selenocysteine, or DL-selenomethionine is suggested as 0.05 mg Se/kg body weight (milligrams of selenium per kilogram of body weight). The maximum safe multiple oral dose is suggested as 5 μg Se/kg body weight.

In vitro synthesis of glutathione peroxidase from selenite. Translational incorporation of selenocysteine

The synthesis of glutathione peroxidase from [75Se]selenite was studied in slices and cell-free extracts from rat liver. The incorporation of [75Se]selenocysteine at the active site was detected by carboxymethylation and hydrolysis of partially purified glutathione peroxidase (glutathione:hydrogen peroxide oxidoreductase, EC 1.11.1.9) in the presence of [3H]selenocysteine and subsequent amino acid analysis. The synthesis of glutathione peroxidase in slices was inhibited by cycloheximide or puromycin and 75Se was incorporated from [75Se]selenite into free selenocysteine and selenocysteyl tRNA. Increasing concentrations of selenocystine caused a progressive dilution of the 75Se and a corresponding decrease in glutathione peroxidase labeling. In cell-free systems, [75Se]selenocysteyl tRNA was the best substrate for glutathione peroxidase synthesis. These results indicate the existence in rat liver of the de novo synthesis of free selenocysteine and a translational pathway of selenocysteine incorporation into glutathione peroxidase.