Increase of urinary ketone body excretion in selenium-deficient rats is a ketone-specific change

The effects of selenium (Se) deficiency on urinary ketone body excretion in starved rats were examined. Rats were fed a basal diet which was Se-deficient (Se content: 0.011 micrograms/g) or a Se-adequate diet (the basal diet supplemented with 0.1 micrograms Se/g as sodium selenite). On the 11th and 22nd week of the feeding period, Se-deficient status in rats fed the basal diet was verified by the observation that the Se content and glutathione peroxidase activity in their plasma, erythrocytes, and livers were markedly lowered. On the 4th, 6th, 11th, 15th, and 22nd week, the rats were starved for 48 h and the urinary excretion of ketone bodies (acetoacetate (AcAc) and 3-hydroxybutyrate (3-OHBA)), urea, and creatinine were examined. The urinary excretion of AcAc and 3-OHBA during the second 24 h of the 48-h starvation period were markedly higher in the Se-deficient rats than in the Se-adequate rats for all weeks examined, while the urine volume and the excretion of urea and creatinine were similar in the Se-deficient and Se-adequate rats, irrespective of the feeding period and the number of hours of starvation. On the 22nd week, the plasma ketone body levels were also determined and significantly higher plasma 3-OHBA levels were observed in the Se-deficient rats than in the Se-adequate rats 72 h after starvation began. These results indicate that Se deficiency causes an increase of urinary ketone body excretion in starved rats and that the increase is ketone-specific with no changes in major urinary profiles.