Effects of dietary selenium on DMBA-induced carcinogenesis in rats fed a diet high in mixed fats

The effects of selenium intake on 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA)-induced mammary carcinogenesis were examined in rats fed a diet high in mixed fats and representative of that consumed in North America. Six groups of 20 rats were fed an AIN-76 diet modified to contain 20% fat from lard:corn oil (3:1 wt/wt) and various amounts of selenium (0.1, 0.035, 0.1, 1.0, 2.0 or 4.0 mg Se/kg diet). At wk 5, animals in groups 2-6 were dosed with 4.32 mg of DMBA. Serum clinical parameters and the activities of plasma selenium-dependent and total glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx), erythrocyte GSHPx and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were determined every 4 wk for 25 wk. The extent of lipid peroxidation was determined by measuring urinary malondialdehyde during wk 13 and 24, and erythrocyte malondialdehyde at wk 25. Erythrocyte GSHPx was found to be a better indicator of selenium status than plasma activity, while SOD did not vary with dietary selenium. The group of animals fed 4.0 mg Se/kg diet had reduced numbers of tumors (P less than 0.01), but this reduction was associated with evidence of chronic selenium toxicity. Variations in GSHPx activity with dietary selenium did not result in differences in tumor incidence, nor in changes in lipid peroxidation in the other groups. Thus, nontoxic levels of selenium do not appear to offer any protective effect during carcinogenesis in rats fed a casein-based diet similar in fat content to that consumed by North Americans.