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Erythrocyte Selenium as a Potential Key Indicator for Selenium Supplementation in Low-Selenium Populations: A
Cunqi Lv1,2, Ruixiang Wang1,2, Qingyu Zeng1,2
1Institute of Keshan Disease, Chinese Center for Endemic Disease Control, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China.
Background:
Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element for maintaining human health, with significant antioxidant and immunoregulatory functions. Inadequate Se intake may be associated with Keshan disease, Kashin-Beck disease, and hypothyroidism. However, effective indicators for scientifically guiding Se supplementation in Se-deficient populations are still lacking.
Objectives:
This study aims to explore the dynamic distribution of Se across various nutritional biomarkers and major organs in rats through a Se supplementation experiment, as well as the pairwise correlations between them, in order to identify reliable nutritional indicators for evaluating Se levels in the body.
Methods:
Se levels in hair, blood, and major tissues and organs were determined by atomic fluorescence spectrometry, and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) levels were measured using an ELISA.
Results:
Se supplementation significantly increased Se levels in rat blood, hair, and major organs, as well as GSH-Px levels in blood. Se primarily accumulated in the liver and kidneys, followed by myocardium, spleen, and muscles. Serum and plasma Se were found to be the best indicators of short-term Se intake, while erythrocyte Se levels showed a stronger correlation with Se levels in tissues and organs, making it a better marker for assessing long-term Se nutritional status compared to hair Se.
Conclusions:
This study demonstrates the potential of erythrocyte Se levels as an indicator for evaluating long-term Se nutritional status, providing scientific evidence for Se nutritional assessments.
