Effect of dietary selenium levels on 7,12-dimethylbenzanthracene-induced mouse mammary tumorigenesis

The effect of dietary selenium levels on 7,12-dimethylbenzanthracene (DMBA)-induced mammary tumors was examined in mice fed a semi-purified diet (20% casein, 50% sucrose, 5% corn oil). (C57BLxDBA/2f)F1 (BD2F1) female mice were fed diets containing 0.2, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 p.p.m. selenium starting at 7 weeks of age. The mammary tumor incidence was 56, 30, 25 and 16%, respectively, after the mice were on the diet for 9 months. In a second experiment, BALB/cV female mice were fed diets containing 0.2 and 2.0 p.p.m. selenium. After 9 months on the diet, the mammary tumor incidence was 39 and 7%, respectively. Both strains of mice grew equally well on the 0.2 and 2.0 p.p.m. selenium diets indicating that the highest dietary selenium level was compatible with normal growth. The selenium concentration and selenium dependent-glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity of mammary glands from control BD2F1 mice fed 0.2, 1.0 and 2.0 p.p.m. dietary selenium was examined at 8, 9 and 10 months of age. As in previous experiments in adult BALB/c mice, the concentration of mammary gland selenium, but not GSH-Px activity, increased with increasing levels of dietary selenium. These results document that nutritional levels of dietary selenium (0.5 p.p.m. Se) as well as non-toxic higher levels (2.0 p.p.m. Se) inhibit DMBA-induced mammary tumorigenesis.