Effects of selenium on polymorphonuclear leukocyte function in goats

Polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) from goats fed selenium-deficient and selenium-adequate diets were tested for their ability to perform (i) random migration under agarose, (ii) leukotaxis toward serum chemotaxins under agarose, and (iii) phagocytosis of opsonized zymosan by chemiluminescence analysis. Function of PMN from goats fed the selenium-deficient diet was severely depressed, and incubation of these cells with selenium resulted in marked functional enhancement. Also, administration of selenium to goats fed the selenium-deficient diet resulted in increased PMN functions. Increase or decrease in PMN function was associated with corresponding alterations in blood, serum, and intracytoplasmic PMN glutathione peroxidase activities. It was concluded that a selenium-inadequate diet fed to goats results in depressed PMN function which is associated with physiologic changes in glutathione peroxidase levels.