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Selenium and immune cell functions. I. Effect on lymphocyte proliferation and production of interleukin 1 and

L Kiremidjian-Schumacher1, M Roy, H I Wishe

  • 1Department of Oral Medicine and Pathology, New York University Dental Center, New York 10010.

Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine. Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine (New York, N.Y.)
|February 1, 1990
PubMed

Insights

Dietary selenium (Se) impacts immune cell function. Selenium deficiency impaired lymphocyte proliferation, while supplementation enhanced it, suggesting mechanisms independent of interleukin-2 or interleukin-1.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Nutritional Science
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Dietary selenium (Se) plays a crucial role in biological processes.
  • Understanding selenium's impact on immune function is vital for health.
  • Specific effects on lymphocyte activity require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the immunologic competence of lymphocytes in mice fed varying selenium levels.
  • To determine how selenium deficiency or supplementation affects lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine production.
  • To elucidate the relationship between selenium, lymphocyte response, and key interleukins.

Main Methods:

  • Mice (C57BL/6J) were fed diets with deficient (0.02 ppm), normal (0.20 ppm), or supplemented (2.00 ppm) selenium for 8 weeks.
  • Lymphocyte proliferation was assessed using mixed lymphocyte reactions (allogeneic stimulation) and phytohemagglutinin (mitogen stimulation).
  • Production of interleukin-2 (IL-2) by lymphocytes and interleukin-1 (IL-1) by macrophages was measured.

Main Results:

  • Selenium deficiency significantly inhibited lymphocyte proliferation in response to both allogeneic and mitogenic stimuli.
  • Selenium supplementation significantly enhanced lymphocyte proliferation compared to the control diet.
  • Interleukin-2 and interleukin-1 production levels did not significantly differ between selenium-deficient, supplemented, and control groups.

Conclusions:

  • Selenium status significantly modulates lymphocyte proliferative capacity.
  • The observed effects of selenium on lymphocyte proliferation appear to be independent of IL-2 and IL-1 production levels.
  • These findings highlight selenium's critical role in immune cell responsiveness.

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