A high-selenium diet induces insulin resistance in gestating rats and their offspring

MS Zeng, X Li, Y Liu, H Zhao, JC Zhou, K Li… - Free Radical Biology …, 2012 - Elsevier
MS Zeng, X Li, Y Liu, H Zhao, JC Zhou, K Li, JQ Huang, LH Sun, JY Tang, XJ Xia, KN Wang…
Free Radical Biology and Medicine, 2012Elsevier
Although supranutrition of selenium (Se) is considered a promising anti-cancer strategy,
recent human studies have shown an intriguing association between high body Se status
and diabetic risk. This study was done to determine if a prolonged high intake of dietary Se
actually induced gestational diabetes in rat dams and insulin resistance in their offspring.
Forty-five 67-day-old female Wistar rats (n= 15/diet) were fed a Se-deficient (0.01 mg/kg)
corn–soy basal diet (BD) or BD+ Se (as Se-yeast) at 0.3 or 3.0 mg/kg from 5weeks before …
Although supranutrition of selenium (Se) is considered a promising anti-cancer strategy, recent human studies have shown an intriguing association between high body Se status and diabetic risk. This study was done to determine if a prolonged high intake of dietary Se actually induced gestational diabetes in rat dams and insulin resistance in their offspring. Forty-five 67-day-old female Wistar rats (n=15/diet) were fed a Se-deficient (0.01mg/kg) corn–soy basal diet (BD) or BD+Se (as Se-yeast) at 0.3 or 3.0mg/kg from 5weeks before breeding to day 14 postpartum. Offspring (n=8/diet) of the 0.3 and 3.0mg Se/kg dams were fed with the same respective diet until age 112days. Compared with the 0.3mg Se/kg diet, the 3.0mg/kg diet induced hyperinsulinemia (P<0.01), insulin resistance (P<0.01), and glucose intolerance (P<0.01) in the dams at late gestation and/or day 14 postpartum and in the offspring at age 112days. These impairments concurred with decreased (P<0.05) mRNA and/or protein levels of six insulin signal proteins in liver and muscle of dams and/or pups. Dietary Se produced dose-dependent increases in Gpx1 mRNA or GPX1 activity in pancreas, liver, and erythrocytes of dams. The 3.0mg Se/kg diet decreased Selh (P<0.01), Sepp1 (P=0.06), and Sepw1 (P<0.01), but increased Sels (P<0.05) mRNA levels in the liver of the offspring, compared with the 0.3mg Se/kg diet. In conclusion, supranutrition of Se as a Se-enriched yeast in rats induced gestational diabetes and insulin resistance. Expression of six selenoprotein genes, in particular Gpx1, was linked to this metabolic disorder.
Elsevier