Interaction of Gold and Selenium after Injection to Mice

Abstract

Interactions between metals and selenium have been studied extensively since the late sixties. Results of research focused on silver, copper, cadmium and mercury have indicated that in vivo, selenium is trapped in insoluble complexes by group IB or IIB metals, with or without the involvement of protein molecules (Høgberq and Alexander, 1986). However, the theoretical possibility of in vivo interactions between selenium and gold has been remarkably little studied. This is surprising since gold thiomalate (Myocrisin) is a frequently used drug in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. And such patients are reported to have lower serum selenium values than healthy controls (Aaseth et al. 1978). A possible interference of gold with the selenium metabolism might be of relevance for the therapeutic effect and/or the toxic effects observed during gold treatment. In the present study we have used mice as experimental model when searching for biological selenium-gold interactions.