Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

50 years of the ETA: “the selenium connection”

  • Review Article
  • Published:
Hormones Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The recent celebration of the 50 years of the ETA closely coincided with that of the 200 years since the discovery and description of selenium, an essential trace element for normal thyroid gland function and thus an adjuvant in the treatment of thyroid diseases. The aim of this commentary is to briefly outline the half centennial of the ETA while also signaling important moments in the history of selenium, developments in its availability round the world, details of its connection with thyroid function and, finally, its current and projected modes of application.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Dickson RC, Tomlinson RH (1967) Selenium in blood and human tissues. Clin Chim Acta 16(2):311–321

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Schoenmakers E, Agostini M, Mitchell C, Schoenmakers N, Papp L, Rajanayagam O et al (2010) Mutations in the selenocysteine insertion sequence-binding protein 2 gene lead to a multisystem selenoprotein deficiency disorder in humans. J Clin Invest 120(12):4220–4235. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI43653

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  3. Brigelius-Flohé R, Flohé L (2003) Is there a role of glutathione peroxidases in signaling and differentiation? Biofactors. 17(1–4):93–102

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Berry MJ, Banu L, Larsen PR (1991) Type I iodothyronine deiodinase is a selenocysteine-containing enzyme. Nature 349(6308):438–440

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Berry MJ, Kieffer JD, Harney JW, Larsen PR (1991) Selenocysteine confers the biochemical properties characteristic of the type I iodothyronine deiodinase. J Biol Chem 266(22):14155–14158

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Vanderpas JB, Contempre’ B, Duale NL, Goossens W, Bebe N, Thorpe R, Ntambue K, Dumont J, Thilly CH, Diplock AT (1990) Iodine and selenium deficiency associated with cretinism in Zaire. Am J Clin Nutr 52(6):1087–1093

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Bourdoux P, Delange F, Vanderlinden L, Ermans AM (1978) Pathogenesis of endemic goiter: evidence of a dietary factor different from iodine deficiency. Ann Endocrinol (Paris) 39(2):153–154

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Goyens P, Golstein J, Nsombola B, Vis H, Dumont JE (1987) Selenium deficiency as a possible factor in the pathogenesis of myxoedematous endemic cretinism. Acta Endocrinol 114(4):497–502

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Boyages SC, Halpern JP (1993) Endemic cretinism: toward a unifying hypothesis. Thyroid 3(1):59–69

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Corvilain B, Contempre’ B, Longombe’ AO, Goyens P, Gervy-Decoster C, Lamy F, Vanderpas JB, Dumont JE (1993) Selenium and the thyroid: how the relationship was established. Am J Clin Nutr 57(2 Suppl):244S–248S

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Contempre B, Denef JF, Dumont JE, Many MC (1993) Selenium deficiency aggravates the necrotizing effects of a high iodide dose in iodine deficient rats. Endocrinology 132(4):1866–1868

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Contempre B, Dumont JE, Ngo B, Thilly CH, Diplock AT, Vanderpas J (1991) Effect of selenium supplementation in hypothyroid subjects of an iodine and selenium deficient area: the possible danger of indiscriminate supplementation of iodine-deficient subjects with selenium. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 73(1):213–215

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Contempre B, Dumont JE, Denef JF, Many MC (1995) Effects of selenium deficiency on thyroid necrosis, fibrosis and proliferation: a possible role in myxoedematous cretinism. Eur J Endocrinol 133(1):99–109

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Arthur JR, Nicol F, Mitchell JH, Beckett GJ (1997) Selenium and iodine deficiencies and selenoprotein function. Biomed Environ Sci 10(2–3):129–135

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Beckett GJ, Arthur JR (2005) Selenium and endocrine systems. J Endocrinol 184(3):455–465

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Rasmussen LB, Schomburg L, Köhrle J, Pedersen IB, Hollenbach B, Hög A, Ovesen L, Perrild H, Laurberg P (2011) Selenium status, thyroid volume, and multiple nodule formation in an area with mild iodine deficiency. Eur J Endocrinol 164(4):585–590. https://doi.org/10.1530/EJE-10-1026

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Moreno-Reyes R, Suetens C, Mathieu F, Begaux F, Zhu D, Rivera MT, Boelaert M, Nève J, Perlmutter N, Vanderpas J (1998) Kashin-Beck osteoarthropathy in rural Tibet in relation to selenium and iodine status. N Engl J Med 339(16):1112–1120

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Rayman MP (2012) Selenium and human health. Lancet 379(9822):1256–1268

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Duntas LH (2010) Selenium and the thyroid: a close-knit connection. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 95(12):5180–5188

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Dumitrescu AM, Liao XH, Abdullah MS, Lado-Abeal J, Majed FA, Moeller LC, Boran G, Schomburg L et al (2005) Mutations in SECISBP2 result in abnormal thyroid hormone metabolism. Nat Genet 37(11):1247–1252. https://doi.org/10.1038/ng1654

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Schweizer U, Streckfuß F, Pelt P, Carlson BA, Hatfield DL, Köhrle J, Schomburg L (2005) Hepatically derived selenoprotein P is a key factor for kidney but not for brain selenium supply. Biochem J 386(Pt 2):221–226

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Çatli G, Fujisawa H, Kirbiyik Ö, Mimoto MS, Gençpinar P, Özdemir TR, Dündar BN, Dumitrescu AM (2018) A novel homozygous Selenocysteine insertion sequence binding protein 2 (SECISBP2, SBP2) gene mutation in a Turkish boy. Thyroid 28(9):1221–1223. https://doi.org/10.1089/thy.2018.0015

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  23. Gaertner R, Gasnier BC, Dietrich JW, Krebs B, Angstwurm MW (2002) Selenium supplementation in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis decreases thyroid peroxidase antibodies concentrations. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 87(4):1687–1691

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Duntas LH, Mantzou E, Koutras DA (2003) Effects of a six month treatment with selenomethionine in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis. Eur J Endocrinol 148(4):389–393

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Mazokopakis EE, Papadakis JA, Papadomanolaki MG, Batistakis AG, Giannakopoulos TG, Protopapadakis EE, Ganotakis ES (2007) Effects of 12 months treatment with L-selenomethionine on serum anti-TPO levels in patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Thyroid 17(7):609–612

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Negro R, Greco G, Mangieri T, Pezzarossa A, Dazzi D, Hassan H (2007) The influence of selenium supplementation on postpartum thyroid status in pregnant women with thyroid peroxidase autoantibodies. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 92(4):1263–1268

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Mao J, Pop VJ, Bath SC, Vader HL, Redman CW, Rayman MP (2016) Effect of low-dose selenium on thyroid autoimmunity and thyroid function in UK pregnant women with mild-to-moderate iodine deficiency. Eur J Nutr 55(1):55–61. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-014-0822-9

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Eskes SA, Endert E, Fliers E, Birnie E, Hollenbach B, Schomburg L, Köhrle J, Wiersinga WM (2014) Selenite supplementation in euthyroid subjects with thyroid peroxidase antibodies. Clin Endocrinol 80(3):444–4451. https://doi.org/10.1111/cen.12284

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Khong JJ, Goldstein RF, Sanders KM, Schneider H, Pope J, Burdon KP, Craig JE, Ebeling PR (2014) Serum selenium status in Graves’ disease with and without orbitopathy: a case-control study. Clin Endocrinol 80(6):905–910. https://doi.org/10.1111/cen.12392

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Kahaly GJ, Riedl M, König J, Diana T, Schomburg L (2017) Double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial of selenium in Graves hyperthyroidism. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 102(11):4333–4341. https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2017-01736

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Marcocci C, Kahaly GJ, Krassas GE, Bartalena L, Prummel M, Stahl M et al (2011) European group on Graves’ orbitopathy. Selenium and the course of mild Graves’ orbitopathy. N Engl J Med 364(20):1920–1931. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1012985

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Negro R, Attanasio R, Grimaldi F, Marcocci C, Guglielmi R, Papini E (2016) Italian survey about the clinical use of selenium in thyroid disease. Eur Thyroid J 5(3):164–170

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Hegedüs L, Bonnema SJ, Winther KH (2016) Selenium in the treatment of thyroid diseases: an element in search of the relevant indications? Eur Thyroid J 5(3):149–151

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Wu Q, Rayman MP, Lv H, Schomburg L, Cui B, Gao C, Chen P, Zhuang G et al (2015) Low population selenium status is associated with increased prevalence of thyroid disease. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 100(11):4037–4447. https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2015-2222

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Winther KH, Watt T, Bjørner JB, Cramon P, Feldt-Rasmussen U, Gluud C, Gram J, Groenvold M et al (2014) The chronic autoimmune thyroiditis quality of life selenium trial (CATALYST): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials. 15(9):115. https://doi.org/10.1186/1745-6215-15-115

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  36. Watt T, Cramon P, Bjorner JB, Bonnema SJ, Feldt-Rasmussen U, Gluud C, Gram J, Hansen JL et al (2013) Selenium supplementation for patients with Graves’ hyperthyroidism (the GRASS trial): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials 14:119. https://doi.org/10.1186/1745-6215-14-119

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

This work was not financially supported.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University College Dublin, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland

    Peter P. A. Smyth

  2. Unit of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Evgenideion Hospital, 20 Papadiamantopoulou Str., 11528, Athens, Greece

    Leonidas H. Duntas

Authors
  1. Peter P. A. Smyth
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Leonidas H. Duntas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Leonidas H. Duntas.

Ethics declarations

Disclosures

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

Additional information

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Smyth, P.P.A., Duntas, L.H. 50 years of the ETA: “the selenium connection”. Hormones 19, 3–7 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42000-019-00117-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42000-019-00117-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation