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Selenium Metabolism, Regulation, and Sex Differences in Mammals

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Selenium

Part of the book series: Molecular and Integrative Toxicology ((MOLECUL))

Abstract

Selenium is an essential trace element in mammals, which is closely related to sulfur in respect of chemistry, catalysis, and metabolism. Selenium is often mentioned in the context of cancer, immunity, brain development, and cardiovascular physiology. Most of the beneficial effects of selenium are expected to come from the pool of selenoproteins, which are involved in redox biology and homeostasis. Many chemical species of selenium can enter the organism to be transformed into selenide, the central metabolite for selenoprotein synthesis. In this chapter, the various selenium species as well as the several metabolic pathways leading to selenide are described, and a particular highlight is given on sexual dimorphic regulation of selenium metabolism and selenoprotein expression.

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Abbreviations

APOER2:

Apolipoprotein E receptor-2 (also referred to as LRP2)

GPX:

Glutathione peroxidase

GR:

Glutathione reductase

GSH:

Glutathione

H2Se:

Hydrogen selenide

LRP8:

Megalin

MSeA:

Methylseleninic acid (also referred to as mathaneseleninic acid)

PLP:

Pyridoxal 5′-phosphate

SCL:

Selenocysteine ß-lyase (also referred to as Scly)

Sec:

l-Selenocysteine, selenocysteine (also referred to as SeCys)

SELENOP:

Selenoprotein P, SEPP1

SeMeSeCys:

Selenomethyl-selenocysteine

SeMet:

l-Selenomethionine, selenomethionine

TXN:

Thioredoxin

TXNRD:

Thioredoxin reductase

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the ENS de Lyon (Emerging project to LC), the CNRS (ATIP program to LC).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, CIRI, Lyon, France

    Caroline Vindry, Théophile Ohlmann & Laurent Chavatte

  2. Inserm U1111, Lyon, France

    Caroline Vindry, Théophile Ohlmann & Laurent Chavatte

  3. CNRS, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université de Lyon 1, UMR5308, Lyon, France

    Caroline Vindry, Théophile Ohlmann & Laurent Chavatte

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  1. Caroline Vindry
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  2. Théophile Ohlmann
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  3. Laurent Chavatte
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Correspondence to Laurent Chavatte .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Research Unit: Analytical BioGeoChemistry, Helmholtz Zentrum München – German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, Neuherberg, Germany

    Bernhard Michalke

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Vindry, C., Ohlmann, T., Chavatte, L. (2018). Selenium Metabolism, Regulation, and Sex Differences in Mammals. In: Michalke, B. (eds) Selenium. Molecular and Integrative Toxicology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95390-8_5

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