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Selenium exerts protective effects against oxidative stress and cell damage in human thyrocytes and fibroblasts

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Abstract

Purpose

Selenium, incorporated into specific seleno-enzymes, is essential to proper thyroid function and protect cells from oxidative damage induced by H2O2 during thyroid hormone synthesis. Several studies indicated that low selenium levels are associated with thyroid autoimmunity and related disorders, but real effectiveness of selenium supplementation in such diseases is still controversial. We evaluated the effect of selenium on oxidative damage in human thyrocytes and thyroid fibroblasts in vitro.

Methods

To induce oxidative stress, primary cultures were exposed to H2O2, in the presence or the absence of selenium, as either selenomethionine or selenite. We performed the following assays: cell viability, caspase-3 activity, BCL-2/BAX gene expression, DNA fragmentation, malondialdehyde levels, and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity measurements.

Results

Thyrocytes and thyroid fibroblasts exposed to H2O2 and preincubated with both selenocompounds displayed a significant dose-dependent increase in cell viability compared to cells incubated with H2O2 alone. Pretreatment with selenomethionine and selenite significantly reduced caspase-3 activity and BAX mRNA levels and increased BCL-2 mRNA levels in a dose-dependent manner. Accordingly, H2O2 induced a diffuse pattern of DNA degradation and an increase in malondialdehyde levels, which was prevented by the pretreatment with both selenomethionine and selenite. Both selenocompounds induced an increase in GPx activity, suggesting that these protective effects may be, almost in part, mediated by these selenoproteins.

Conclusion

In human thyrocytes and fibroblasts in vitro, selenium exerts protective effects against H2O2 in a dose-dependent manner, being selenite effective at lower doses than selenomethionine.

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Author contribution

Each author gave a substantial contribute to the paper and approved the final version to be published.

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Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Rosaria M. Ruggeri, Angela D’Ascola

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy

    Rosaria M. Ruggeri, Angela D’Ascola & Salvatore Campo

  2. Endocrine Unit, University Hospital AOU Policlinico G. Martino, Messina, Italy

    Rosaria M. Ruggeri, Teresa M. Vicchio, Salvatore Giovinazzo & Salvatore Cannavò

  3. Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Endocrinology Unit, University of Catania, Catania, Italy

    Fiorenza Gianì & Francesco Frasca

  4. Department of Human Pathology DETEV, University of Messina, Messina, Italy

    Salvatore Cannavò

  5. Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morfo-Functional Images, Unit of Nuclear Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy

    Alfredo Campennì

  6. Accademia Peloritana dei Pericolanti, University of Messina, Messina, Italy

    Francesco Trimarchi

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  1. Rosaria M. Ruggeri
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  2. Angela D’Ascola
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Correspondence to Rosaria M. Ruggeri.

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Ruggeri, R.M., D’Ascola, A., Vicchio, T.M. et al. Selenium exerts protective effects against oxidative stress and cell damage in human thyrocytes and fibroblasts. Endocrine 68, 151–162 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-019-02171-w

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