European Heart Journal Advance Access originally published online on June 13, 2007
European Heart Journal 2007 28(16):2043-2044; doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehm238
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Selene, the goddess of the moon: does she shine on men only?
Charité University Medicine Berlin Institute for Experimental Endocrinology
Charitéplatz 1
Berlin 10117
Germany
Tel: +49 30 450 524289 Fax: +49 30 450 524922 E-mail address: lutz.schomburg{at}charite.de
First of all I would like to congratulate Nawrot et al.1 on their convincing and important analysis on yet another selenium (Se)-dependent health issue, i.e. the inverse correlation of blood Se with blood pressure. This report represents the latest addition to an ever-growing list of sex-specific effects mediated by this particular trace element which has been named after Selene, the Greek goddess of the moon. Low Se status causes male infertility in both humans and animals, thereby its honorary title ‘XY nutraceutical’ is well deserved.2 Chemoprevention trials by Se supplementation generally report stronger effects for male participants, most pronounced usually for prostate cancer. Therefore, a large, expensive, long range, and men-only follow-up study on the chemopreventive effects of Se has recently been initiated by the NIH (www.cancer.gov/select). Moreover, a prospective multicentre study on mortality from sepsis yielded positive effects of Se supplementation exclusively for male patients.3 Now the study conducted by Nawrot et al. describes the fourth sexual dimorphic major health effect of Se, beyond fertility, cancer, and sepsis. One hesitates and wonders how and why Selene shines on men only.
The Se status is dominated by a hepatically derived Se transport serum protein, i.e. selenoprotein P (SePP). We and others have demonstrated that SePP controls Se distribution within the body and that SePP-KO mice display sex-specific Se-deficiency symptoms.4 SePP attaches to endothelial cells and protects from peroxynitrite-mediated damage in plasma. Moreover, we have just demonstrated that biosynthesis of selenoenzymes including SePP displays pronounced sex-specific differences, and male livers have a superior potency to translate mRNA into functional selenoproteins.5 Remarkably, these differences are not constant but Se-dependent.
If larger groups of people with a more divergent Se status were analysed, we would not expect such a linear correlation of blood Se with blood pressure as depicted in Figure 1.1 At higher Se status, all selenoproteins become maximally expressed and independent from the trace element. This kind of saturable effect has been similarly observed in both cancer prevention and sepsis studies mentioned earlier, in which participants with low baseline Se status always profited most. Consequently, successful Se supplementation will stabilize blood pressure in a healthier range.
Unfortunately, large supplementation trials are conducted mainly in the USA, where baseline Se levels are already replete because of better nutritional supply. Given the clear-cut and appealing correlation shown in the manuscript,1 some large-scale prospective analyses are clearly needed in Europe in order to benefit our hearts and health insurance systems. Such trials should necessarily include both men and women who are at risk of a low Se status, such as chronically ill patients, people on regular dialysis or with eating or digestion disorders, and vegans and vegetarians. Hopefully, financial support can be raised for such eagerly awaited large-scale European supplementation trials. The future shines bright, less pressure is in sight, especially at night.
References
- Nawrot TS, Staessen JA, Roels HA, Hond ED, Thijs L, Fagard RH, Dominiczak AF, Struijker-Boudier HA. Blood pressure and blood selenium: a cross-sectional and longitudinal population study. Eur Heart J (2007) 28(5):628–633.
[Abstract/Free Full Text] - Hardy G, Hardy I. Selenium: the Se-XY nutraceutical. Nutrition (2004) 20:590–593.[CrossRef][Web of Science][Medline]
- Angstwurm MW, Engelmann L, Zimmermann T, Lehmann C, Spes CH, Abel P, Strauss R, Meier-Hellmann A, Insel R, Radke J, Schuttler J, Gärtner R. Selenium in intensive care (SIC): results of a prospective randomized, placebo-controlled, multiple-center study in patients with severe systemic inflammatory response syndrome, sepsis, and septic shock. Crit Care Med (2007) 35:118–126.[CrossRef][Web of Science][Medline]
- Burk RF, Hill KE. Selenoprotein P: an extracellular protein with unique physical characteristics and a role in selenium homeostasis. Annu Rev Nutr (2005) 25:215–235.[CrossRef][Web of Science][Medline]
- Riese C, Michaelis M, Mentrup B, Götz F, Köhrle J, Schweizer U, Schomburg L. Selenium-dependent pre- and posttranscriptional mechanisms are responsible for sexual dimorphic expression of selenoproteins in murine tissues. Endocrinology (2006) 147:5883–5892.
[Abstract/Free Full Text]
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||