Positive Health Online

Abstract

HATFIELD and COLLEAGUES, (1)Molecular Biology of Selenium Section, Mouse Cancer Genetics Program, Center for  Cancer Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. Electronic address: hatfield@mail.nih.gov; 

(2)Department of Biological Sciences, Towson University, Towson, MD 21252, USA.

(3)Molecular Biology of Selenium Section, Mouse Cancer Genetics Program, Center for

Cancer Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA;

(4)Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital,

Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Review the properties and actions of dietary selenium.

Background

The many biological and biomedical effects of selenium are relatively unknown outside the selenium field.

Methodology

This fascinating element, initially described as a toxin, was subsequently shown to be essential for health and development.

Results

By the mid-1990s selenium emerged as one of the most promising cancer chemopreventive agents, but subsequent human clinical trials yielded contradictory results. However, basic research on selenium continued to move at a rapid pace, elucidating its many roles in health, development, and in cancer prevention and promotion.

Conclusion

Dietary selenium acts principally through selenoproteins, most of which are oxidoreductases involved in diverse cellular functions.

References

Hatfield DL(1), Tsuji PA(2), Carlson BA(3), Gladyshev VN(4). Selenium and selenocysteine: roles in cancer, health, and development.  Trends Biochem Sci: 39(3):112-20. Mar  2014. doi: 10.1016/j.tibs.2013.12.007. Epub  Jan 28 2014.