Alterations of antioxidant defense system in some tissues of rats treated with selenium

Abstract

We investigated the activity of antioxidant enzymes: superoxide dismutases - total (Tot SOD), copper zinc containing (CuZn SOD) and manganese containing (Mn SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) in the liver, kidneys, heart and interscapular brown adipose tissue (IBAT), as well as contents of ascorbic acid (AsA) and vitamin E (Vit E) in the liver and kidneys of male two months old Wistar albino rats. The animals were divided in two experimental groups: control animals (C) and animals treated with selenium (Se). The rats treated with selenium were drank water _c ontaining 0.1 µg/mL selenium (Se) as Na-selenite during 30 days. The average daily intake of 7 µg Se/kg body mass was calculated from the water consumed. Both experimental groups consisted of seven animals. The obtained results were compared in respect to the control animals. . Our results show that Tot SOD and CuZn SOD activities were significantly increased in the liver (p<0.02), kidneys (p<0.005), heart (p<0.005) and IBAT (p<0.05) of Se treated animals, while the activity of Mn SOD was significantly increased only in the liver (p<0.02). CAT-activitywas statistically increased in the liver (p<0.02) of animals treated with Se, while the GSH-Px activity was significantly increased only in the heart (p<0.02). The activity of GST was significantly increased in the liver (p<0.02), kidneys (p<0.02) and heart (p<0.005) of Se treated animals. The obtained results show that AsA content in the liver and kidneys was significantly increased (p<0.02 and p<0.05, respectively). The content of Vit E was also significantly increased in the liver (p<0.005) and kidneys (p<0.005) of animals exposed to Se. Presented results show that oral intake of Se as Na-selenite, improves antioxidant defense system by increasing antioxidant enzyme activities, as well as, by elevation of AsA and Vit E contents in the all examined tissues of rats.