Lymphocyte response is enhanced by supplementation of elderly subjects with selenium-enriched yeast.
The effect of selenium supplementation on plasma selenium concentrations and lymphocyte-proliferation responses to mitogens was investigated in 22 elderly institutionalized subjects. Subjects were assigned to a 6-mo trial with either 100 micrograms Se/d (as selenium-enriched yeast) or a placebo. Plasma selenium concentrations of the selenium-supplemented group increased from 0.84 +/- 0.26 to 1.55 +/- 0.33 mumol/L (mean +/- SD) after 2 mo and the values plateaued thereafter. The mean response of lymphocytes to mitogens in elderly subjects tended to be lower than responses in healthy adults, although responses remained within the 5-95% confidence-interval limit for healthy adults. During selenium supplementation the proliferative response to pokeweed mitogen increased significantly (+79% of baseline concentrations after 4 mo, P less than 0.01) and reached the upper limit of the usual range for adults after 6 mo (+138%, P less than 0.001). In accordance with previous studies in animals and in vitro, this investigation demonstrates for the first time immunostimulatory properties of selenium-enriched yeast in elderly humans.
Peretz
A
A
Department of Rheumatology and Physical Medicine, Saint-Pierre Hospital, Bruxelles, Belgium.
Nève
J
J
Desmedt
J
J
Duchateau
J
J
Dramaix
M
M
Famaey
J P
JP
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D012643:Selenium / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015002:Yeast, Dried
D008315:Malondialdehyde; D012643:Selenium