Variation of glutathione level and synthesis activity in chick liver due to selenium and vitamin E deficiencies.
Chicks were fed an amino acid mixture-based diet (basal diet) or one supplemented with selenium (Se, 0.2 micrograms/g as Na2SeO3) and/or vitamin E (100 micrograms/g as alpha-tocopherol). The group receiving the basal diet devoid of Se and vitamin E showed a tendency to grow slowly, but not significantly so, compared to the non-deficient control and manifested a symptom of exudative diathesis after the feeding period of 4 weeks. Supplementation of the basal diet with Se or vitamin E prevented the deficiency symptoms in the chicks. The hepatic GSH level and GSH synthesis activity were about three times as much in the Se- and vitamin E-deficient group as in the control. This was also the case for in vivo sulfur incorporation into hepatic GSH for 10 h post-injection with [35S]methionine. The increased level of GSH may partly compensate the hepatocytes for peroxidative damage.
D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D003542:Cystathionine gamma-Lyase / Q000378:metabolism; D004032:Diet; D005978:Glutathione / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D006128:Growth; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D012643:Selenium / Q000172:deficiency*; D014811:Vitamin E Deficiency / Q000378:metabolism*; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism
D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D003542:Cystathionine gamma-Lyase; D005978:Glutathione; D012643:Selenium