Variation in selenoprotein P concentration in serum from different European regions.
OBJECTIVE
To study the variation in selenoprotein P levels in serum among healthy subjects from 17 European regions representing nine countries.


METHODS
Survey of 414 37-70-year-old subjects (197/217 males/females) from 17 regions.


RESULTS
The level of selenoprotein P varied significantly among regions and countries. When the highest concentration of selenoprotein P encountered in samples from Maldegem (Belgium), was set at 100%, the mean concentration for other regions was: 92% Barcelona; 91% Ipswich and London; 89% Malmö and Vosselaan; 86% Lisbon; 85% Netherlands; 83% Umeå; 82% Uppsala; 80% Paris; 79% Heidelberg; 78% Gothenburg and Grenoble; 74% Giessen; 71% Ioannina and 69% Epirus. When the data were pooled for the nine countries the highest selenoprotein P concentration was observed for subjects from Spain. When this concentration was set at 100%, the mean concentration for other countries was: 99% Belgium and United Kingdom, 94% Portugal, 92% Netherlands and Sweden, 86% France, 83% Germany and 76% Greece. The linear correlation between serum selenium and serum selenoprotein P in the whole sample was 0.68, P < 0.001 (n = 414), and it was similar in men and women. Despite this high correlation the mean ratio between selenoprotein P and selenium varied 1.3-fold among regions.


CONCLUSIONS
Both the concentration of selenoprotein P as well as its proportion of total serum selenium in adult subjects vary among different European regions. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the physiological or medical implications of these differences.
Marchaluk
E
E
Department of Applied Nutrition and Food Chemistry, University of Lund, Sweden.
Persson-Moschos
M
M
Thorling
E B
EB
Akesson
B
B
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D051149:Selenoprotein P; D051140:Selenoproteins
D011506:Proteins; D051149:Selenoprotein P; D051140:Selenoproteins