title: A low-selenium diet increases thyroxine and decreases 3,5,3'triiodothyronine in the plasma of kittens.
abstract: The effect of a low-selenium diet on thyroid hormone metabolism was investigated in growing kittens. Twelve specific-pathogen-free kittens with ages ranging from 16 to 18 weeks were divided into two groups of equal number with equal sex distribution in each group. One group was fed a yeast-based low-selenium diet (0.02 mg Se/kg diet) while the other group was fed the same diet supplemented with Na2SeO3 at 0.4 mg Se/kg diet for 8 weeks. Food intake, body weight and body weight gain were not affected by the low-Se diet during the study period. However, kittens given the low-Se diet had significantly reduced plasma selenium concentration and glutathione peroxidase activity. Plasma total thyroxine (T4) increased and total 3,5,3'triiodothyronine (T3) decreased significantly in kittens fed the low-Se diet at the end of the study. These results suggest that type I deiodinase in cats is a selenoprotein- or a selenium-dependent enzyme.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA. shiguang_yu@hillspet.com
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Wedekind
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: Q R
authors.initials: QR
authors.lastname: Rogers
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002415:Cats / Q000097:blood* / Q000254:growth & development; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D012643:Selenium / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood*; D013997:Time Factors; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood*; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D014284:Triiodothyronine; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D012643:Selenium; D013974:Thyroxine