title: The selenium-rich C-terminal domain of mouse selenoprotein P is necessary for the supply of selenium to brain and testis but not for the maintenance of whole body selenium.
abstract: Selenoprotein P (Sepp1) has two domains with respect to selenium content: the N-terminal, selenium-poor domain and the C-terminal, selenium-rich domain. To assess domain function, mice with deletion of the C-terminal domain have been produced and compared with Sepp1-/- and Sepp1+/+ mice. All mice studied were males fed a semipurified diet with defined selenium content. The Sepp1 protein in the plasma of mice with the C-terminal domain deleted was determined by mass spectrometry to terminate after serine 239 and thus was designated Sepp1Delta240-361. Plasma Sepp1 and selenium concentrations as well as glutathione peroxidase activity were determined in the three types of mice. Glutathione peroxidase and Sepp1Delta240-361 accounted for over 90% of the selenium in the plasma of Sepp1Delta240-361 mice. Calculations using results from Sepp1+/+ mice revealed that Sepp1, with a potential for containing 10 selenocysteine residues, contained an average of 5 selenium atoms per molecule, indicating that shortened and/or selenium-depleted forms of the protein were present in these wild-type mice. Sepp1Delta240-361 mice had low brain and testis selenium concentrations that were similar to those in Sepp1-/- mice but they better maintained their whole body selenium. Sepp1Delta240-361 mice had depressed fertility, even when they were fed a high selenium diet, and their spermatozoa were defective and morphologically indistinguishable from those of selenium-deficient mice. Neurological dysfunction and death occurred when Sepp1Delta240-361 mice were fed selenium-deficient diet. These phenotypes were similar to those of Sepp1-/- mice but had later onset or were less severe. The results of this study demonstrate that the C terminus of Sepp1 is critical for the maintenance of selenium in brain and testis but not for the maintenance of whole body selenium.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
authors.forename: Kristina E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: Jiadong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Lori M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Austin
authors.forename: Amy K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Motley
authors.forename: Amy-Joan L
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Ham
authors.forename: Gary E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Olson
authors.forename: John F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Atkins
authors.forename: Raymond F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Gesteland
authors.forename: Raymond F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Burk
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D005298:Fertility; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D009928:Organ Specificity; D012643:Selenium / Q000172:deficiency / Q000378:metabolism*; D051149:Selenoprotein P / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015996:Survival Rate; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D051149:Selenoprotein P; D012643:Selenium