title: Apoptotic cellular events for selenium compounds involved in cancer prevention.
abstract: Converging data from epidemiological, ecological, and clinical studies have shown that selenium (Se) can decrease the risk for some types of human cancers. Induction of apoptosis is considered an important cellular event that can account for the cancer preventive effects of Se. Prior to occurrence of apoptosis, Se compounds alter the expression and/or activities of signaling molecules, mitochondria-associated factors, transcriptional factors, tumor suppressor genes, and cellular reduced glutathione. Mechanistic studies have demonstrated that the methylselenol metabolite pool has many desirable attributes of chemoprevention, whereas the hydrogen selenide pool with excess of selenoprotein synthesis can lead to DNA single-strand breaks. To elucidate the effects of Se on cytotoxic events, it should be remembered that the chemical forms and the dose of Se, and the experimental system used, are determinants of its biological activities. This mini-review focuses on elucidation of the molecular mechanisms of cancer prevention by Se with the apoptotic approach.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, 4-1 Seiryo-machi, Sendai 980-8575, Japan. riki@mail.tains.tohoku.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hidemi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rikiishi
mesh_terms: D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D053904:DNA Breaks, Single-Stranded; D006801:Humans; D000432:Methanol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016566:Organoselenium Compounds; D012643:Selenium / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018036:Selenium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051140:Selenoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D016566:Organoselenium Compounds; D018036:Selenium Compounds; D051140:Selenoproteins; C019003:methaneselenol; D012643:Selenium; C026372:hydrogen selenide; D000432:Methanol