Strong poison revisited.
Selenium in the form of selenocysteine plays an essential role in a number of proteins, but its role in non-enzymatic biochemistry is also important. In this short review we discuss the interactions between inorganic selenium, arsenic and mercury under physiological conditions, especially in the presence of glutathione. This chemistry is obviously important in making the arsenic and mercury unavailable for more toxic interactions, but in the process it suggests that a side-effect of chronic arsenic and/or mercury exposure is likely to be functional selenium deficiency.
Prince
Roger C
RC
ExxonMobil Biomedical Sciences Inc., 1545 Route 22 East, Annandale, NJ 08801, USA. roger.c.prince@exxonmobile.com
Gailer
Jürgen
J
Gunson
Diane E
DE
Turner
Raymond J
RJ
George
Graham N
GN
Pickering
Ingrid J
IJ
D000818:Animals; D001151:Arsenic / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity; D002104:Cadmium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D002105:Cadmium Poisoning / Q000517:prevention & control; D008628:Mercury / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity; D008630:Mercury Poisoning / Q000517:prevention & control; D008958:Models, Molecular; D012643:Selenium / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology
D002104:Cadmium; D008628:Mercury; D012643:Selenium; D001151:Arsenic