title: A high-selenium diet induces insulin resistance in gestating rats and their offspring.
abstract: Although supranutrition of selenium (Se) is considered a promising anti-cancer strategy, recent human studies have shown an intriguing association between high body Se status and diabetic risk. This study was done to determine if a prolonged high intake of dietary Se actually induced gestational diabetes in rat dams and insulin resistance in their offspring. Forty-five 67-day-old female Wistar rats (n=15/diet) were fed a Se-deficient (0.01 mg/kg) corn-soy basal diet (BD) or BD+Se (as Se-yeast) at 0.3 or 3.0mg/kg from 5 weeks before breeding to day 14 postpartum. Offspring (n=8/diet) of the 0.3 and 3.0mg Se/kg dams were fed with the same respective diet until age 112 days. Compared with the 0.3mg Se/kg diet, the 3.0mg/kg diet induced hyperinsulinemia (P<0.01), insulin resistance (P<0.01), and glucose intolerance (P<0.01) in the dams at late gestation and/or day 14 postpartum and in the offspring at age 112 days. These impairments concurred with decreased (P<0.05) mRNA and/or protein levels of six insulin signal proteins in liver and muscle of dams and/or pups. Dietary Se produced dose-dependent increases in Gpx1 mRNA or GPX1 activity in pancreas, liver, and erythrocytes of dams. The 3.0mg Se/kg diet decreased Selh (P<0.01), Sepp1 (P=0.06), and Sepw1 (P<0.01), but increased Sels (P<0.05) mRNA levels in the liver of the offspring, compared with the 0.3mg Se/kg diet. In conclusion, supranutrition of Se as a Se-enriched yeast in rats induced gestational diabetes and insulin resistance. Expression of six selenoprotein genes, in particular Gpx1, was linked to this metabolic disorder.
authors.affiliation: International Center of Future Agriculture for Human Health, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
authors.forename: Min-Shu
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Ji-Chang
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jia-Qiang
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Lv-Hui
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Jia-Yong
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Xin-Jie
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Kang-Ning
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xin Gen
authors.initials: XG
authors.lastname: Lei
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006706:Homeostasis; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D009132:Muscles / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012643:Selenium / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D008055:Lipids; D012643:Selenium