title: Biological activity of selenium: Revisited.
abstract: Selenium (Se) is an essential micronutrient that exerts multiple and complex effects on human health. Se is essential for human well-being largely due to its potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral properties. The physiological functions of Se are carried out by selenoproteins, in which Se is specifically incorporated as the amino acid, selenocysteine. Importantly, both beneficial and toxic effects of Se have been reported suggesting that the mode of action of Se is strictly chemical form and concentration dependent. Additionally, there is a relatively narrow window between Se deficiency and toxicity and growing evidence suggests that Se health effects depend greatly on the baseline level of this micronutrient. Thus, Se supplementation is not an easy task and requires an individualized approach. It is essential that we continue to explore and better characterize Se containing compounds and mechanisms of action, which could be crucial for disease prevention and treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Jagoda K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Wrobel
authors.affiliation: Nutrigenomics Research Center, Alltech, Nicholasville, KY, USA.
authors.forename: Ronan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Power
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.|Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Toborek
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000378:metabolism*; D012643:Selenium / Q000378:metabolism*; D018036:Selenium Compounds / Q000378:metabolism; D017279:Selenocysteine / Q000378:metabolism; D051140:Selenoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D018977:Micronutrients; D018036:Selenium Compounds; D051140:Selenoproteins; D017279:Selenocysteine; D012643:Selenium
keywords: brain; cancer; human nutrition; selenium; selenoproteins