title: Biomarkers of selenium status in dogs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Inadequate dietary selenium (Se) intake in humans and animals can lead to long term health problems, such as cancer. In view of the owner's desire for healthy longevity of companion animals, the impact of dietary Se provision on long term health effects warrants investigation. Little is currently known regards biomarkers, and rate of change of such biomarkers in relation to dietary selenium intake in dogs. In this study, selected biomarkers were assessed for their suitability to detect changes in dietary Se in adult dogs within eight weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-four dogs were fed a semi-purified diet with an adequate amount of Se (46.1 μg/MJ) over an 8 week period. They were then divided into two groups. The first group remained on the adequate Se diet, the second were offered a semi-purified diet with a low Se concentration (6.5 μg/MJ; 31% of the FEDIAF minimum) for 8 weeks. Weekly urine and blood was collected and hair growth measurements were performed. The urinary Se to creatinine ratio and serum Se concentration were significantly lower in dogs consuming the low Se diet from week 1 onwards, by 84% (adequate 25.3, low 4.1) and 7% (adequate 257 μg/L, low 238 μg/L) respectively. Serum and whole blood glutathione peroxidase were also significantly lower in dogs consuming the low Se diet from weeks 6 and 8 respectively. None of the other biomarkers (mRNA expression and serum copper, creatine kinase, triiodothyronine:thyroxine ratio and hair growth) responded significantly to the low Se diet over the 8 week period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated that urinary Se to creatinine ratio, serum Se and serum and whole blood glutathione peroxidase can be used as biomarkers of selenium status in dogs. Urinary Se to creatinine ratio and serum Se concentrations responded faster to decreased dietary Se than the other parameters. This makes these biomarkers candidates for early screening of long term effects of dietary Se provision on canine health.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium. Marielle.vanZelst@UGent.be.
authors.forename: Mariëlle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van Zelst
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium. Myriam.Hesta@UGent.be.
authors.forename: Myriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hesta
authors.affiliation: WALTHAM® Centre for Pet Nutrition, Waltham-on-the-Wolds, Leicestershire, UK. Kerry.Gray@effem.com.
authors.forename: Kerry
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.affiliation: WALTHAM® Centre for Pet Nutrition, Waltham-on-the-Wolds, Leicestershire, UK. Ruth.Staunton@effem.com.
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Staunton
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Analytical & Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. Gijs.DuLaing@UGent.be.
authors.forename: Gijs
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Du Laing
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium. Geert.Janssens@UGent.be.
authors.forename: Geert P J
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Janssens
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D003401:Creatine / Q000652:urine; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D004285:Dogs / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D012643:Selenium / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D012643:Selenium; D003401:Creatine