Aluminium is one of the main soil components. Usually it is a part of non-toxic aluminosilicates but in low pH values its mobility is higher and - especially in monomeric form is toxic for plants. Selenium is an essential element necessary for animals and humans. Its compounds have anticancer and anti mutagenic character. However, its high uptake from environment, e.g. with food or water could lead to various diseases including embryonic deformity, decreased hatchling survival and death to aquatic organisms. Soil contamination with aluminium leads to disturbances in plant growth as a result of low calcium and magnesium uptake. High concentrations of selenium lead to its accumulation in plant tissues what is the beginning of selenium fate in food chain. In this work a cultivated layer of soils located near five industry plants in the town of Opole (southern Poland) were investigated. Aluminium and selenium content in soils is an effect of two factors: its natural occurrence in rocks (natural content) and human activity - especially chemicals from agriculture, industrial and transport pollutants. Aluminium was determined in the range of 3440 to 14804 mg/kg d.w. Obtained results of selenium concentration covered the range from 27.1 to 958.1 μg/kg d.w. These results are slightly higher than concentrations noted in natural or non-polluted soils, but still low. These amounts of selenium could have more positive than negative effects. Aluminium and selenium concentrations were discussed concurrently with base soils parameters, such as pH, EC and granulometric fractions composition.
Cytological evaluation of bone marrow smears stained by May-Grünwald Giemsa method was performed. The smears came from 20 fallow deer (Dama dama) 3 days old divided into 2 groups each consisting of 10 animals. The experimental group (E) received intramuscularly selenium and vitamin E at a dose of 3.0 ml (tocopherol acetate – 50 mg, sodium selenite – 0.5 mg, solvent - 1 ml) in the 3rd day of age. The control group (C) did not receive any supplementation or placebo. For hematological analyzes blood was collected three times: on 0, 15th and 25th day of the experiment. Serum concentration of selenium and vitamin E was determined using high perfor- mance liquid chromatography and glutathione peroxidase activity (GSH-Px) by kinetic method. On the 15th day after supplementation, a statistically significant increase in the percentage of erythroblastic cell line was observed in bone marrow smears. At that time, the increase in GSH-Px activity in the E group was also observed, reaching the value of 165.3 U/gHb, which was statisti- cally significant. The percentage of proerythroblasts (8.23% in group E and 5.02% in group C) differed significantly between groups at the 25th day after supplementation. This study revealed that supplementation of selenium and vitamin E resulted in an increase in the number of erythro- cytes to an average of 13.5 (˟ 10¹²/l) in the experimental group on 25th day with a significant increase in hemoglobin to 193 g/l in the experimental group.
Selenium deficiency is a common nutritional disorder in dairy cattle globally. However, sele- nium supplementation can lead to selenium toxicity. This study evaluated a novel, low-toxicity selenium supplement, selenitetriglycerides, to determine its efficacy and safety in dairy cows. The study was conducted on 12 Holstein Friesian cows divided in two equal groups (control group without supplementation of selenium and experimental group with supplementation of selenitetriglycerides). Experimental cows (n=6) were orally administered 300 mg/cow/day of selenitetriglycerides for 14 days (days 1-14) and then monitored for a further 14 days (days 15-28). Blood from both groups of cows was sampled for determination of selenium concentra- tions, activity of aspartate aminotransferase, creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, concentrations of triglycerides, cholesterol, non-esterified fatty acids, glucose, total protein, urea, creatinine and hematological parameters. Serum selenium concentra- tions in the experimental group increased significantly on day 2 (from 64.92±6.89 μg/L to 127.95±13.75 μg/L), peaked on day 7 (266.22±14.21 μg/L) and remained significantly above the initial baseline values (day 1) for 28 days. Serum selenium concentrations in the control group did not change significantly during the 28 day period (65.22 μg/L on 1st day and 64,35 μg/L on 28th day) and were significantly lower than those in the experimental group from day 2 to day 28. The results of clinical examinations, analyses of hematological parameters, and liver and kidney function tests showed that selenitetriglycerides had no adverse effect on the health or on the metabolic or haematological statuses of the cows. These findings indicate that sele- nitetriglycerides are safe and effective selenium supplements for cattle.
The research was conducted on 40 young alpine goats (kids) divided into two groups. First group consisted of 20 kids demonstrating clinical signs of muscular dystrophy. Second group was a control and consisted of 20 animals that received intramuscular injection (2ml per animal) of vitamin E and selenium preparation containing in 1ml 50 mg of tocopherol acetate, 0.5mg of sodium selenite and solvent on 2nd day of life. The kids were clinically examined and blood for laboratory analyses was sampled three times from day 5 of their life in 10 day intervals. In addition, six 24 days old kids demonstrating clinical signs of muscular dystrophy and six control kids were subjected to biceps femoris biopsy.
Serum total protein, glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol as well as AST, CK and LDH were determined in all the animals. In addition, the activity of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) was determined in whole blood and serum concentrations of selenium and vitamin E were determined in 6 kids from each group. Total lactate dehydrogenase activity and its separation into isoenzymatic fractions were determined in the collected biopsy material. The muscle samples collected were additionally subjected to histopathological examination consisting of HE staining and HBFP staining to detect necrotic muscle fibers.
Symptoms of muscular dystrophy began to appear in the first group between 17 and 23 days of age and included tremors of the limbs, poor posture, stilt gait and increased time of laying. The control animals did not show any symptoms of the disease during the experiment. Hypoproteinemia, hypoglycemia, cholesterol reduction and elevated triglycerides level associated with lipolysis of adipose tissue have been found in the sick kids. A significant decrease in selenium, vitamin E and activity of glutathione peroxidase levels was observed in the kids with symptoms of muscular dystrophy. The activity of AST, CK and LDH was significantly higher in the animals with symptoms of the disease as well. Five isoenzymes were obtained in the electrophoretic separation of lactate dehydrogenase into isoenzymatic fractions in the muscle tissue. LDH4 and LDH5 isoenzymes were dominating, and a significant increase in LDH5 fraction of the sick animals was also observed. Histopathological examination of muscle samples from sick animals revealed changes characteristic for the presence of Zenker necrosis.
Concentrations of four trace elements, copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn) and seleni- um (Se), have thus far proven to be affected by lentiviral infections in people and rhesus monkeys. As small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV) infection is responsible for one of the most important goat diseases, caprine arthritis-encephalitis (CAE), we evaluated serum and liver concentrations of Cu, Zn, Mn, Se in goats severely affected by symptomatic CAE and compared them with litera- ture reference intervals. Serum and liver samples of dairy goats euthanized due to severe clinical form of CAE were collected and screened for the concentration of Cu, Zn, Mn (54 serum sam- ples, 22 liver samples), and Se (36 serum samples, 22 liver samples) using flame atomic absorption spectrometry for Cu, Zn, Mn and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy for Se. In both serum and liver samples concentration of Zn was the highest, followed by Cu concentration, and then by Mn and Se. There was no relationship between serum and liver concentrations of trace elements. Liver concentrations of all four trace elements and serum Cu concentration fell within literature reference intervals, although liver Se concentration was mainly in the lower marginal range (between 0.4 and 1.0 mg/L). Serum Zn concentration was elevated (>1.2 mg/L) in all goats, serum Mn concentration was elevated (>0.04 mg/L) in 42 (78%) goats and serum Se concentra- tion was elevated (>1.6 mg/L) in 13 (36%) goats. Concluding, severe symptomatic CAE does not appear to be associated with the level of any of the four trace elements.
The normotensive (Wistar) and spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rats were examined to assess the response of the organism to selenium (Se) overdose. Moreover, the effect of zinc (Zn) and vitamin E, i.e. dietary components interacting in many biochemical processes with Se, on the Se uptake was evaluated. The control group was fed an untreated diet, and the diets of two other groups were overdosed with Se in the form of sodium selenite (9 mg/kg) and supplemented with Zn (13 mg/kg). Two experimental groups were fed a diet supplemented with Zn (13 mg/kg) and Se at an adequate level (0.009 mg/kg); a half of the animals was supplemented with vitamin
E. The results showed significant differences in the Se contents between the rat strains in case of Se-overdosed groups, where in the liver and kidney tissue Se contents of SHR rats exceeded 3- and 7-fold the normotensive ones. The Se uptake was altered by the vitamin E; no effect of Zn was observed. Activities of antioxidant enzymes were determined in the animal tissues indicating different patterns according to rat strain, tissue analysed, and administered Se dose. Thus, Se overdose, for instance, via an incorrectly prepared dietary supplement, can result in serious imbalances of the biochemical status of the animals.
Since plant responses to selenium nanoparticles (nSe) had not been clarified, this study was carried out to evaluate the effects of nSe (10 and 100 μM) on photosynthesis performance, ion homeostasis, antioxidant system, and phenylpropanoids in strawberry exposed to salt stress. Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectroscopy analyses indicated that foliar-applied nSe can be taken up by leaves and trans-located to roots. Salinity led to an increase in Na concentration and reductions in Ca and K contents which were relieved by the nSe applications. Moreover, the nSe treatment at 10 μM alleviated the NaCl-induced lesion to PSII functioning, contributing to improvement in water-splitting complex (Fv/Fo) under salinity. The exposure to nSe at a concentration of 100 µM exhibited a moderate stress, determined by the increases in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and lipid peroxidation rate (membrane integrity index). The nSe10 treatment increased catalase activity and phenylpropanoid derivatives contents (salicylic acid, catechin, and caffeic acid) and decreased the content of oxidants under salinity condition. Consequently, nSe utilization at a suitable dose can be an effective method to alleviate signs of salt stress via improvements in photosynthesis, ion hemostasis, photosynthesis performance, salicylic acid (a vital signaling defensive hormone), and antioxidant machinery.
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