A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of selenium priming on growth and productivity of maize at Agronomy Research Area, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. Maize seeds were primed with different concentrations of selenium (0, 5, 25, 50 and 100 JlM) while untreated seeds were taken as control. Results showed that seed priming with all levels of selenium improved the germination parameters, growth and yield of maize. Seed priming with 50 JlM of selenium recorded maximum grain yield (2.35 t ha- 1) while minimum (1.66 t ha-1) grain yield was observed in case of untreated seeds (control). Further research should be carried out to find out mechanisms of growth and yield improvement of maize as a result of seed priming with selenium.

Selenium was initially considered toxic to humans, but it was then discovered that selenium is essential for normal life processes. Selenium plays important roles in antioxidants. It is expected that chitosan microcapsules containing nano-selenium will be able to be used as a key material in bio-medical and cosmetic applications. The high concentration of chitosan derivatives guaranteesincreased antioxidative activity. Both inorganic and organic forms of selenium can be nutritional sources. The antioxidant properties of selenoproteins help prevent cellular damage from free radicals. The objective of this experiment was to study the antioxidative activity of chitosan nano-selenium. Our experiments were divided into five groups, in the presence of various concentrations(0.1%, 0.3%, 0.5%, 0.7%, and 0.9%) of chitosan. We performed an assessment of the antioxidant properties and cytotoxicity of respective concentrations of chitosan nano-selenium. The antioxidant activity was examined by the free radical scavenging activity on 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl(DPPH) assay. The cytotoxicity effect was measured by means of 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide(MTT) assay. As a result, the electron donating abilities of 0.1%, 0.3%, 0.5%, 0.7%, and 0.9% of chitosan nano-selenium exhibited effective andioxidant scavenging activity at 12.5 ㎍/㎖ against DPPH radicals. 0.3% chitosan nano-selenium did not show cytotoxicity on human keratinocytes. In general, the cytotoxicity of 0.1% and 0.9% chitosan nano-selenium showed the lowest effects. Though low cytotoxicity of 0.5% and 0.7% chitosan nano-selenium exhibited 29.67% and 38.4% against human keratinocytes on adding 100 ㎍/㎖ and 50 ㎍/㎖, respectively, cell vitality was recovered with 200 ㎍/㎖. These findings support the notion that chitosan nano-selenium may be useful as a new active ingredient source for bioactive compounds.

장수명 핵분열생성물인 79Se와 99Tc는 자연수 중에서 용해도가 클 뿐더러 음이온으로 존재하여 방사성폐 기물 처분장에서 주요 관심핵종들로 고려되고 있다. 본 연구에서는 KURT 지하수의 다양한 pH와 산화-환 원 조건에서 셀레늄과 테크네튬의 Solubility Limiting Solid Phase (SLSP)로 알려진 FeSe2와 TcO2의 용해 도를 측정하였다. 또한, 지화학코드를 이용하여 실험과 유사조건에서 이들의 용해도와 주요 화학종을 계 산하였다. 실험 및 계산으로부터 pH 8∼9.5와 Eh=-0.3∼-0.4 V 조건에서 FeSe2의 용해도는 1x10-6 mol/L 이하이며, 주 용해 화학종은 HSe-로 판단된다. TcO2의 경우는 pH 6∼9.5와 Eh<-0.1 V 영역에서 용해도와 주 용해 화학종이 각각 5x10-8∼1x10-9 mol/L와 TcO(OH)2로 나타났지만, Eh=-0.35 V조건에서는 주 용해화학종이 pH가 10.5∼12와 12이상에서 각각 TcO(OH)3 -와 TcO4 -로 계산되었다.

Selenium (Se) is known to prevent from several cancers, while iron (Fe) is known to be associated with high risk of cancers. The role of Se on colon carcinogenesis was investigated in an animal model induced by azoxymethane (AOM) and dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) in low Fe mice. Six-week old ICR mice fed on a low Fe diet (4.5 ppm Fe; generally 10 times lower than normal Fe) with three different Se (0.02, 0.1 or 0.5 ppm) levels for 24weeks. The animals received weekly three (0~2nd weeks) i.p. injections of AOM (10 mg/kg B.W), followed by 2%DSS with drinking water for 1 week to induce the colon cancer. There were five experimental groups including vehicle,positive control (normal Fe level, AOM/DSS), Low Fe (LFe) + AOM/DSS+Low Se (LSe), LFe + AOM/DSS + medium Se (MSe) and LFe + AOM/DSS + high Se (HSe) groups. HSe group showed a 66.7% colonic tumor incidence, MSe group showed a 69.2% tumor incidence, and LSe group showed a 80.0% tumor incidence. The tumor incidence was negatively associated with Se levels of diets. Tumor multiplicity in Hse group was significantly low compared to the other groups (p < 0.05). With increasing Se levels of diets, the primary anti-proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)-positive cells were decreased and apoptotic bodies were increased in a dose-dependent manner. Sedependent glutathione peroxidase activity and its protein level were dependent on the levels of Se of diets. Malondialdehyde level in liver was lowest in Hse group among experimental groups. These findings indicate that dietary Se is chemopreventive for colon cancer by increasing antioxidant activity and decreasing cell proliferation in Fe-deficient mice.

Selenium is an essential micronutrient which functions as an essential constituent of selenoproteins. The selenoproteins play an important role in the body’s defense from free radicals associated with chronic diseases such as cancer. The effect of selenium on colon carcinogenesis was investigated using an experimental animal model. Five-week old ICR mice were acclimated for one week, and fed on the Fe-overloaded diet (450 ppm) with different Se diets (0.02, 0.1 or 0.5 ppm) for 12 weeks. Animals were injected intraperitoneally with azoxymethane (AOM, 10 mg/㎏ B.W. weekly for 3 weeks), followed by 2% dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) in the drinking water for a week. There were three experimental groups including low Se group (Lse), medium (normal standard diet for mice) Se (MSe), and high Se (HSe). The numbers of aberrant crypt foci (ACF) and aberrant crypt (AC) were measured in the colonic mucosa. The iron and selenium concentrations in liver was measured using ICP-AES. Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity was determined in the liver and colon. TUNEL assay for cell apoptosis and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) staining for cell proliferation were performed. Immunohistochemical staining of β-catenin was also performed in mucous tissue of colon. The dietary Se decreased the numbers of ACF/㎠ and AC/㎠ in a dose-dependent manner. HSe diet significantly decreased the numbers of AC/㎠, compared with LSe diet (p<0.05). The tumor incidence rate in low Se diet group was 5% higher than medium Se diet group and 20% higher than high Se diet group. The activities of GPx in the liver and colon were dependent on the content of dietary selenium. Apoptosis-positive cells were also increased by dietary Se in a dose-dependent manner. PCNA-positive staining was weak in high Se group. β-catenin stained area was increased in low Se group while it was decreased in high Se group. These findings indicate that dietary selenium exert a protecting effect on colon cancer by inhibiting the development of ACF/AC, increasing GPX and apoptosis, and decreasing cell proliferation and expression of β-catenin in mice.

Selenium (Se) obtained from dietary sources is an essential micronutrient for normal body function and it functions as an essential constituent of selenoproteins. We investigated the influence of Se on the formation of colonic aberrant crpyt foci (ACF) and tumor formation induced by azoxymethane (AOM) and dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) in male ICR mice. Five-week old ICR mice were acclimated for one week and fed on the low iron diet (LFe, 4.5 ppm) and different Se diet [Lse (0.02 ppm), Normal Se (0.1 ppm), HSe (0.5 ppm)] for 12 weeks. Animals received intraperitoneal injections of AOM (10㎎/㎏ B.W. in saline weekly for 3 weeks), followed by 2% DSS (molecular weight 36,000～50,000) in the drinking water for a week. There were five experimental groups, including a normal control group, AOM/DSS, LFe+AOM/DSS, LFe+AOM/DSS+LSe, LFe+AOM/DSS+HSe. After sacrifice of animals, the total numbers of AC and ACF were measured in the colonic mucosa. The number of mice bearing tumors was expressed as tumor incidence rate. The iron and selenium liver concentration was measured using ICP-AES. Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity was determined using a GPx assay kit in the liver and colon. TUNEL and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) staining were performed to examine the cell apoptosis and cell proliferation. In addition, immunohistochemistry of β-catenin was also performed on the mucous membrane tissue of colon. In AOM/DSS-induced colon carcinogenesis animal model, LFe diet decreased the number of 2.95±2.5 ACF/cm2 to 1.85±1.1 ACF/cm2 but it increased the total number of 5.06±4.2 AC/cm2 to 6.19±4.8 AC/cm2 compared with normal iron diet. In the iron-deficient mice, selenium did not affect the either the number of ACF or AC. The tumor incidence rate was higher in LFe diet groups than in normal iron diet group and high selenium diet weakly reduced the tumor incidence. Low selenium diet decreased the activity of GPx in the liver and colon. Apoptotic positive cells were decreased in the low selenium diet group. In addition, on the β-catenin staining, positive cells were increased in the low selenium diet group while they were decreased in the high selenium diet group. These findings indicate that the dietary levels of selenium was not highly enough to exhibit a significant protection against colon carcinogenesis in the iron-deficient mice. However, our results also indicate that dietary selenium might exert a protecting effect against colon cancer by increasing GPx activity and apoptosis and by inhibiting cell proliferation and β-catenin over-expression.

본 연구에서는 azoxymethane (AOM)과 dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)로 유도된 대장 발암과정에 대한 셀레늄의 방어 효과를 조사하였다. 셀레늄 결핍(0.02 ppm Se), 정상(0.1 ppm Se), 과다(0.5 ppm Se)사료를 12주간 식이로 급여하여 혈액검사와 대장암 발생의 초기단계인 aberrant crypt foci (ACF)수를 측정했으며, 암 발생율을 조사하였다. ICP-AES 를 사용하여 간의 셀레늄 농도를 측정하였으며, 또한 셀레늄포함 항산화효소인 glutathione peroxidase (GPx) 활성을 알아보았다. 또한 TUNEL assay와 PCNA, β-catenin에 대한 면역조직 염색을 수행하였다. ACF 수 및 종양 발생률에 있어서, 셀레늄과다사료를 급여한 군이 정상셀레늄사료를 급여한 군보다 낮았으며, 셀레늄결핍사료를 급여한 군은 오히려 ACF 수 및 종양 발생률이 높았다. GPx 활성은 셀레늄의 섭취가 과다한 군에서 높게 나타났으며, 이 때, TUNEL 에서 apoptotic positive cell이 증가하는 것을 확인했다. 또 한 셀레늄의 섭취가 과다한 군에서 PCNA와 β-catenin의 발현이 감소됨을 볼 수 있었다. 본 마우스 모델실험에서 셀레늄은 여러 기전에 의해 대장암 발생을 억제할 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

The trace element nutrient selenium discharges its well-known nutritional anti-tumor activity. Converging data from epidemiological, ecological and clinical studies have shown that selenium can decrease the risk for some types of human cancers, especially those of the prostate, lung, and colon. Mechanistic studies have indicated that selenium has many desirable attributes of chemoprevention targeting cancer cells through DNA single strand breaks, the induction of reactive oxygen species. However, there is no reports about the relationship between methylseleninic acid (MSeA), one of methylselenol metabolites and cell cycle arrest in LNCaP human prostate cancer cells. Our data showed that MSeA arrested G1/S pahse of cell cycle arrest and inhibited DNA synthesis in LNCaP cells and those cellular events by MSeA were due to the induction of p27 protein which is a well-known cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor. Taken together, cell cycle arrest occurred by MSeA may contribute to the growth-inhibition of prostate cancer cells.

고랭지에서 재배되는 주요 양채류의 기능성 향상을 위한 적정 셀레늄처리 방법을 구명하고자, sodium selenate처리 농도, 처리시기 및 처리 횟수에 따른 작물생육과 작물체내 무기성분, ascorbic acid, nitrate 및 셀레늄 함량에 미치는 영향을 조사하였다. Sodium selenate 1, 2, 5 및 20mg·L-1처리구에서 공시작물 모두 초기생육은 큰 차이가 없었으나, 처리 60일 후부터 5mg·L-1 이상의 고농도에서는 생육이 크게 억제되어, 무처리구에 비해 5mg·L-1처리구에서도 결구상추는 33%, 브로콜리는 47%, 파슬리는 74% 생체중이 감소한대 비해 비트와 셀러리는 고농도에서도 생육억제 현상이 크지 않아 20mg·L-1농도에서 생체중이 20%와 15% 감소하였다. sodium selenate 처리에 따른 작물체내 ascorbic acid 함량은 결구상추의 경우 셀레늄처리 농도가 높아질수록 증가하는 경향을 보여 20mg·L-1처리구는 무처리구에 비해 약 1.2배 높았고, 셀러리와 비트도 같은 농도에서 약 10% 정도 함량 증가를 보였으나, 브로콜리와 파슬리는 셀레늄처리에 따른 통계적 유의차는 없었다. 식물체내 nitrate함량은 무처리구에 비해 모든 작물에서 감소하였으며, 처리농도가 증가할수록 감소의 폭은 큰 경향을 나타내었다. 작물별 질산염의 함량 저하는 결구상추에서 가장 현저하였으며, 그 다음이 비트, 셀러리 순이었다. 무기성분 K, Ca, Mg의 함량은 공시작물 모두 처리농도가 높아질수록 감소하는 경향을 보였다. 성분별로는 K성분이 모든 작물에서 고도의 부(負) 상관관계를 나타냈으나, Mg와 Ca함량이 감소는 농도간의 차이에 유의성이 없었다. Sodium selenate 처리에 따른 식물체내 셀레늄함량은 처리 농도가 증가함에 따라 모든 공시작물에서 비례적으로 증가하여, 고농도인 20mg·L-1 처리구에서 브로콜리는 무처리구 보다 24.4배, 셀러리는 76.4배, 파슬리는 560배의 높은 함량을 보였으며, 결구상추, 비트도 같은 경향을 보였다. 작물의 생육단계별 처리에서는 생육초기에 후기보다 결구상추는 1.3배, 브로콜리는 1.4배 높았으나, 파슬리와 셀러리는 생육중기에 처리한 것이 가장 높은 함량을 보였다. 처리 횟수별 Se 함량은 파슬리, 셀러리 및 결구상추는 처리 횟수에 비례하여 증가하다가 10회 이상이 되면 셀레늄의 축적량이 둔감해지는 경향을 나타냈으나, 브로콜리는 처리횟수가 많으면 많아질수록 셀레늄의 축적량도 지속적으로 증가하는 경향을 나타냈다.

강원도 고랭지 지역의 재배토양과 주요 양채류의 셀레늄 함량을 조사하고 관비재배시 sodium selenate첨가가 작물생육과 셀레늄함량 증가에 미치는 영향을 조사하였다. 고랭지 지역의 토양의 셀레늄 함량은 0.024~0.038mg·kg-1의 분포를 보여 전반적으로 낮은 함량을 나타냈다. 각 지역에서 재배된 브로콜리의 셀레늄 함량은 적게는 10.5mg에서 많게는 17.9 mg·kg-1DW로 나타났으며, 토양내 셀레늄 함량이 높을수록 재배 작물체내의 함량도 높아지는 경향을 보였다. 셀러리의 셀리늄 함량은 6.02 mg·kg-11이었고, 비트, 결구상추 및 파슬리는 1mg 전후로 매우 낮은 함량을 나타내었다. 관비재배시 sodium selenate 2mg·L-1처리구는 무처리구(대조구)에 비해 생육및 작물체내 셀레늄함량을 증진시켰다. 2mg·L-1농도 60일간 관비재배한 결과 양채류의 Se 함량은 브로콜리 76.2mg·L-1, 파슬리 69.1mg·L-1, 셀러리 63.2mg·L-1, 비트 54.2mg·L-1, 결구상추 8.3mg·L-1순이었으며 브로콜리는 대조구보다 4.2배, 셀러리는 10.5배, 파슬리는 62.5배가 증가하였다.

Insulin, transferrin and selenium (ITS) complex is reported to improve in vitro development of oocytes and embryos. This study was carried out to investigate the effects of ITS during in vitro culture (IVC) of porcine parthenogenetic and nuclear transfer (NT) embryos on subsequent developmental capacity in vitro. The electrically activated oocytes were cultured in Porcine Zygote Medium (PZM-3) with various concentrations (0, 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0%) of ITS for 7 days. Also, the electrically activated reconstructed embryos were cultured in PZM-3 with various concentrations (0, 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0%) of ITS for 6 days. Addition of ITS to culture medium did not affect development of porcine parthenogenetic embryos in vitro. To test the effect of ITS on the in vitro development of porcine NT embryos, factorial experiments were also performed for in vitro maturation (IVM) medium (TCM-199) with or without 1% ITS and culture medium (PZM-3) with or without 0.5% ITS. Addition of 0.5% ITS to culture medium increased (p<0.05) the proportion of NT blastocysts compared with non-treated group. In contrast, addition of 1% ITS to culture medium was ineffective or had a detrimental effect. Also, addition of ITS only to maturation medium increased (p<0.05) the percentage of NT blastocysts formation compared with the control group. In conclusion, addition of ITS to IVM or IVC medium could improve subsequent blastocyst development of porcine NT embryos.

셀레늄과 게르마늄 처리 시 배추(봄, 가을배추)와 고추의 생육과 품질의 변화를 조사하였다. 셀레늄처리에 의한 봄배추와 가을배추의 생체중은 차이가 없었고 Ge 처리시 높은 농도에서 생체중이 감소하였으나 고추에서는 차이가 없었다. 배추의 셀레늄 처리 경우 비타민 C 함량은 Se 4mg·L-1 10회 처리가 무 처리에 비하여 증가하였으며 게르마늄 처리 경우 Ge 4mg·L-1 10회 처리와 Ge 8mg·L-1 5회 처리에서 증가하였다. 고추에서 셀레늄 처리에 의해 Se 2mg·L-1 20회 처리가 높았으며 홍고추가 풋고추에 비교하여 비타민 C 함량이 약 2배가량 많았다. 봄, 가을배추 부위별 셀레늄함량은 외엽〉중엽〉내엽 순으로 많았고 엽육부위가 중륵에 비해 높았으며 농도의 증가에 따라 증가하는 경향이었다. 게르마늄 처리 시 가을 배추 잎에서 모든 처리구가 무 처리에 비해 높았다.

토양에 비료 형태로 투여한 셀레늄 농도와 처리기간이 마늘의 생육에 미치는 영향을 구명하고자 본 실험을 수행하였다. 셀레늄의 농도가 높고 처리기간이 길수록 생체중은 대조구에 비하여 감소하였다. 셀레늄의 처리농도가 높고 처리기간이 길수록 3주 후 셀레늄의 함량은 구보다는 엽초에 많이 축적되었다 그러나 처리 6주 후에는 구〉엽초〉뿌리 순으로 셀레늄의 함량이 높았다. 셀레늄 처리 후 토양에 잔류하고 있는 셀레늄의 함량은 대조구와 차이가 없었다.