Selenium and Immunocompetence in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer

Abstract

This randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study aimed to determine whether oral intake of 200 microg/d of sodium selenite, a dose within the safe and adequate daily intake (50-200 microg/d) recommended by the U.S. Food and Nutrition Board, will abrogate depressed or enhance normal-level immune functions of patients receiving therapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Subjects were given one selenium/placebo tablet/d for 8 wk, beginning on the day of their first treatment for the disease (e.g., surgery, radiation, or surgery and radiation) and their immune functions were monitored. Supplementation with selenium (Se) during therapy resulted in a significantly enhanced cell-mediated immunue responsiveness, as reflected in the ability of the patient's lymphocytes to respond to stimulation with mitogen, to generate cytotoxic lymphocytes, and to destroy tumor cells. The enhanced responsiveness was evident during therapy and following conclusion of therapy. In contrast, patients in the placebo arm of the study showed a decline in immune responsiveness during therapy, which was followed, in some patients, by an enhancement, but the responses of the group remained significantly lower than baseline values. The data also show that at baseline, patients entered in the study had significantly lower plasma Se levels than healthy individuals, and patients in stage I or II of disease had significantly higher plasma selenium levels than patients in stage III or IV of disease.

Comparative study of plasma zinc and selenium levels amongst Human Immunodeficiency Virus(HIV) positive and negative subjects

“…The HIV positive subjects had higher levels of Se than the HIV negative subjects. This result is similar to Khalili et al, 2011 but (Zhang et al, 1999) but as an integral component of glutathione peroxidase and thioredoxin reductase, selenium plays an important role in decreasing oxidative stress in HIV-infected cells possibly suppressing the rate of HIV replication (Kiremidjian-Schumacher et al, 2000). Therefore the fact that "decreasing plasma selenium concentrations in HIV-infected individuals are sensitive markers of disease progression and severity", even before malnutrition becomes a factor (Fawzi, 2003) and Low levels of plasma selenium been associated with a significantly increased risk of death from HIV infection, would indicate our study caught HIV subjects that were in the state of early course (low severity)of the infection thus their high level of Se or as a result of the supplementary micronutrient taken by the HIV subjects.…”

The argument for increasing selenium intake

“…120-134 (ig/1, supplementation with 200 |ig/d Se has considerable immunoenhancing effects (Kiremidjian-Schumacher et al 1994). These effects have been demonstrated by the same research group in patients undergoing therapy for head and neck cancer (Kiremidjian-Schumacher et al 2000). …”

Rare adipose disorders (RADs) masquerading as obesity

“…Lipedema SAT is unaffected by caloric restriction alone [175] . 11) Selenium: Sodium selenite (selenium) has proven effective for reduction of secondary lymphedema [169,[176][177][178][179][180][181] . The US National Research Council has defined the individual maximum safe dietary intake for selenium as 600 μg daily and the no adverse effect level as 800 μg daily.…”