Selenium and Antioxidative Capacity in Blood and Tissue of Cancer Patients Versus Control

Abstract

The micronutrient selenium is considered as tumor-protective, inter alia in its function as part of the selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase (GPx), which exerts important antioxidative capacity within the cellular glutathione redox system. Over the last three decades, special interest has focused in this context on prospective epidemiological studies as well as on comparative determinations of selenium and the GPx in blood of cancer patients versus control. Little data has become available in relation to comparative determinations in tissue. Therefore, in the present study we determined selenium and the selenium-dependent GPx in blood and tissue of cancer patients versus control. Patients (n = 100) with a broad spectrum of cancer entities, such as ovarian, breast, stomach, and colorectal cancers, showed significantly diminished whole blood selenium compared to controls (n = 103; p < 0.001). At the same time, cancer tissue from ovary, breast, stomach, and colon/rectum contained higher levels of selenium than control tissue. The differences were significant for breast (p < 0.001) and colorectal cancer tissue (p < 0.001). Lower levels of selenium were found in cancer tissues of the endometrium. In patients with colorectal cancer, GPx activities in plasma (p < 0.05) and erythrocytes (p < 0.001) were, corresponding to the selenium levels significantly decreased, whereas activities in cancer tissue increased (p < 0.001). An increased antioxidative capacity in cancer tissue might be an indicator for anticancer drug-resistances. The results will be discussed while taking into account results from other authors, which were investigated on Medline. Further research on intratumoral characteristics in relation to selenium and the glutathione redox system may be of particular assistance to practical oncology.

Zusammenfassung

Das Spurenelement Selen gilt als tumorprotektiv, unter anderem in seiner Funktion als Bestandteil der selenabhängigen Glutathion-Peroxidase (GPx), die wichtige antioxidative Kapazitäten innerhalb des zellulären Glutathion-Redoxsystem wahrnimmt. Auf diesem Hintergrund fokussierte sich in den letzten drei Jahrzehnten spezielles Interesse auf prospektive epidemiologische Studien sowie auf vergleichende Bestimmungen von Selen und GPx im Blut von Tumorpatienten versus Kontrolle. Gering ist die Datenlage zu vergleichenden Untersuchungen im Gewebe. Deshalb bestimmten wir in dieser Studie Selen und die selenabhängige GPx im Blut und Gewebe von Tumorpatienten versus Kontrolle. Patienten (n = 100) mit einem breiten Spektrum von Tumorentitäten, darunter Ovarial-, Mamma-, Magen- und kolorektale Karzinome, zeigten signifikant geringere Vollblut-Selenspiegel im Vergleich zur Kontrolle (n = 103; p < 0,001). Gleichzeitig enthielten Tumorgewebe von Ovar, Mamma, Magen und Kolon/Rektum höhere Selengehalte als die Kontrolle. Die Unterschiede waren für Mammakarzinome (p < 0,001) und kolorektale Karzinome (p < 0,001) signifikant. Geringere Mengen an Selen als die Kontrolle wurde für karzinomatöses Gewebe des Endometriums gefunden. Korrespondierend zu den Selengehalten zeigten sich für Patienten mit kolorektalen Karzinomen signifikant erniedrigte GPx-Aktivitäten im Plasma (p < 0,05) und Erythrozyten (p < 0,001), dagegen erhöhte Aktivitäten im Tumorgewebe (p < 0,001). Erhöhte antioxidative Kapazitäten im Tumorgewebe stellen möglicherweise einen Indikator für Zytostatika-Resistenzen dar. Die Ergebnisse werden unter Berücksichtigung der durch eine Medline-Recherche erhobenen Studienergebnisse anderer Autoren diskutiert. Weiterführende Untersuchungen intratumoraler Charakteristika zu Selen und dem Glutathion-Redoxsystem könnten hilfreiche Erkenntnisse für die praktische Onkologie liefern.

Key words

Selenium - Glutathione peroxidase - Tissue - Blood - Anticancer drug-resistance

Schlüsselwörter:

Selen - Glutathion-Peroxidase - Gewebe - Blut - Zytostatika-Resistenz

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