Increased proliferative activity in selenium-deficient mouse liver.

Male albino NMRI mice were fed a selenium-deficient (Se-), torula yeast-based diet containing less than 10 ppb Se for at least 2 months (Se-) while a control group received the same diet supplemented (Se+) with 330 ppb Se as Na2SeO3. The Se-(-)animals showed multiple enzyme modulations of liver enzyme activities indicating that they were in a severely Se- state. No significant difference in the basic DNA synthesis rate of Se-(-)animals compared to Se+ controls was measured. However, when liver cell proliferation was induced by either hepatopoietin pretreatment or by partial hepatectomy, an about 3-fold increase in DNA replication rates was found in Se- compared to controls. We conclude that the enhanced proliferative activity in Se- mouse liver is expressed in an emergency situation.