Effects of dietary selenium on lipid peroxidation, mitochondrial function and protein profiles in the heart of the myopathic Syrian golden hamster (BIO 14.6).

Male, weanling myopathic Syrian Golden Hamsters (BIO 14.6 strain) were fed a selenium-adequate diet (controls) or this diet supplemented with 1.0 ppm selenium (treated) for 30 days. Se-treated animals exhibited a 50% reduction in lipid peroxidation in heart homogenates relative to controls and a 61% increase in mitochondrial glycerophosphate acyltransferase activity. Gel electrophoresis revealed no alterations in cardiac protein profiles from treated or control animals. These data suggest that the selenium prevents peroxidative injury and maintains mitochondrial function in the absence of alterations in cardiac proteins.