Selenium and drug metabolism--I. Multiple modulations of mouse liver enzymes.

Male albino mice were raised on diets containing less than 10 ppb selenium (Se-) or supplemented with 0.5 ppm selenium (Se+) for 6 months. In the (Se-) group total liver selenium was less than 10% of the control, liver selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) less than 2%. The specific activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase showed essentially no differences between the dietary groups. Several phase I-related specific enzyme activities were measured in liver microsomes. No significant differences between the two animal groups were found for cytochrome P-450 and b 5 content, NADH-cytochrome b 5 reductase, as well as for aniline hydroxylation and aminopyrine dealkylation rates. In (Se-) microsomes, NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase activity was about half that found in (Se+) microsomes. An increase in microsomes from (Se-) mice was found for 7-ethoxycoumarine deethylation rate (460%), cytochrome P-450 hydroperoxidase activity (170%), and heme oxygenase (276%). The N-oxidation rate of the flavin-containing monooxygenase decreased by 35%, the N-demethylation rate by 50% in (Se-) animals. Stopped-flow measurements of the reduction rates of microsomal pigments did not support evidence for limitations in microsomal electron supply during selenium deficiency. Among the phase II reactions examined, sulfotransferase activity towards 4-nitrophenol was 47% of the controls in Se-deficient liver cytosols while UDP-glucuronyl transferase activity towards this substrate increased to 215%. Glutathione-S-transferase activity was much higher in (Se-) livers than in (Se+): 310% with 1,2-dichloro-4-nitrobenzene, 255% with 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene and 120% with ethacrynic acid as substrate. The data indicate that in addition to GSH-Px many other enzyme activities in mouse liver are affected by prolonged dietary selenium deficiency. These effects might be useful in assessing the severity of selenium deficiency. A microsomal selenium-dependent metabolic modulator is discussed as a possible mechanism.