Effects of selenium-vitamin E injection on bovine polymorphonucleated leukocytes phagocytosis and killing of Staphylococcus aureus.

Phagocytosis and killing of Staphylococcus aureus by polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) from 8 selenium (Se)-deficient dairy cows from Wisconsin was compared with that in 5 Se-vitamin E injected dairy cows from the same herd. There was no significant difference in the ability of the PMN to phagocytize bacteria. However, PMN of Se-vitamin E injected cows killed the phagocytized bacteria significantly (P less than 0.025) better than did PMN from Se-deficient cows. The defect in the killing capability of PMN of Se-deficient cows might be due to reduced dihydronicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate concentration as a result of diminished glutathione peroxidase activity due to Se-deficiency.