Effect of Low Selenium Diet on Glutathione Peroxidase 3 Concentration in Male Sprague-Dawley Rats’ Serum

Sa？etak Aim: Determination of antioxidative enzyme glutathione peroxidase 3 (GPx3) serum concentrations after consumption of food which contains different concentrations of selenium (Se). Research subjects and methods: Four-week-old Sprague Dawley rats consumed food containing different concentrations of Se (food Divan) over a period of 10 weeks. The animals were divided into two groups: 1) normal Se (0.363 mg/kg Se) and 2) low Se (0.030 mg/kg Se). Each animal was weighed at the end of protocol, and serum samples were collected for determining GPx3 concentrations. All experimental procedures were in compliance with the European Convention for the Protection of Vertebrate Animals used for Experimental and other Scientific Purposes and approved by the Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Medicine in Osijek and the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Croatia. Results: Different concentrations of Se in food did not cause a change in body weight. Food containing the recommended intake of Se according to the guidelines of the World Health Organization significantly increased GPx3 enzyme concentration (13.96±0.42 mg/ml) when compared to low selective Se (12.04 ± 0.33 mg/ml, p = 0.002). Conclusion: Serum concentration of the antioxidant enzyme GPx3 depends on the concentration of Se in food. It is shown that, in comparison with food with low Se levels, food containing a normal concentration of Se is enriched with the antioxidant GPx3 which, according to numerous studies, has a protective role in the human body