Effects of Se-methylselenocysteine on glutathione peroxidase and iodothyronine deiodinase activity in chicken embryonic brain and liver

Objective: To investigate the effect of selenium supplementation on activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and iodothyronine deiodinase (ID) in chicken embryonic brain and liver. Methods: Normal 8-day chicken embryos were injected with Se-methylselenocysteine (MSeC) of different concentrations (0, 1, 5, 10 or 20 μg selenium). Selenium concentration, GPx and iodothyronine deiodinase activities were assayed in 20-day embryos. Results: Suppling MSeC to normal chicken could increase selenium content and GPx activity in both brain and liver, and also increase ID I in liver, but could not change ID II activity in brain. MSeC dosage had significant correlations with all the parameters (P < 0.01) except ID II activity. Conclusions: MSeC, an effective selenium supplement, increases the selenium level and GPx activity in normal chicken embryonic brain and liver, and ID I activity in liver, possibly in a dose-dependent manner.