Selenium effect on oxidative stress factors in septic rats.

PURPOSE Severe oxidative stress is an important event that occurs in patients with sepsis. The body has extensive and multiple defense mechanisms against the reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced during inflammation and sepsis. One of these mechanisms includes a group of enzymes that utilize selenium as their cofactor. The purpose of this study is investigating of Selenium effect on oxidative stress factors in animal model of sepsis. METHODS Sepsis was induced by caecal ligation and puncture (CLP) method. 30 Male Wistar rats were divided into following groups: sham group; CLP group; 100 μg/kg Selenium- treated CLP group. 12 hours after inducing sepsis animals were killed and lungs were removed. One of the lungs was frozen in liquid nitrogen and kept at -70°C for enzymatic activity analysis and the other was kept in formalin 10% until tissue section preparation performed for histopathological studies. RESULTS The Myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity was decreased in Selenium- treated CLP group. Inflammation score of lung tissue was lowered in Selenium- treated CLP group, but it wasn't statically significant. Level of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) was higher in CLP and Selenium- treated CLP groups. CONCLUSION It seems that Selenium has protective effect on lung inflammation during acute lung injury. Also it may improve some stress oxidative profile during CLP model of sepsis.