Interference of altered plasma trace elements profile with hyperhomocysteinemia and oxidative stress damage to insulin secretion dysfunction in Psammomys obesus: focus on the selenium

Abstract

The objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between altered plasma trace elements, particularly selenium (Se), with Hyper-homocysteinemia (HhCys) as a predictive factor of insulin secretion dysfunction. The study is carried out on adult Psammomys obesus, divided in 4 experimental groups: (I) Normoglycemic/Normoinsulinemic; (II) Normoglycemic/Hyperinsulinemic; (III) Hyperglycaemic/Hyperinsulinemic and (IV) Hyperglycaemic/Insulin deficiency with ketoacidosis. The data showed that a drastic depletion of Se plasma levels is positively correlated with HhCys (>15 µmol/L; p < .001), concomitantly with decreased GPx activity, GSH levels, and GSH/GSSG ratio in group IV both in plasma and liver. In contrast, SOD activity is increased (p ≤ .001) in group IV both in plasma and liver. However, plasma Cu and Mn levels increased, while plasma Zn levels decreased in group IV (p < .001). Our study confirms the increase of plasma hCys levels seemed to be a major contributing factor to antioxidant capacities and alters the availability of selenium metabolism by interference with homocysteine synthesis in the insulin secretion deficiency stage.

Keywords:

• Selenium
• hyperhomocysteine
• type 2 diabetes mellitus
• oxidative stress
• Psammomys obesus

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author (EA. Koceir). The data are not publicly available due to restrictions, for example, their containing information that could compromise the privacy of research participants.

Additional information

Funding

The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support of the Algerian Agency for the Research & Development in Health (PNR No. 208/ANDRS and PNR No.41/ANDRS/2011) and the Algerian Ministry of Higher Education Program (No. F 0022014 0100).