Full Papers

Nutritional Immunology

Treatment with Selemax^®, a selenium-enriched yeast, ameliorates experimental arthritis in rats and mice

Angélica T. Vieira^a1, Kátia D. Silveira^a1, Maria C. C. Arruda^a1, Caio T. Fagundes^a1, Juliana L. Gonçalves^a1, Tarcília A. Silva^a2, Maria J. Neves^a3, Maria A. B. C. Menezes^a3, Jacques R. Nicoli^a4, Mauro M. Teixeira^a1 and Flaviano S. Martins^a1a4 c1

^a1 Laboratory of Immunopharmacology, Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil

^a2 Department of Clinic, Pathology and Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil

^a3 Centre of Development of Nuclear Technology/National Commission of Nuclear Energy (CDTN/CNEN), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil

^a4 Laboratory of Physiology and Ecology and Microorganisms, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Avenida Antonio Carlos, 6627 Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG 31270-901, Brazil

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease that mainly targets the synovial membrane, cartilage and bone. It affects 1 % of the population and is associated with significant morbidity and increased mortality. Se is an essential trace element with antioxidant properties and the ability to modulate the immune responses. Selemax^® is an inactive yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) enriched with organic Se. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of Selemax^® administration in models of an antigen-induced arthritis (AIA) in C57BL/6 mice, and of an adjuvant-induced arthritis (AdIA) in Holtzman rats. As control, the animals were treated with the same inactivated yeast species that was not enriched for Se. In the AIA model, treatment with different doses of Selemax^® (0·01, 0·1, 1 and 10 % added to food) significantly decreased the number of inflammatory cells recruited to the knee cavity, essentially by reducing the number of neutrophils. Levels of proinflammatory cytokines, including TNF-α, IL-1β and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1/keratinocyte chemoattractant (CXCL1/KC), were also reduced in the peri-articular tissue of mice treated with Selemax^® at the tested dose (1 %). In the AdIA model in rats, Selemax^® treatment decreased paw oedema and hypernociception. This reduction was associated with inhibition of the influx of proinflammatory cells. Therefore, treatment with Selemax^® is associated with amelioration of several inflammatory and functional parameters in models of arthritis, suggesting that this Se-enriched yeast should be evaluated further in patients with RA.

(Received August 03 2011)

(Revised November 28 2011)

(Accepted December 15 2011)

(Online publication January 25 2012)

Key Words:

• Saccharomyces cerevisiae ;
• Selenium;
• Antigen-induced arthritis;
• Adjuvant-induced arthritis;
• Rheumatoid arthritis

Correspondence:

^c1 Corresponding author: Professor F. S. Martins, fax +55 31 3409 2730, email flaviano@icb.ufmg.br

Footnotes

  Abbreviations: AdIA, adjuvant-induced arthritis; AIA, antigen-induced arthritis; CXCL1, chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1; KC, keratinocyte chemoattractant; LPS, lipopolysaccharide; MPO, myeloperoxidase; RA, rheumatoid arthritis; ROS, reactive oxygen species