The Involvement of Selenium in Type 2 Diabetes Development Related to Obesity and Low Grade Inflammation

Rossukon Wongdokmai,1 Prapimporn Chattranukulchai Shantavasinkul,2 Suwannee Chanprasertyothin,3 Pachara Panpunuan,2 Dujrudee Matchariyakul,4 Piyamitr Sritara,2 Jintana Sirivarasai5 1Doctoral Program in Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital and Institute of Nutrition, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand; 2Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand; 3Research & Innovation, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand; 4Health Office, Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, Bangkok, Thailand; 5Graduate Program in Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, ThailandCorrespondence: Jintana SirivarasaiGraduate Program in Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, 270 Rama 6 Road, Ratchatavee District, Bangkok, 10400, ThailandTel +662-201-1483Fax +662-201-2625Email jintana.sir@mahidol.ac.thBackground: Effects of the micronutrient selenium have been proposed in obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) that involve impairments in glucose metabolic pathways and the insulin signaling cascade, mediated through oxidative stress and inflammation. However, the evidence collected to date through animal and epidemiologic studies has been inconclusive. Therefore, in the present study, we aimed to evaluate the relationships of selenium status and inflammation with T2DM and obesity.Methods: Participants in the re-survey of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT)2 study conducted in 2013 (N=655, age 45– 60 years) were allocated to three groups based on their body mass index (World Health Organization Asia-Pacific Classification), and their serum selenium and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) concentrations and other clinical parameters were compared.Results: Significant differences in serum selenium and hs-CRP among the groups were associated with differences in fasting blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin, as well as differences in the prevalence of prediabetes or T2DM. The adjusted odds ratios (ORs) (95% confidence intervals) for prediabetes or diabetes were 1.991 (1.318– 3.009) and 3.786 (2.087– 6.896) for the lowest and highest tertiles of serum selenium concentration in the entire sample and obese participants, respectively. Furthermore, the rising extent of hs-CRP increased the significantly associated with prediabetes or diabetes (adjusted ORs; 2.268 for the entire sample, 4.043 for the overweight and 1.910 for the obesity).Conclusion: Selenium status may be linked to both obesity and T2DM through its effects on signaling pathways. Further nutrigenomic studies are required to clarify the relationship between selenium and metabolic diseases.Keywords: serum selenium, obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, chronic inflammation, high sensitivity C-reactive protein