Lymphocyte response is enhanced by supplementation of elderly subjects with selenium-enriched yeast

• Published in: The American journal of clinical nutrition Vol. 53; no. 5; pp. 1323 - 1328
• Main Authors: Peretz, A, Nève, J, Desmedt, J, Duchateau, J, Dramaix, M, Famaey, JP
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD Elsevier Inc 01.05.1991; American Society for Clinical Nutrition
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; ALDEHIDOS; ALDEHYDE; Analysis of Variance; BELGICA; BELGIQUE; Belgium; Biological and medical sciences; blood; blood chemistry; blood plasma; COMPOSICION DE LA SANGRE; COMPOSITION DU SANG; dietary mineral supplements; Double-Blind Method; drug effects; elderly; elderly subjects; Female; General and cellular metabolism. Vitamins; Humans; immune response; IMMUNITE CELLULAIRE; immunity; Immunity, Cellular; Immunity, Cellular - drug effects; INMUNIDAD CELULAR; LECTINA; LECTINE; LEVADURA; LEVURE; Lymphocyte Activation; Lymphocyte Activation - drug effects; lymphocyte proliferation; lymphocyte response; Male; malondialdehyde; Malondialdehyde - blood; Medical sciences; MINERALES; MINERAUX; mitogens; PERSONNE AGEE; pharmacology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; PLASMA SANGUIN; PLASMA SANGUINEO; REPONSE IMMUNITAIRE; RESPUESTA INMUNOLOGICA; SELENIO; SELENIUM; Selenium - blood; Selenium - pharmacology; supplementation; TERCERA EDAD; Yeast, Dried; yeasts; Belgium; supplementation; lymphocyte response; Selenium; immunity; elderly subjects; mitogens; Human; Chemotherapy; Treatment; Immunological investigation; Cellular immunity; Malnutrition; Lymphocyte; Elderly; Nutritional status
• ISSN: 0002-9165; 1938-3207
• DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/53.5.1323

The effect of selenium supplementation on plasma selenium concentrations and lymphocyte-proliferation responses to mitogens was investigated in 22 elderly institutionalized subjects. Subjects were assigned to a 6-mo trial with either 100 µg Se/d (as selenium-enriched yeast) or a placebo. Plasma selenium concentrations of the selenium-supplemented group increased from 0.84 ± 0.26 to 1.55 ± 0.33 µmol/L (x̄ ± SD) after 2 mo and the values plateaued thereafter. The mean response of lymphocytes to mitogens in elderly subjects tended to be lower than responses in healthy adults, although responses remained within the 5–95% confidence-interval limit for healthy adults. During selenium supplementation the proliferative response to pokeweed mitogen increased significantly (+79% of baseline concentrations after 4 mo, P < 0.01) and reached the upper limit of the usual range for adults after 6 mo (+138%, P < 0.001). In accordance with previous studies in animals and in vitro, this investigation demonstrates for the first time immunostimulatory properties of selenium-enriched yeast in elderly humans.