Effect of sodium selenite on the activity of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase) during hepatocarcinogenesis

Influence of sodium selenite on functioning of the systems of intracellular generation and detoxication of active oxygen compounds in hepatocarcinogenesis induced by diethylnitrosamine has been studied in experiments on rats. It has been shown that the duration of latent period initiated by ions of Fe2+ chemiluminescence of homogenate of the liver rather objectively reflects the state of the functioning of the systems in charge of the formation and utilization of free radicals of oxygen in a cell. It is supposed that one of the mechanisms of anticarcinogenic action of selenium is connected with its antioxidant functions in the organism and consists in the increase of the activity of superoxide dismutation and selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidases, providing a reliable level of enzymatic protection of normal cells from disturbing action of "active oxygen".