Effects of Selenium Supplementation on Gene Expression Levels of Inflammatory Cytokines and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Patients with Gestational Diabetes
Authors: Mehri Jamilian
Esmat Aghadavod
Mansooreh Samimi
Zatollah Asemi
Robabeh Mohammadbeigi
Maryam Rahimi
Faraneh Afshar Ebrahimi
Journal: Biological Trace Element Research (2018)
Discipline: BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
Keywords: Gene expression; Gestational diabetes; Inflammation; Selenium.
Affiliations: Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, School of Medicine, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran., Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, School of Medicine, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran., Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, IR, Iran., Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran., Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. ., Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, IR, Iran. .

Abstract:  Selenium is known to exert multiple beneficial effects including anti-inflammatory actions. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of selenium supplementation on gene expression levels of inflammatory cytokines and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in women with gestational diabetes (GDM). This randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was carried out among 40 subjects diagnosed with GDM aged 18-40 years old. Subjects were randomly allocated into two groups to receive either 200 μg/day selenium supplements (n = 20) or placebo (n = 20) for 6 weeks. Gene expression of inflammatory cytokines and VEGF were assessed in lymphocytes of GDM women with RT-PCR method. Results of RT-PCR indicated that after the 6-week intervention, compared with the placebo, selenium supplementation downregulated gene expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) (P = 0.02) and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) (P = 0.01), and upregulated gene expression of VEGF (P = 0.03) in lymphocytes of patients with GDM. There was no statistically significant change following supplementation with selenium on gene expression of interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-8 in lymphocytes of subjects with GDM. Selenium supplementation for 6 weeks in women with GDM significantly decreased gene expression of TNF-α and TGF-β, and significantly increased gene expression of VEGF, but did not affect gene expression of IL-1β and IL-8. Clinical trial registration number http://www.irct.ir : IRCT201612045623N95. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 There are many concerns about the integrity of 172 publications by this research group, including this one. Some of the concerns are published 1. Anaesthesia 2020;75:1683u201392, see Supplementary data. This paper is A137 2. Account Res 2020;28:149-61. 3. J Clin Epidemiol 2021;131:22-29. Journals and publishers were notified of these concerns in July 2019. 18 publications have an expression of concern, and 6 have been retracted. To our knowledge there has been no public response about any of the concerns. We think these publications are unreliable ,