Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA.
College of Arts, Sciences & Education, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA.
Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Dec 28;23(1):280. doi: 10.3390/ijms23010280.
Viral infections have afflicted human health and despite great advancements in scientific knowledge and technologies, continue to affect our society today. The current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has put a spotlight on the need to review the evidence on the impact of nutritional strategies to maintain a healthy immune system, particularly in instances where there are limited therapeutic treatments. Selenium, an essential trace element in humans, has a long history of lowering the occurrence and severity of viral infections. Much of the benefits derived from selenium are due to its incorporation into selenocysteine, an important component of proteins known as selenoproteins. Viral infections are associated with an increase in reactive oxygen species and may result in oxidative stress. Studies suggest that selenium deficiency alters immune response and viral infection by increasing oxidative stress and the rate of mutations in the viral genome, leading to an increase in pathogenicity and damage to the host. This review examines viral infections, including the novel SARS-CoV-2, in the context of selenium, in order to inform potential nutritional strategies to maintain a healthy immune system.
病毒感染一直困扰着人类的健康，尽管在科学知识和技术方面取得了巨大的进步，但它们今天仍然影响着我们的社会。当前的冠状病毒（COVID-19）大流行凸显了需要重新审视营养策略对维持健康免疫系统的影响的证据，特别是在治疗方法有限的情况下。硒是人体必需的微量元素，长期以来一直被用于降低病毒感染的发生和严重程度。硒的大部分益处来自于将其纳入硒代半胱氨酸，这是一种称为硒蛋白的蛋白质的重要组成部分。病毒感染会导致活性氧的增加，并可能导致氧化应激。研究表明，硒缺乏会通过增加氧化应激和病毒基因组突变率来改变免疫反应和病毒感染，从而导致致病性增加和宿主损伤。本综述从硒的角度检查了包括新型 SARS-CoV-2 在内的病毒感染，以便为维持健康免疫系统的潜在营养策略提供信息。
