Toxic effects of sodium selenite on pregnant mice and modification of the effects by vitamin E or reduced glutathione.

Toxic effects of sodium selenite (SS) on dams and/or conceptuses and modification of the effects by vitamin E (VE) or reduced glutathione (GSH) were investigated in pregnant mice during late gestation. Dose-dependent fetocidal effects and fetal growth retardation were observed in mothers injected SC with SS on day 12 but not on day 16 of gestation. On day 12, abortion occurred only at a dose level of 58.8 mumol/kg SS, whereas on day 16 it occurred at two dose levels: 27.2 and 40.0 mumol/kg SS. Pregnant mice were treated with or without VE (50 mg/kg, SC, daily from day 7 to day 11) and injected with a single dose of SS (46.2 mumol/kg, SC) on day 12. VE prevented abortion and maternal death, but none of the other effects such as fetal loss, fetal growth retardation, and decrease in body weight gain of the dams. Pretreatment with GSH (0, 2, or 5 mM/kg, SC) 20 min before SS injection on day 12 exacerbated maternal death, abortion, and decrease in body weight gain of the dams. No effect were observed in the number of live offspring, and in body weight of offspring.