Growth, reproduction rates and mammary gland selenium concentration and glutathione-peroxidase activity of BALB/c female mice fed two dietary levels of selenium.

This research was designed to determine the effect of various levels of dietary selenium on growth of BALB/c female mice. The selenium concentration and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity in different developmental stages of the mammary gland was determined in the female mice fed 0.03 and 1.5 ppm Se. The development stages studied were: virgin (at 20 and 26 weeks of age), pregnant, lactating and involuted mammary gland. Also, the effect of the two levels of dietary selenium (0.03 and 1.5 ppm Se) on second generation reproductive rates were determined. There was no effect of dietary selenium (0.03, 0.20 or 2.00 ppm Se) on the growth rate of the mice except during pregnancy. The pregnant mice fed the 1.5 ppm Se diet had a greater growth rate than the mice fed the 0.03 ppm diet. Selenium levels in the mammary glands were higher in mice fed the 1.5 ppm Se diet than those fed the 0.03 p]pm Se diet. However, only in the mice with the highest growth rate, 10-week-old virgins, pregnant and lactating mice, was there an effect of dietary selenium on mammary gland GSH-Px activity. The reproductive rates for the second generation mice fed the two diets were similar to rates of mice fed stock diet. When both mating pairs (male and female) consumed the 0.03 ppm Se diet, the reproductive rates were lower than all other mating pairs. Thus, two conclusions can be made from these studies. First, as measured by growth and reproductive capabilities there were no signs of toxicity in mice fed the 1.5-2.0 ppm Se diet. Secondly, the differentiative states of the mammary gland influenced the selenium requirement for GSH-Px activity