Selenoproteins are expressed in fetal human osteoblast-like cells.

Selenoproteins are involved in mechanisms of cell differentiation and defense. We investigated the expression of glutathione peroxidases, as well as other selenoproteins, in fetal human osteoblasts (hFOB-cells). Using 75-selenium metabolic labelling of viable hFOB-cells, we identified several selenoproteins in cell lysates of about 45-80 kDa and in the migration range of 14 kDa to 24 kDa. Cells expressed low mRNA levels of both cellular glutathione peroxidase and plasma glutathione peroxidase mRNA as analysed by Southern analysis of RT-PCR products. Basal cellular glutathione peroxidase enzyme activity in hFOB-cells (19.7 nmol NADPH oxidised per min and microg protein) was further increased 2.5-fold by the addition of 100 nM sodium selenite to the culture medium for 3 days. Furthermore, expression of selenoprotein P mRNA was demonstrated by RT-PCR. hFOB-cells did not show activities of the selenoproteins type I or type II 5'-deiodinase. In summary, we identified cellular glutathione peroxidase, plasma glutathione peroxidase and selenoprotein P among of a panel of several 75-selenium labelled proteins in human fetal osteoblasts. The expression of selenoproteins like glutathione peroxidases in hFOB-cells represents a new system of osteoblast antioxidative defense that may be relevant for the protection against hydrogen peroxide produced by osteoclasts during bone remodelling.