Effect of diet induced hypercholesterolemia and selenium supplementation on nitric oxide synthase activity.

The aim of the present study was to examine the activity of nitric oxide synthase (NOS, EC 1.14.23) in plasma of high fat diet (HFD, 2% cholesterol and 100 g table butter/kg diet) and HFD + selenium (Se, 1 ppm as sodium selenite) fed rabbits for three months. Significant increase in the serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels in HFD fed group was observed. The activity of NOS also increased very significantly. However in Se supplemented animals, there was a significant reduction in serum cholesterol as well as in plasma NOS activity relative to HFD fed animals. It is concluded that the protective effect of Se on HFD induced NOS activity acts probably through its antioxidant/inhibitory action.