Molecular chemoprevention by selenium: A genomic approach

Basic research and clinical chemoprevention trials support the protective role of selenium in cancer prevention but the mechanisms based on the molecular level remain to be fully defined. This mini-review focuses only on the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms of cancer prevention by selenium using the genomics approach; target organs discussed here are breast, prostate, colon and lung. The results described here support the utility of microarray technology in delineating the molecular mechanisms of cancer prevention by selenium. These results are based on studies employing human and rodent cell lines and tissues from animal models ranging from normal to frank cancer. The dose and the form of selenium are determining factors in cancer chemoprevention. The results of the microarray analysis reviewed here indicate that selenium, independent of its form and the target organ examined, alters several genes in a manner that can account for cancer prevention. Selenium can up regulate genes related to phase II detoxification enzymes, certain selenium-binding proteins and select apoptotic genes, while down regulating those related to phase I activating enzymes and cell proliferation. Independent of tissue type, selenium arrests cells in G1 phase of cell cycle, inhibits CYCLIN A, CYCLIN D1, CDC25A, CDK4, PCNA and E2F gene expressions while induces the expressions of P19, P21, P53, GST, SOD, NQO1, GADD153 and certain CASPASES. In addition to those described above, genes such as OPN, which is mainly involved in metastasis and recently reported to be down regulated by selenium, should be considered as potential molecular marker in clinical chemoprevention trials. Collectively, literature data indicate that some of these genes that were altered by selenium are also involved in the development of human cancers described in this review. It appears that androgen receptor status may influence the effect of selenium on gene expression profile in prostate cancer; whether estrogen receptor may influence the effect of selenium on gene expression in breast cancer requires further studies. Knowledge from gene array data in combination with proteomics approaches, using homogenous population of cell types with the aid of laser capture microdissection, may provide an individualized dimension of information on cancer risk and potential targets for its prevention. The molecular (genetic) biomarkers presented in this review will provide the foundation for future studies of the chemopreventive properties of structurally varied selenium compounds.