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Evidence that Selenium Induces Growth Retardation through Reduced Growth Hormone and Somatomedin C Production^*

Institute of Anatomy B (Neurobiology) (O.T.-U.), Institute of Experimental Clinical Research (A.F.), Second University Clinic of Internal Medicine (J.E.), University of Aarhus DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark

Address requests for reprints to: Dr. O. Thorlacius-Ussing, Institute of Anatomy B (Neurobiology), University of Aarhus, Aarhus C DK-8000, Denmark.

Abstract

Growth retardation has long been known to be a major characteristic in selenium-intoxicated animals. As selenium is known to accumulate in the anterior pituitary, especially in the secretory granules of the somatotroph, we have investigated the GH secretion after GH-releasing factor 40 stimulation and the somatomedin C secretion in young male rats exposed to 15 mg sodium selenite/liter drinking water. The immediate output to 900 ± 120 ng/ml GH in control animals was reduced to 200 ± 69.4 ng/ml in selenium-treated animals. The somatomedin C level was reduced from 720 ± 16 ng/ml in control to 119 ± 17 ng/ml in selenium-treated animals. Both differences were highly significant. These findings suggest that growth retardation in selenium-treated rats could be mediated by reduced GH and somatomedin C production. (Endocrinology 120: 659–663,1987)

Footnotes

^* This work was supported by Nordic Insulin Foundation, Novo Foundation, and the Danish Foundation for Advancement of Medical Science.

Received April 24, 1986.