Trace Elements in Medicine (Moscow)
2019, 20(3): 3-11
TOPICAL PAPERS

SELENIUM IN OPHTHALMOPATHOLOGY: THEROLE OF SELENIUM IN EYE PHYSIOLOGY

M.N. Tinkova^1,2, O.P. Ajsuvakova^2,3,5, A.A. Tinkov^2,3,4

¹ Orenburg District Hospital, Nezhinskoe highway 4, Orenburg, 460008, Russia
² ANO Center for Biotic Medicine, Zemlyanoi Val 46, Moscow, 105064, Russia
³ I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, 119146, Russia
⁴ P.G. Demidov Yaroslavl State University, Sovetskaya str. 14, Yaroslavl, 150003, Russia
⁵ Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN), Miklukho-Maklaya str. 6, Moscow, 117198, Russia

DOI: 10.19112/2413-6174-2019-20-3-3-11 

ABSTRACT. The objective of the present study is review of the existing data on the potential physiological effects of selenium in the eye. The indications of the potential role of the eye as a target of physiological effects of selenium are discussed, being supported by rather high Se levels in eye tissues and visual cortex. The importance of selenium for vision is also confirmed by case reports of vision disturbances in patients with dietary severe dietary or genetic selenium deficiency. Particularly, disorders associated with selenium deficiency include concentric visual field loss, reduced flicker sensitivity, optic nerve atrophy, as well as neurodegeneration and gliosis in visual cortex. A detailed analysis of the particular biological effects of antioxidant selenoproiteins, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), thioredoxin reductase (TRxR), and methionine sulfoxide reductase (MsrA), in eye tissues under different conditions is provided.GPx, TrxR, and MsrA counteract oxidative stress induced by a variety of factors including UV light, organic and inorganic pollutant exposure, increased intraocular pressure, ageing, etc. Taking into account the role of oxidative stress in eye diseases like age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and cataract, the role of selenoproteins in redox homeostasis is indicative of the eye-protective effect of selenium. Despite the absence of direct indications, one can propose significant role of other selenoproteins line selenoprotein P in physiology of vision. Therefore, the existing data demonstrate an essential role of selenium and selenoproteins in eye physiology. At the same time, further complex analysis of the association between selenium metabolism biomarkers and ophthalmopathology is strongly required.

KEYWORDS: selenium, selenoproteins, eye, visual cortex, lens.