硒酶及硒化合物生理功能研究的新进展

硒是动物必需的微量元素，硒半胱氨酸是硒蛋白的组份并构成硒酶的活性中心，硒蛋白特别是硒酶是硒的主要功能形式，研究发现，硒半胱氨酸是参入到蛋白质分子中的第21种氨基酸，硒是唯一受基因调控的微量元素，最新研究表明，硒及其化合物还具有阻断某些炎症介质的生理活性，抑制蛋白激酶C，激活促分裂原活化蛋白激酶和S6核糖体蛋白激酶，免疫调节及与其它元素和维生素相互作用等多种生理功能，提示硒在人类健康中的作用及其机制比我们过去所预计的更为复杂。

Research progress in physiological functions of selenoenzyme and other selenocompounds

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element for animals. Selenocysteine (Sec), the 21 st aminoacid, is a component of selenoproteins and has been founded in the active center of selenoenzymes. The functions of Se within the body have been primarily shown in the forms of selenoproteins, especially selenoenzymes. Incorporation of selenocysteine occurs on the basis of genetic expression and Se is the only trace element under direct genetic control. Recently, findings have shown that Se and selenocompounds conducted many other potential functions such as protection against inflammatory factors, inhibition of protein kinase C (PKC), stimulation of MAP kinase (mitogen activated protein kinase /myelin basic protein kinase) and S6 kinase (ribosomal S6 protein kinase), regulation of the immune system and interaction with other elements and vitamins etc, suggesting that the roles of Se in human health may be more diverse than previously suspected.