Selenoneine in red muscle fish

Abstract

Selenonein is an organic selenium-containing compound found in blood of tuna and has strong antioxidant capacity. Thus, selenoneine-containing materials for functional foods have been developing from marine processing residue containing selenoneine abundantly. Our previous studies found new functions of selenoneine such as the inhibition of angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) and melanin synthesis by in vitro and in cellulo experiments. Based on the enzyme kinetics, selenoneine was suggested to exert its inhibitory activity by chelating metal ions such as zinc and copper ions existing in the active center of ACE and tyrosinase, involved in melanin synthesis. In recent years, we have succeeded in a development of a method for the separation of selenonein monomer, which was previously difficult. Currently, the metabolism of selenonein has been studying by administering stable isotope (Se-76)-labeled selenonein obtained from a selenoneine producing fission yeast strain to mice.