The effect of dietary vitamin B6 on selenium(Se) concentrations and glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px) in tissues of rats fed various forms of Se was studied. Male 4-week-old Wistar rats were fed a vitamin B6-Se-deficient basal diet for 3 weeks, and then the rats were divided into 10 groups. One group was fed the basal diet, the others were fed the diet supplemented with 250 μg vitamin B6/100g as pyridoxine ・ HCl, or 0.25mg Se/kg as Na2SeO4, Na2SeO3, DL-selenomethionine, or DL-selenocystine, or Se plus vitamin B6 for 4 weeks. Rats fed vitamin B6-deficient diets had significantly lower body, heart, and liver weight than rats fed vitamin B6-supplemented diets. The levels of Se and GSH-Px in RBCs, muscle, and heart were significantly lower in vitamin B6deficient groups than in vitamin B6-supplemented groups regardless of the chemical forms of Se. Rats fed vitamin B6-supplemented diets had significantly higher Se contents in RBCs, muscle, and heart than rats fed vitamin B6-deficient diets; however, a lesser extent in plasma, testes, and liver was observed. These results suggest that vitamin B6 in involved in the transport of Se and incorporation of Se into GSHPx in tissues, and that vitamin B6 status has different effects on Se levels in various tissues.
