Selenium (Se), as a nutritionally essential trace element, has been shown to decrease with age and is closely related to Alzheimer's disease (AD). To probe the effects of Se on AD pathology, two-dimensional fluorescence difference gel electrophoresis was applied to the serum samples collected from the wild-type (WT) mice and the triple transgenic (PS1M146V/AβPPSwe/TauP301L) AD mice (3xTg-AD), treated with or without sodium selenate in drinking water for 4 months beginning at 2 months of age. Proteomics results revealed 17 differentially expressed proteins between WT and 3xTg-AD mice. It was found that the administration of selenate reversed the alterations of the differentially expressed serum proteins by up-regulating 13 proteins and down-regulating 2 proteins which were reported to be involved in the key pathogenesis of AD, including regulation of Aβ production, lipid metabolism regulation, and anti-inflammation. These results suggested that a dietary supplement with selenate is effective for prevention and treatment of AD, and the mechanism was maybe related to its role in Aβ regulation, lipid metabolism, and anti-inflammation. Moreover, we also presented that α-2 macroglobulin, transthyretin, haptoglobin, alpha-2-HS-glycoprotein, and alpha-1-antitrypsin in the serum can be used to evaluate the effect of selenate on AD pathology.
Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease (AD); Anti-inflammatory; Selenate; Two-dimensional fluorescence difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE).