The Study
The Human Type 2 Iodothyronine Deiodinase Is a Selenoprotein Highly Expressed in a Mesothelioma Cell Line*
This study was done in a lab on cancer cells in a dish, not in people. It shows that in those cells, selenium might affect one enzyme, but we can't say if this happens in humans or if it does anything important.
Analysis score
Maximum 58 for a case-control study.
Where the score came from
Scientists found that a special enzyme in cancer cells needs selenium to work well. Without selenium, it barely works; with selenium, it becomes 30 times more active.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 527 / 100
Quality score
Researchers compare people who have a condition (cases) with similar people who do not (controls), looking back in time for differences in exposure. Useful but more prone to bias.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1This shows selenium is critical for activating thyroid hormone in these cells, which may help explain how selenium affects metabolism and thyroid function in the body.
- 2D2 enzyme activity increased 30-fold with selenium.
- 3The enzyme's size was 31 kDa and labeled with selenium.
- 4It worked best with very low T4 levels (1.3 nM) and lasted only 30 minutes.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
The Journal of Biological Chemistry
Year
2001
Authors
C. Curcio, M. Baqui, D. Salvatore, B. Rihn, S. Mohr, J. Harney, P. R. Larsen, Antonio C. Bianco
Related Content
Claims (4)
The body converts the thyroid hormone T4 into its active form T3 using enzymes that require selenium. Changes in the genes that code for these enzymes result in lower T3 production.
In the MSTO-211H mesothelioma cell line, the D2 enzyme is produced from the hDio2 gene and contains selenium, as demonstrated by the binding of a selenium-labeled protein to an antibody targeting a sequence from the hDio2 gene.
In a specific human cancer cell line called MSTO-211H, the D2 enzyme binds thyroxine with high affinity at a concentration of 1.3 nM, is not blocked by propylthiouracil, and breaks down in about 30 minutes, matching the known biochemical behavior of the D2 enzyme.
In the MSTO-211H mesothelioma cell line, the D2 enzyme's activity increases about 30 times when selenium is present in the growth medium, and this enzyme is produced by the hDio2 gene and contains selenocysteine, which classifies it as a selenoprotein.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.