Issue 1, 2011
From the journal:

Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry

Speciation and identification of low molecular weight selenium compounds in the liver of sea turtles†

Yasumi Anan,ab   Kazuya Ishiwata,b   Noriyuki Suzuki,b   Shinsuke Tanabec  and  Yasumitsu Ogra*ad  

* Corresponding authors

a Laboratory of Chemical Toxicology and Environmental Health, Showa Pharmaceutical University, 3-3165 Higashi-Tamagawagakuen, Machida, Tokyo, Japan
E-mail: ogra@ac.shoyaku.ac jp
Fax: +81 42 721 1563
Tel: +81 42 721 1563

b Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Science, Chiba University, Inohana, Chuo, Chiba, Japan

c Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Bunkyo-cho, Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan

d High Technology Research Center, Showa Pharmaceutical University, Machida, Tokyo, Japan

Abstract

It is known that marine mammals and seabirds co-accumulate selenium (Se) and mercury (Hg) in their organs in the insoluble form called mercury selenide. In this study, we found that two sea turtles, hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) and green turtle (Chelonia mydas), accumulated Se but not Hg in their livers. Se speciation by HPLC-ICP-MS demonstrated that the livers contained low molecular weight selenometabolites in addition to selenoproteins. Two of the selenometabolites existed in relatively small amounts and were identified as selenosugar (1β-methylseleno-N-acetyl-D-galactosamine) and trimethylselenonium (TMSe) based on their chromatographic behavior. This suggests that selenosugar and TMSe are Se metabolites common to marine and terrestrial animals. The chromatographic behavior of the major hepatic selenometabolite in sea turtles was unique and did not match that of any authentic Se standards. Further analysis using HPLC-ESI-MS-MS revealed it to be selenoneine (2-selenyl-N,N,N-trimethyl-L-histidine), a metabolite that was recently identified in the blood of bluefin tuna. The results suggest that sea turtles possess specific mechanisms for Se metabolism to result in the sole accumulation of Se.

Graphical abstract: Speciation and identification of low molecular weight selenium compounds in the liver of sea turtles

  • This article is part of the themed collection: Speciation
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Article information

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1039/C0JA00031K
Article type
Paper
Submitted
25 May 2010
Accepted
26 Aug 2010
First published
24 Sep 2010

J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2011,26, 80-85

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Speciation and identification of low molecular weight selenium compounds in the liver of sea turtles

Y. Anan, K. Ishiwata, N. Suzuki, S. Tanabe and Y. Ogra, J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2011, 26, 80 DOI: 10.1039/C0JA00031K

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