288 J . Yan and D . Li : Radioprotection 2024 , 59 ( 4 ), 287 – 295
Fig . 1 . Chemical structures of compounds and metabolites of selenium . ( A ) Selenomethionine [ C 5 H 11 NO 2 Se ] ( Se-Met ); ( B ) Sodium selenite [ Na 2 SeO 3 ]; ( C ) Ebselen [ 2-phenyl- 1,2-benzisoselenazol-3 ( 2H ) -one ] ( Eb ). Fig . 2 . Simple conclusion of Selenium and its various forms including selenomethionine , Ebselen , and sodium selenite acting as radioprotective agents to different body systems . Eb , Ebselen ; Se-L-Met , Seleno-L-Methionine .
Therefore , the identification of active and effective radiation protection agents against ionizing radiation is crucial to mitigate the radiation hazard of radioactive accidents ( De Ruysscher et al ., 2019 ; Tapio et al ., 2021 ).
Selenium ( Se ), an essential microelement , and its compounds , along with their metabolites , play vital roles in numerous of biological functions ( Green , 2018 ). As one of the highly regulated proteins , selenoproteins are instrumental in preventing and modulating several clinical outcomes and diseases , including cancer , diabetes , Alzheimer ’ s disease , mental disorders , cardiovascular disorders , fertility impairments , inflammation , and infections ( including SARS-CoV-2 ) ( Barchielli et al ., 2022 ). Additionally , selenium has long been considered as radiation � protective agent in the field of radiobiology since 1969 ( Michalke , 2018 ). By upregulating the absorption and utilization of cysteine , the biosynthesis of glutathione , detoxificating reactive oxygen free radicals , and protecting of polyunsaturated fatty acids and cholesterol molecules free from peroxidation , selenium takes its role in radiation protection . In short , the antioxidation , anti-inflammatory effect and DNA stabilizing formed the protective effects of selenium against DNA damage induced by radiation ( Bartolini et al ., 2020 ).
This review seeks to elucidate part of the potential abilities of selenium together with its compounds and metabolites including selenomethionine [ C 5 H 11 NO 2 Se ] ( Se-Met ) ( Fig . 1A ), sodium selenite [ Na 2 SeO 3 ]( Fig . 1B ) and Ebselen [ 2-phenyl-1,2-benzisoselenazol-3 ( 2H ) -one ]( Eb ) ( Fig . 1C ) to act as radioprotectants , and present selenium as a reliable radioprotective agent for scientists and companies seeking effective solutions in this domain ( Fig . 2 , Tab . 1 ).
2 Selenium
Selenium is an important microelement that exists primarily in plants and animals in two chemical forms : organic and inorganic . The selenium content in foods varies , most of which occurs in a protein-combination way , while fruits and vegetables generally contain relatively lower levels . The primary organic selenium compound is selenomethionine [ C 5 H 11 NO 2 Se ] ( Se-Met ), a natural amino acid incorporating