Effect of Vitamin E and Selenium Deficiencies on Lysosomal and Cytoplasmic Enzymes in Sheep Tissues

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Abstract
Forty-eight ewe and twelve ram lambs, about 4 months of age, were fed a purified diet during growth and reproduction. The experimental design was a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement in which the factors were subcutaneous injections of vitamin E (700 IU as d-α-tocopheryl acetate) and selenium (5 mg as sodium selenate), given separately and in combination at weekly intervals. Ewes and rams on the basal treatment died of muscular dystrophy before day 230 of the experiment and the activities of blood plasma creatine phosphokinase, lactate dehydrogenase, α-hydroxy butyrate dehydrogenase and glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase were elevated. Elevations of these enzymes in blood plasma were transient in the basal plus selenium-treated sheep. Total activity of acid protease and total free activities of β-glucuronidase were elevated in skeletal muscle of selenium-treated sheep. Free activity of acid protease in skeletal muscle was not affected by treatment. Total activity of acid protease was greater in livers of the vitamin E-treated sheep but vitamin E deficiency affected neither the activity of acid protease in liver nor the stability of liver lysosomes. Treatment had no effect on lysosomal enzymes in uterus and placenta.