Gerald P Murphy masthead
 
 
 

GPMCF in the Media

The Murphy Foundation is frequently in the media, locally, nationally, or across the globe. The stories are sometimes related to our work with pet dogs, at other times to our research in human cancers, and still others to our work in the biology of aging. Here is a collection of recent news stories from a variety of sources that demonstrate the breadth of our work.

  • Executive Report Innovator Series, Business Talk Channel of Delta Air Lines, September - October, 2011
    The novality and promise of our research approach to successful aging - relying upon exceptionally long-lived pet dogs
  • smartplanet, May 24, 2010
    When it comes to cancer and aging, dogs may have the answers we seek

    • Based upon the significant research progress made by our group and others in better understanding the anticancer effects of the trace mineral selenium , Dr. Waters developed a course for graduate students at Purdue University, “Selenium in Health and Disease”.  The course focused on the relationship between selenium status and cancer risk, particularly the risk of prostate cancer.  Discussions addressed the issues of measurement and epidemiology, mechanisms studied using in vitro and in vivo animal models, and interventional studies with human subjects.  Students enrolled in the 3 credit hour course for the first time in the Spring 2004 semester. The following list of 39 published scientific articles highlight the important role of selenium in health and disease.

      Reviews

      This paper provides a critical review of the role of selenium in human health and disease. Rayman MP. The importance of selenium to human health. Lancet 2000; 356: 233-241.



      This paper reviews the possible mechanisms by which selenium exerts anticancer effects.

      Combs GF Jr, Gray WP.  Chemopreventive agents: selenium. Pharmacol Ther 1998; 79: 179-192.

      This paper provides an in-depth analysis linking selenium and human cancer risk based upon epidemiological evidence.

       

      Vinceti M, Rovesti S, Bergomi M, Vivoli G.  The epidemiology of selenium and human cancer. Tumori 2000; 86: 105-118.

      Epidemiology and Measurement--General

      In this seminal prospective study, investigators showed that low selenium concentration was a significant risk factor for subsequent cancer development.

      Willett WC, Morris JS, Pressel S, Taylor JO, Polk FB, Stampfer MJ, Rosner B, Schneider K. Prediagnostic serum selenium and risk of cancer. Lancet 1983; 2:130-134.

      This study showed that low serum selenium may be a risk factor for cancer, especially among men.

      Knekt P, Aromaa A, Maatela J, Alfthan G, Aaran RK, Hakama M, Hakulinen T, Peto R, Teppo L. Serum selenium and subsequent risk of cancer among Finnish men and women. J Natl Cancer Inst 1990; 82: 864-868.

      This study validated the use of toenail selenium concentration to assess dietary selenium intake.

      Hunter DJ, Morris JS, Chute CG, Kushner E, Colditz GA, Stampfer MJ, Speizer F, Willett WC. Predictors of selenium concentration in human toenails. Am J Epidemiol 1990; 132: 114-122.

      This study demonstrated significantly lower toenail selenium concentration in smokers compared to non-smokers.

      Van den Brandt PA, Goldbohm RA, van’t Veer P, Bode P, Hermus RJJ, Sturmans F. Predictors of toenail selenium levels in men and women. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarker Prev 1990; 2: 107-112.

      This paper showed that selenium status was not a significant risk factor for cancer in the women of the Nurses Health Study.

      Garland M, Morris JS, Stampfer MJ, Colditz GA, Spate VL, Baskett CK, Rosner B, Speizer FE, Willett WC, Hunter DJ. Prospective study of toenail selenium levels and cancer among women. J Natl Cancer Inst 1995; 87: 497-505.

      In this cross-sectional study, high serum selenium was associated with reduced risk of esophageal cancer in a high-risk population.

       

      Rudolph RE, Vaughan TL, Kristal AR, Blount PL, Lenine DS, Galipeau PC, Prevo LJ, Sanchez CA, Rabinovitch PS, Reid BJ. Serum selenium levels in relation to markers of neoplastic progression among persons with Barrett’s esophagus. J Natl Cancer Inst 2003; 95: 750-757.

      Epidemiology and Measurement--Prostate

      In this seminal paper, men with the lowest toenail selenium concentration had the highest risk for subsequent prostate cancer development.

      Yoshizawa K, Willett WC, Morris JS, Stampfer MJ, Spiegelman D, Rimm EB, Giovannucci E. Study of prediagnostic selenium level in toenails and the risk of advanced prostate cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst 1998; 90: 1219-1224.

      This paper reported the relationship between selenium and vitamin E status and prostate cancer risk in a Washington County, Maryland cohort.

      Helzlsouer KJ, Huang H, Alberg AJ, Hoffman S, Burke A, Norkus EP, Morris JS, Comstock GW. Association between a-tocopherol, g-tocopherol, selenium, and subsequent prostate cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst 2000; 92: 2018-2023.

      This paper demonstrated a threshold effect between plasma selenium level and subsequent risk of prostate cancer in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study on Aging.

      Brooks JD, Metter EJ, Daniel WC, Sokoll LJ, Landis P, Melson WG, Muller D, Andres R, Carter HB. Plasma selenium level before diagnosis and the risk of prostate cancer development. J Urol 2001; 10: 1069-1076.

      This paper showed no significant association between low serum selenium and risk of lung or prostate cancer in the CARET study.

      Goodman GE, Schaffer S, Bankson DD, Hughes MP, Omenn GS, the Carotene and the Retinol Efficacy Trial (CARET) Co-Investigators. Predictors of serum selenium in cigarette smokers and the lack of association with lung and prostate cancer risk. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarker Prev 2001; 10: 1069-1076.

      This paper provided the most detailed analysis of selenium status and prostate cancer risk in US black men.

      Vogt TM, Siegler RG, Graudbard BI, Swanson CA, Greenberg RS, Schoenberg JB, Swanson GM, Hayes RB, Mayne ST. Serum selenium and risk of prostate cancer in U.S. blacks and whites. Int J Cancer 2002; 103: 664-670.

      This paper showed an inverse association between toenail selenium concentration and risk for prostate cancer in the Netherlands.

      Van den Brandt PA, Zeegers MPA, Bode P, Goldboh RA. Toenail selenium levels and the subsequent risk of prostate cancer: a prospective cohort study. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarker Prev 2003; 12: 866-871

      Mechanisms--General

      This study presented the first in vivo evidence that dietary selenium supplementation upregulates programmed cell death (apoptosis) within the colonic epithelium of rats.

      Samaha HS, Hamid R, El-Bayoumy K, Rao CV, Reddy BS. The role of apoptosis in the modulation of colon carcinogenesis by dietary fat and by the organoselenium compound 1,4-phenylenebis (methylene) selenocyanate. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarker Prev 1997; 6: 699-704.

      This study demonstrated that different forms of selenium extert different effects on biomarkers of cell cycle and proliferation.

      Ip C, Thompson HJ, Ganther HE. Selenium modulation of cell proliferation and cell cycle biomarkers in normal and premalignant cells of the rat mammary gland. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarker Prev 2000; 9: 49-54.

      This study presented data supporting the hypothesis that low molecular weight forms of selenium may be responsible for the cancer preventive effects of selenium.

      Ip C, Thompson HJ, Zhu Z, Ganther HE. In vitro and in vivo studies of methylseleninic acid: evidence that a monomethylated selenium metabolite is critical for cancer chemoprevention. Cancer Res 2000; 60: 2882-2886.

      This in vitro study explored the mechanisms of selenium-induced apoptosis in human ovarian cancer cells.

      Yeo J, Cha S, Cho C, Kim S, Cho J, Baek W, Suh M, Kwon TK, Park J, Suh S. Se-methylselenocysteine induces apoptosis through caspase activation and bax cleavage mediated by calpain in SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cells. Cancer Letters 2002; 182: 83-92.

      This study presented the most compelling evidence that selenium significantly modulates the repair of DNA damage.

      Seo YR, Kelley MR, Smith ML. Selenomethionine regulation of p53 by a ref1-dependent redox mechanism. Proc Natl Acacl Sci 2002; 99: 14548-14553.

      This study raised the intriguing possibility that individuals with polymorphisms in GPX-1 may respond differently to dietary selenium supplementation.

      Hu YJ, Diamond AM. Role of glutathione peroxidase-1 in breast cancer: loss of heterozygosity and allelic differences in the response to selenium. Cancer Res 2003; 63: 3347-3351.

       

      Mechanisms--Prostate

      This study showed dietary supplementation of selenomethionine had no cancer protective effect in rats with chemically-induced tumors.

      McCormick KDL, Rao KVN. Chemoprevention of hormone-dependent prostate cancer in the Wistar-Unilever rat. Eur Urol 1999; 35: 464-467.

      This in vitro study explored the mechanisms of selenium-induced apoptosis in DU-145 human prostate cancer cells.

      Jiang C, Want Z, Ganther H, Lu J. Caspases as key executors of methyl selenium-induced apoptosis (anoikis) of DU-145 prostate cancer cells. Cancer Res 2001; 61: 3062-3070.

      This study characterized alterations in gene expression in the C3(1)/Tag transgenic mouse model of prostate cancer.

      Calvo A, Xiao N, Kang J, Best CJM, Leiva I, Emmert-Buck MR, Jorcyk C, Green JE. Alterations in gene expression profiles during prostate cancer progression: functional correlations to tumorigenicity and down-regulation of selenoprotein-P in mouse and human tumors. Cancer Res 2002; 62: 5325-6335.

      This in vitro study explored the effect of sodium selenate and methylseleninic acid on the NF-KB activation pathway.

      Gasparian AV, Yao YJ, Lu J, Yemelyanov AY, Lyakh LA, Slaga TJ, Budunova IV. Selenium compounds inhibit I kB Kinase (IKK) and Nuclear Factor-KB (NF- kB) in prostate cancer cells. Mol Cancer Ther 2002; 1: 1079-1087.

      This study demonstrated that daily supplementation of dogs with selenomethionine or high selenium yeast significantly decreases DNA damage and upregulates apoptosis within the aging prostate.

      Waters DJ, Shen S, Cooley DM, Bostwick DG, Qian J, Combs GF, Glickman LT, Oteham CO, Schlittler D, Morris JS. Effects of dietary selenium supplementation on DNA damage and apoptosis in canine prostate. J Natl Cancer Inst 2003; 95: 237-241.

      This study evaluated the effect of selenium (methylseleninic acid) on gene expression in PC-3 human prostate cancer cells.

      Dong Y, Zhang H, Hawthorn L, Ganther HE, Ip C. Delineation of the molecular basis for selenium-induced growth arrest in human prostate cancer cells by oligonucleotide array. Cancer Res 2003; 63: 52-59.

      This study showed dietary supplementation of mice with inorganic and organic forms of selenium had differential effects on the progression of orthotopically implanted PC-3 cells.

      Corcoran NM, Najdovska M, Costello AJ. Inorganic selenium retards progression of experimental hormone refractory prostate cancer. J Urol 2004; 171: 907-910.

      Intervention Studies--Cancer

      This study showed that daily supplementation with a combination of b-carotene, vitamin E and selenium significantly decreased overall cancer rate in the General Population Trial conducted in Linxian, China.

      Blot WJ, Li J, Taylor PR, Guo W, Dawsey S, Wang G, Yang CS, Zheng S, Gail M, Li G, Yu Y, Liu B, Tangrea J, Sun Y, Liu F, Fraumeni JF, Zhang Y, Li B. Nutrition intervention trials in Linxian, China: supplementation with specific vitamin/mineral combinations, cancer incidence, and disease-specific mortality in the general population. J Natl Cancer Inst 1993; 85: 1483-1492.

      In this seminal paper, daily supplementation with high selenium yeast was associated with a significant 63% reduction in prostate cancer risk in the Nutritional Prevention of Cancer Trial (NPC Trial).

      Clark LC, Combs GF, Turnbull BW, Slate EH, Chalker DK, Chow J, Savis LS, Glover RA, Graham GF, Gross EG, Krongrad A, Lesher JL, Park HK, Sanders BB, Smith CL, Taylor JR. Effects of selenium supplementation for cancer prevention in patients with carcinoma of the skin. J Am Med Assoc 1996; 276: 1957-1963.

      This paper showed low serum selenium level was associated with increased risk for esophageal and stomach cancer in the General Population Trial conducted in Linxian, China.

      Mark SD, Qiao Y, Dawsey SM, Wu Y, Katki H, Gunter EW, Fraumeni JF, Blot WJ, Dong Z, Taylor PR. Prospective study of serum selenium levels and incident esophageal and gastric cancers. J Natl Cancer Inst 2000; 92: 1753-1763.

      This paper outlined the proposed molecular epidemiology investigations that will be conducted in a subset of the men participating in the SELECT prostate cancer prevention trial.

      Hoque A, Albanes D, Lippman SM, Spitz MR, Taylor PR, Klein EA, Thompson IM, Goodman P, Stanford JL, Crowley JJ, Coltman CA, Santella RM. Molecular epidemiologic studies within the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT). Cancer Causes Control 2001; 12: 627-633.

      This paper showed that baseline selenium concentration predicted who would benefit most from the potential cancer preventive effects of daily selenium supplementation in the NPC Trial.

      Duffield-Lillico AJ, Reid ME, Turnbull BW, Combs GF, Slate EH, Fischbach LA, Marshall JR, Clark LC. Baseline characteristics and the effects of selenium supplementation on cancer incidence in a randomized clinical trial: a summary report of the nutritional prevention of cancer trial. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarker Prev 2002; 11: 630-639.

      This study showed dietary supplementation with high selenium yeast had no significant effect on serum level of male hormones.

      El-Bayoumy K, Richie JP Jr, Boyiri T, Komninou D, Prokopczyk B, Trushin N, Kleinman W, Cox J, Pittman B, Colosimo S. Influence of selenium-enriched yeast supplementation on biomarkers of oxidative damage and hormone status in healthy adult males. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarker Prev 2002; 11: 1459-1465.

      Non-Cancer Diseases

      This study showed eight weeks of daily supplementaion with sodium selenite resulted in significant increases in cytotoxic T lymphocyte and natural killer (NK) cell activity in healthy young volunteers.

      Kiremidjian-Schumacher L, Roy M, Wishe HI, Cohen MW, Stotzky G. Supplementation with selenium and human immune cell functions. Biol Trace Elem Res 1994; 41: 115-127.

      In this seminal study, investigators showed that the selenium status of mice influenced the heart pathology induced by a coxsackievirus.

      Beck MA, Kolbeck PC, Rohr LH, Shi Q, Morris VC, Levander OA. Benign human enterovirus becomes virulent in selenium-deficient mice. J Med Virol 1994; 43: 166-170.

      This study showed that among HIV-infected children low plasma selenium was an independent predictor of mortality.

      Campa A, Shor-Posner G, Indacochea F, Zhang G, Lai H, Asthana D, Scott GB, Baum MK. Mortality risk in selenium-deficient HIV-positive children. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 1999; 20: 508-513.

      This study concluded that selenium status is not an important predictor of risk for heart attack in a prospective, multi-institutional study in Europe.

      Kardinaal AFM, Kok FJ, Kohlmeier L, Martin-Moreno JM. Ringstad J, Gomez-Aracena J, Mazaev VP, Thamm M, Martin BC, Aro A, Kark JD, Delgado-Rodriguez M, Riemersma RA, van ‘t Veer P, Huttunen JK. Association between toenail selenium and risk of acute myocardial infarction in European men. Am J Epidemiol 1997; 145: 373-379.

      This study showed no significant association between toenail selenium concentration and risk of coronary heart disease in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study.

      Yoshizawa K, Ascherio A. Morris JS, Stampfer MJ, Giovannucci E, Baskett CK, Willett WC, Rimm EB. Prospective study of selenium levels in toenails and risk of coronary heart disease in men. Am J Epidemiol 2003; 158: 852-860.

      In this double-blind crossover study conducted in the United Kingdom, daily selenium supplementation was associated with elevation of mood and decreased anxiety.

      Benton D, Cook R. The impact of selenium supplementation on mood. Biol Psychiatry 1991; 29: 1092-1098.