Selenium is an essential micronutrient that plays an important role in immunity. However, the mechanism that Selenium modulates mastitis is not fully clear. In this experiment, we investigated whether selenium can inhibit the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in a mouse model of Staphylococcus aureus-induced mastitis. Eighty BALB/c female mice were fed with experimental Selenium deficiency basal diet for 2 weeks to achieve the purpose of selenium consumption until pregnancy. Pregnant mice were randomly divided into four groups (control group; selenium supplement group; Staphylococcus aureus infection group and Staphylococcus aureus infection after selenium supplement group). Twenty-four hours after challenging, all mice were euthanized and mammary tissue samples were aseptically collected. Through pathological staining, western blot analysis, real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, the regulation effect of Selenium on NLRP3 inflammasome was detected. The result showed that compared with the control group, selenium significantly inhibited the expression of NLRP3, ASC, Caspase-1, Caspase-1 p20, and Pro-IL-1β (p < 0.01). Meanwhile the mRNA expression and release of IL-1β was suppressed in the treatment group compared with Staphylococcus aureus infection group (p < 0.01). Therefore, these results suggest that dietary selenium can attenuate Staphylococcus aureus mastitis by inhibition of the NLRP3 inflammasome.

硒是必需的微量营养素，在免疫中起重要作用。但是，硒调节乳腺炎的机制尚不完全清楚。在该实验中，我们研究了硒是否可以抑制金黄色葡萄球菌诱发的乳腺炎小鼠模型中NLRP3炎性小体的活化。对80只BALB / c雌性小鼠进行实验性缺硒基础饮食喂养2周，以达到直至怀孕前食用硒的目的。妊娠小鼠随机分为四组（对照组，硒补充组，金黄色葡萄球菌感染组和金黄色葡萄球菌）硒补充组后感染）。攻击后二十四小时，对所有小鼠实施安乐死并无菌收集乳腺组织样品。通过病理染色，蛋白质印迹分析，实时荧光定量聚合酶链反应分析和酶联免疫吸附试验，检测了硒对NLRP3炎症小体的调节作用。结果表明，与对照组相比，硒显着抑制了NLRP3，ASC，Caspase-1，Caspase-1 p20和Pro-IL-1β的表达（p <0.01）。同时，与金黄色葡萄球菌感染组相比，治疗组IL-1β的mRNA表达和释放受到抑制（p <0.01）。因此，这些结果表明，饮食硒可以通过抑制NLRP3炎性体来减轻金黄色葡萄球菌乳腺炎。