Health systems worldwide consider cancer a disease that causes the highest number of deaths per year. The low efficacy of current cancer therapies has led other areas of science to search for new alternatives, including nanomaterial sciences. Selenium nanoparticles have anticancer activity, as revealed by in vitro tests performed on prostate, breast, cervical, lung, colorectal, and liver cancer cell lines. Studies attribute anticancer activity to the anti-metastatic effect due to the inhibition of migration and invasion processes. The antiproliferative effect is the low expression of molecules such as cyclin D1, cyclin E, and CDK2. In addition to the activation of cell apoptosis by caspase-dependent mechanisms, there is a low expression of anti-apoptotic proteins such as Bcl-2 and a high expression of the apoptotic proteins like Bax and Bad. Other studies attribute anticancer activity to the activation of cell necroptosis, where molecules such as TNF and IRF1 participate. The pharmacological potential of selenium nanoparticles depends primarily on the administered dose, particle size, and chemical composition. Furthermore, several studies have shown that the administration of these nanoparticles is safe due to their low toxicity in non-cancerous cells. In this review, the most relevant antecedents on the anticancer potential of selenium nanoparticles in prostate, breast, cervical, lung, liver, and colorectal cancer cell lines are discussed.

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between Treg and Th17 in patients with different times of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) progression. Material and methods: Nineteen control subjects and 40 patients with T2DM were included. T2DM patients were classified into two groups; twenty patients had less than 10 years of disease progression (T2DM10). Additionally, an analysis was performed according to the metabolic control, depending on HbA1c levels. The peripheral blood ratio of both Th17 and Treg cells was measured by standard flow cytometry protocols. Results: No significant difference was found in Th17 cells of patients with T2DM 10 and controls. With respect to CD4+ CD25+ FoxP3+ and CD4+ CD25h Treg cells, a significant decrease was observed in patients with T2DM>10, mainly in patients with poor or moderate metabolic control. When statistical analysis was performed on all patients with T2DM as a group, a decrease on three cell subsets was observed; as well a negative correlation between Th17 cells and total cholesterol, CD4+ CD25h cells with glucose and HbA1c levels; while a positive correlation was observed between CD4+ CD25h cells and BMI. Conclusions: here was shown a decrease on both Treg and Th17 cell subsets in T2DM patients; suggesting that the metabolic decontrol and the progression time of T2DM could modify the proportions of the Th17 and T Reg cells.

Antimicrobial resistance has become a severe problem for health systems worldwide, and counteractions are challenging because of the lack of interest of pharmaceutical companies in generating new and effective antimicrobial drugs. Selenium nanoparticles have attracted considerable interest in treating bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses of clinical importance due to their high therapeutic efficacy and almost zero generation of adverse effects. Some studies have revealed that the antimicrobial activity of these nanoparticles is due to the generation of reactive oxygen species, but more studies are needed to clarify their antimicrobial mechanisms. Other studies show that their antimicrobial activity is increased when the surface of the nanoparticles is functionalized with some biomolecules or when their surface carries a specific drug. This review addresses the existing background on the antimicrobial potential offered by selenium nanoparticles against viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites of clinical importance.