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Selenium, Vitamin C, and Viral Infection: Deep Recalculation
You’re digging into whether the Baka’s ZEBOV seropositivity ties to low-dose survival due to health, questioning if it’s the same as our selenium/Gabon nut focus. You’re skeptical of bat-fruit transmission theories and propose selenium’s soil presence means it’s in all local fruit—maybe enough to stop EBOV like vitamin C might. The real question: Does selenium prevent viral infection, with or without vitamin C? Let’s rethink this, varying vitamin C levels (low, medium, high, optimal) across all reactions.
Baka Low-Dose Hypothesis
Idea: Baka got subclinical EBOV doses, and being “healthy” (diet, genetics) let them survive without severe disease. Similar to our Gabon nut angle—compounds aiding resilience, not prevention. But EBOV’s macrophage-killing doesn’t care about “health” unless something blocks entry. Selenium (SeMet, ~5–50 µg/day) and nuts’ phenolics/fats don’t stop it—survival’s likely exposure luck or innate factors, not immunity.
Bat-Fruit Transmission Critique
Theory: Bats (alleged EBOV reservoirs) drop fruit; gorillas/humans eat it, spreading EBOV. Issues: Bats aren’t proven EBOV carriers (seropositive, no live virus isolated). Selenium in Gabon nuts (~1–10 µg/100g) reflects soil—same for bat-eaten fruit (e.g., figs). If present, it’s low, organic SeMet—not antiviral selenite. No evidence fruit selenium prevents EBOV in any species—transmission’s likely direct (e.g., bushmeat), not fruit-mediated.
Core Question: Does Selenium Prevent Viral Infection?
Without Vitamin C:
- Lipinski (2015): Selenite (50–100 µM) blocks enveloped virus entry (EBOV, SARS-CoV-2) via thiol oxidation. Dietary SeMet/SeCys (~1–2 µM blood max) don’t form selenite or hit thresholds—entry occurs.
- Selenoproteins: GPx/TrxR reduce cellular damage post-infection, not pre-infection—EBOV infects macrophages, COVID-19 binds ACE2.
Conclusion: Selenium alone doesn’t prevent infection—mitigates severity at best.
Vitamin C’s Role and Variants
Vitamin C (ascorbate): Antioxidant, immune booster, potential antiviral. EBOV/COVID-19 studies suggest high doses reduce severity—does it synergize with selenium? Let’s vary C levels and rethink reactions:
Low Vitamin C (~10–30 mg/day, Deficiency)
Scurvy range—common in malnourished populations.
- SeMet/SeCys (200 µg/day): Selenoproteins function (GPx reduces H₂O₂), but low C impairs collagen synthesis, weakens barriers—EBOV breaches macrophages, COVID-19 spikes ACE2.
- Gabon Nuts (~5–50 µg Se): Minimal selenoprotein boost; phenolics’ antioxidant effect dwarfed by C deficiency—viral entry unchecked.
- Selenite (Lipinski): Hypothetical high dose still oxidizes thiols, but low C limits immune response—partial prevention, poor survival.
Outcome: No prevention—selenium’s edge dulled by C shortage.
Medium Vitamin C (~50–100 mg/day, RDA)
Typical intake (e.g., Baka via fruit).
- SeMet/SeCys (200 µg): Selenoproteins + moderate C reduce oxidative stress—EBOV macrophage damage persists, COVID-19 severity drops slightly (e.g., Zhang et al., 2020).
- Gabon Nuts: Low Se + phenolics + C (~50 mg from diet) support innate resilience—EBOV infects, but survival odds rise vs. deficiency.
- Seleni/www/us/ca/palo-alto/vrx/insights/sci/med/science/vit/Se/sepo4/next/next
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Reassessing Selenium and ZEBOV/COVID-19 Immunity
You’ve challenged immune priming as an explanation for the Baka’s ZEBOV seropositivity, noting EBOV destroys macrophages regardless of prior exposure. Fair point—EBOV’s immune evasion is brutal. Let’s re-analyze if SeMet or SeCys supplementation could match any theoretical immunity, extending to COVID-19, per Lipinski’s selenite claim, and reconsider the Baka’s case.
ZEBOV’s Immune Evasion
ZEBOV infects macrophages and dendritic cells early, replicating rapidly and triggering cytokine storms while impairing adaptive immunity. Primed antibodies might bind, but EBOV’s glycoprotein (GP) shields it, and macrophage destruction sidesteps immune memory. Baka seropositivity (5–10%, 1990s data) implies survival of exposure, but not necessarily resistance—could selenium play a role?
Lipinski’s Selenite Mechanism
Lipinski (2015) claims selenite (Na₂SeO₃) oxidizes thiol groups on enveloped virus GPs (e.g., ZEBOV’s GP), blocking cell entry at ~50–100 µM in vitro. This is extracellular, pre-infection inhibition—independent of immune cells. For COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2), spike protein thiols might be similarly vulnerable, though untested. SeMet/SeCys must replicate this to match the claim.
SeMet and SeCys: Do They Deliver?
Metabolism:
- SeMet: Incorporated into proteins (e.g., albumin) or reduced to H₂Se via trans-selenation, then to selenophosphate for selenoproteins.
- SeCys: Directly used in selenoproteins (e.g., GPx, TrxR) via tRNA^[Sec].
Antiviral Potential:
- Supplement (200 µg/day): Blood selenium hits ~1–2 µM, mostly protein-bound SeMet/SeCys—no free selenite forms.
- Lipinski’s Threshold: 50–100 µM selenite—SeMet/SeCys are 25–100x too low and lack oxidative capacity extracellularly.
- Mechanism: No evidence SeMet/SeCys oxidize viral GPs. Selenoproteins (e.g., TrxR) reduce cellular thiols, opposite to selenite’s effect.
ZEBOV: Can’t block macrophage entry—EBOV infects despite selenoproteins.
COVID-19: No spike protein inhibition—SARS-CoV-2 enters via ACE2 regardless.
Baka’s Case Without Priming
Gabon nuts (~1–10 µg Se/100g, SeMet) yield ~5–50 µg/day—blood selenium <0.5 µM, all organic. No selenite, no Lipinski effect. If not priming, possibilities:
- Subclinical Exposure: Low-dose infections survived via innate resilience, not selenium.
- Genetic Factors: Unique immune responses (e.g., TLR variants) resisting EBOV’s macrophage hit—unproven.
- Nutritional Synergy: Gabon nuts’ fats/proteins aid survival, not Se-specific.
Selenium’s Role: Minimal SeMet boosts selenoproteins slightly, reducing oxidative damage post-infection, but EBOV’s speed outpaces this.
SeMet/SeCys vs. Baka vs. COVID-19
SeMet/SeCys (200 µg/day):
- ZEBOV: Selenoproteins (GPx, TrxR) mitigate cytokine storm damage, but don’t stop entry—better than Baka’s low dose, yet insufficient.
- COVID-19: Reduces severity (e.g., Zhang et al., 2020), not infection—general immune support, not Lipinski’s block.
Baka (~5–50 µg/day): Lower selenoprotein boost, no entry inhibition—survival likely luck or non-selenium factors.
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