ABSTRACT
Patients with alpha-tocopherol transfer protein (alpha-TTP) defects experience neurological symptoms characteristic of vitamin E deficiency and depend on continuous high alpha-tocopherol supplements. We investigated the excretion of 2,5,7, 8-tetramethyl-2(2'-carboxyethyl)-6-hydroxychroman (alpha-CEHC), a urinary metabolite of alpha-tocopherol, as a putative marker for the alpha-tocopherol status of alpha-TTP-deficient patients and control subjects. In three patients vitamin E supplementation was stopped for short periods of time, during which plasma alpha-tocopherol concentrations and urinary alpha-CEHC excretion were measured. In the patients, plasma alpha-tocopherol decreased below normal (<5 micromol/l) but alpha-CEHC excretion remained above the range of unsupplemented control subjects (0.118-0.306 mg/day, n = 6). In healthy subjects, however, alpha-CEHC excretion was increased only after surpassing a plasma alpha-tocopherol threshold of 30-40 micromol/l. Such a threshold did not exist in patients. The general mechanism of alpha-tocopherol degradation did not appear to differ between patients and control subjects. The presumed mechanism of omega- and subsequent beta-oxidation was supported by the detection of alpha- CPHC, an alpha -CEHC homolog with a side chain longer by 3 carbon atoms, both in supplemented patients and in control subjects.
Subject(s)
Carrier Proteins/genetics , Vitamin E/metabolism , Adolescent , Adult , Ataxia/genetics , Ataxia/metabolism , Chromans/chemistry , Chromans/urine , Dietary Supplements , Female , Humans , Male , Mass Spectrometry , Oxidation-Reduction , Pentanoic Acids/chemistry , Pentanoic Acids/urine , Propionates/urine , Vitamin E/administration & dosage , Vitamin E/blood , Vitamin E Deficiency/genetics , Vitamin E Deficiency/metabolismABSTRACT
Cells cultivated under standard conditions were highly deficient in tocopherol, selenium, and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities. We investigated whether and to what extent the addition of different selenocompounds to growth media would alter biochemical, physiological, and pathophysiological parameters of cultured liver cells. Cellular uptake of selenium, GPx activities, and cytoprotection were measured and compared in human hepatoma cells (HepG2). Selenite and selenocystine were Se donors of high bioavailability (i.e., with these culture supplements, the increased Se uptake, induction of GPx isoenzymes, and protection of treated cells from lipid hydroperoxides were well correlated). In contrast, selenium from selenomethionine was incorporated into cellular proteins but had no effect on GPx activities or cytoprotection. The data show that not all selenium donors provide selenium, which is bioactivated to act as antioxidant. Thus, cellular selenium content, in general, did not correlate with cytoprotective activity of this trace element. However, cellular GPx activities at different times, with different concentrations, and with different Se donors always correlated with protection from lipid hydroperoxides and may, thus, represent a more reliable parameter to define adequate Se supply.