Potential risk indicators of retained placenta and other diseases in multiparous cows.

Retained placenta (RP), defined as fetal membranes not being expelled within 24 h after calving, is a costly disease in multiparous dairy cows that has been linked to immune suppression, infections, elevated lipid mobilization, and depleted status of antioxidants including α-tocopherol, and that increases the risk of other diseases (OD) in early lactation. Early detection of cows at increased risk of developing RP, OD, or both in early lactation could improve treatment success and result in improved milk production and reproductive performance. To identify risk indicators of RP, OD, or both, we used a nested case-control design and compared multiparous dairy cows that developed RP (n=32) with cows that remained healthy (H; n=32) or cows that developed OD (n=32) in early lactation. We compared peripartal body condition score (BCS) as well as serum concentrations of α-tocopherol, metabolites [ß-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA), cholesterol, glucose, nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), and urea N], haptoglobin, and macrominerals (i.e., calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus) on d -21, -14, -7, -3, -1, 0, 1, 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, and 49 postpartum. In addition, average serum concentrations were calculated for each cow for the last 3 wk prepartum, for 3 and 2 wk prepartum combined, for the last week prepartum, and for the morning after calving and compared between groups. The RP cows had lower BCS than the H or OD cows until 2 wk postpartum. During the prepartal periods, RP and OD cows had lower α-tocopherol concentrations (corrected or not for cholesterol concentration) and higher NEFA and BHBA concentrations than H cows. Thus, lower prepartal BCS could be an early predictor for RP risk, and lower α-tocopherol concentrations and higher NEFA and BHBA concentrations could be early predictors for disease.

Depleted serum vitamin E concentrations precede left displaced abomasum in early-lactation dairy cows.

Cows with left displaced abomasum (LDA), a costly disease occurring primarily in multiparous dairy cows during early lactation, have been reported to have 40% lower circulating concentrations of vitamin E. It is unknown, however, whether the lower circulating α-tocopherol concentrations precede LDA or remain after LDA. Using a nested case-control design, blood samples taken at d -21, -14, -7, -3, -1, 0, 1, 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, and 49 postpartum from 7 multiparous Holstein cows diagnosed with LDA between d 6 and 32 postpartum and 10 healthy Holstein cows from the same herd were analyzed for serum concentrations of α-tocopherol and indicators of energy and nutrient status and inflammation. In addition to indicators of negative energy balance and inflammation, lower serum α-tocopherol concentrations preceded LDA and persisted after LDA correction. At the last blood sampling before LDA diagnosis, cows had serum α-tocopherol concentrations 45% lower (5.0 ± 0.9 vs. 9.1 ± 0.9 µM) and α-tocopherol to cholesterol molar ratios 39% lower (1.90 ± 0.19 vs. 3.09 ± 0.26) than those of healthy cows. Serum α-tocopherol concentrations remained lower (<10 vs. ~15 µM) up to d 49 postpartum in cows that had LDA. These findings indicate that lower serum α-tocopherol concentrations are a potential early indicator for the development of LDA in multiparous cows.

Early feeding and dietary lipids affect broiler tissue fatty acids, vitamin E status, and cyclooxygenase-2 protein expression upon lipopolysaccharide challenge.

Newly hatched chicks are often subjected to delayed access to feed and water because of shipment distances and hatchery practices, which may reduce growth and development of the immune system. The current study investigated the effects of early vs. late access to feed and dietary lipids (n-3 vs. n-6) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced alterations in tissue fatty acids, vitamin E status, and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) protein expression. The chicks (n = 16/group) were fed a high or low n-3 diet within 5 to 5 h 30 min (early) or after 48 h (late) of hatching. Feeding high n-3 diets increased eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5 n-3), docosapentaenoic acid (22:5 n-3), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6 n-3) in the liver, spleen, and plasma (P < 0.05). Feeding low n-3 diets increased arachidonic acid in the liver and plasma (P < 0.05). Early access to feed led to increases in liver oleic acid and reduction in arachidonic acid as compared with late-fed birds (P < 0.05). No effect of time of feeding on fatty acids in the spleen was observed. Early feeding led to significant increases in linoleic and arachidonic acids in the plasma (P < 0.05). Stearic acid was higher in the plasma of low n-3 early-fed as opposed to low n-3 late-fed birds (P < 0.05). The LPS challenge led to an increase in liver total fat content (P < 0.05). The total fat content in the spleen and plasma were not affected by LPS injection (P > 0.05). The LPS-injected birds had decreases in oleic acid in the liver and plasma as compared with saline-injected birds (P < 0.05). Stearic acid increased upon LPS injection in the spleen and plasma (P < 0.05). Liver vitamin E content was significantly higher in saline-injected birds from the early high n-3 group compared with all treatment groups, except for the late low n-3 saline-injected birds (P < 0.05). Plasma vitamin E was highest in the early low n-3 LPS-injected birds compared with all other treatment groups (P < 0.05). The COX2:actin ratio in the early high n-3 LPS-injected birds was higher than that of the saline-injected birds of the same treatment (P < 0.05). However, no difference in COX-2 expression was observed between LPS- or saline-injected fed early low n-3, late high n-3, or late low n-3 diets (P > 0.05). No effect of diet, time of feeding, or LPS challenge on plasma isoprostanes was observed (P > 0.05). These results suggest that dietary and management strategies directed at modulating tissue polyunsaturated fatty acid status may offer the promise of modulating lipid metabolism and COX-2 expression in commercial poultry.

Receptor activities for low-density lipoprotein and acetylated low-density lipoprotein in a mouse macrophage cell line (IC21) and in human monocyte-derived macrophages.

IC21 macrophages, a permanent culture of a line of cells derived from a single colony of mouse peritoneal macrophages transformed with simian virus 40, demonstrate most of the characteristics of lipoprotein metabolism that have been described for primary cultures of rodent or canine peritoneal macrophages. IC21 macrophages have low but demonstrable low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor activity. They actively degrade acetylated LDL (AcLDL), which has a negative charge and is not recognized by the LDL receptor. Incubation of IC21 macrophages with human lipoprotein-depleted serum leads to a marked increase in cholesterol synthesis, as measured by incorporation of labeled acetate into sterols. Sterol synthesis is inhibited by further incubation with AcLDL; incubation with LDL also decreases cholesterol synthesis with an accumulation of radioactivity from acetate in sterol intermediates, which indicates that some uptake of LDL occurs. Incubation with AcLDL but not LDL leads to a marked stimulation of cholesterol esterification, as measured by labeled oleic acid incorporation into cholesteryl esters, and a concomitant increase in cellular cholesteryl ester content. IC21 macrophages as compared with human monocyte-derived macrophages are shown to have marked difference in their abilities to degrade native LDL and AcLDL. Human monocyte-derived macrophages degrade LDL at low concentrations at a rate sevenfold greater than do IC21 macrophages. The rate of cholesteryl ester synthesis after LDL receptor induction and incubation with LDL increases linearly with LDL concentration in HMD macrophages, but no increase was found in similarly incubated IC21 macrophages. IC21 macrophages degrade AcLDL at a rate two- to fourfold greater than do human monocyte-derived macrophages.

A specific sorting signal is not required for the polarized secretion of newly synthesized proteins from cultured intestinal epithelial cells.

Caco-2 cells, derived from human colon, have the morphological, functional, and biochemical properties of small intestinal epithelial cells. After infection with enveloped viruses, influenza virions assembled at the apical plasma membrane while vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) particles appeared exclusively at the basolateral membrane, similar to the pattern observed in virus-infected Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK). When grown in Millicell filter chamber devices and labeled with [35S]methionine, Caco-2 monolayers released all of their radiolabeled secretory products preferentially into the basal chamber. Among the proteins identified were apolipoproteins AI and E, transferrin, and alpha-fetoprotein. No proteins were observed to be secreted preferentially from the apical cell surface. The lysosomal enzyme beta-hexosaminidase was also secreted primarily from the basolateral surface of the cells in the presence or absence of lysosomotropic drugs or tunicamycin, which inhibit the targetting of lysosomal enzymes to lysosomes. Neither of these drug treatments significantly affected the polarized secretion of other nonlysosomal proteins. In addition, growth hormone (GH), which is released in a nonpolar fashion from MDCK cells, was secreted exclusively from the basolateral membrane after transfection of Caco-2 cells with GH cDNA in a pSV2-based expression vector. Similar results were obtained in transient expression experiments and after selection of permanently transformed Caco-2 cells expressing GH. Since both beta-hexosaminidase and GH would be expected to lack sorting signals for polarized exocytosis in epithelial cells, these results indicate that in intestinal cells, proteins transported via the basolateral secretory pathway need not have specific sorting signals.

Burn and smoke inhalation injury in sheep depletes vitamin E: kinetic studies using deuterated tocopherols.

To test the hypothesis that burn and smoke injury will deplete tissue alpha-tocopherol and cause its faster plasma disappearance, deuterium-labeled vitamin E was administered to sheep exposed to both surface skin burn and smoke insufflation, which cause injuries similar to those of human victims of fire accidents. Two different protocols were used: (1) deuterated vitamin E was administered orally with food at time 0 (just before injury) or (2) the labeled vitamin E was administered orally with food the day before injury. The animals, which had been operatively prepared seven days before, were anesthetized and then received both 40% body surface area third-degree burn and 48 breaths of cotton smoke or sham injuries. All were resuscitated with Ringer's lactate solution (4 ml/kg/% BSA burn/24 h) and mechanically ventilated. Blood samples were collected at various times after vitamin E dosing. In both studies the depletion of plasma alpha-tocopherol was faster in the injured sheep. The sheep given deuterated vitamin E 24 h before injury had similar maximum alpha-tocopherol concentrations at similar times. The exponential rates of alpha-tocopherol disappearance were 1.5 times greater and half-lives were 12 h shorter (p < 0.05) in the injured sheep. In separate studies, various tissues were obtained from sheep that were sacrificed from 4 to 48 h after injury. The liver alpha-tocopherol concentrations in sheep killed at various times after injury seem to show a linear decrease at a rate of 0.1 nmol alpha-tocopherol/g liver per hour, suggesting that the liver is supplying alpha-tocopherol to maintain the plasma and lung alpha-tocopherol concentrations, but that this injury is so severe the liver is unable to maintain lung alpha-tocopherol concentrations. These findings suggest that alpha-tocopherol should be administered to burn patients to prevent vitamin E depletion and to protect against oxidative stress from burn injury.

Bovine milk lipoprotein lipase transfers tocopherol to human fibroblasts during triglyceride hydrolysis in vitro.

Lipoprotein lipase appears to function as the mechanism by which dietary vitamin E (tocopherol) is transferred from chylomicrons to tissues. In patients with lipoprotein lipase deficiency, more than 85% of both the circulating triglyceride and tocopherol is contained in the chylomicron fraction. The studies presented here show that the in vitro addition of bovine milk lipoprotein lipase (lipase) to chylomicrons in the presence of human erythrocytes or fibroblasts (and bovine serum albumin [BSA]) resulted in the hydrolysis of the triglyceride and the transfer of both fatty acids and tocopherol to the cells; in the absence of lipase, no increase in cellular tocopherol was detectable. The incubation system was simplified to include only fibroblasts, BSA, and Intralipid (an artificial lipid emulsion containing 10% soybean oil, which has gamma but not alpha tocopherol). The addition of lipase to this system also resulted in the transfer of tocopherol (gamma) to the fibroblasts. Addition of both lipase and its activator, apolipoprotein CII, resulted in a further increase in the cellular tocopherol content, but apolipoprotein CII alone had no effect. Heparin, which is known to prevent the binding of lipoprotein lipase to the cell surface membrane, abrogated the transfer of tocopherol to fibroblasts without altering the rate of triglyceride hydrolysis. Thus, in vitro tocopherol is transferred to cells during hydrolysis of triglyceride by the action of lipase, and for this transfer of tocopherol to occur, the lipase itself must bind to the cell membrane.

Impaired ability of patients with familial isolated vitamin E deficiency to incorporate alpha-tocopherol into lipoproteins secreted by the liver.

Plasma and lipoprotein alpha-tocopherol concentrations of four patients with familial isolated vitamin E deficiency and six control subjects were observed for 4 d after an oral dose (approximately 15 mg) of RRR-alpha-tocopheryl acetate labeled with six deuterium atoms (d6-tocopherol). Chylomicron d6-tocopherol concentrations were similar in the two groups. d6-Tocopherol concentrations of plasma, very low (VLDL), low (LDL), and high (HDL) density lipoproteins were similar in the two groups only during the first 12 h; then these were significantly lower, and the rate of disappearance faster, in the patients. The times (tmax) of the maximum chylomicron d6-tocopherol concentrations were similar for the two groups, but tmax values in the controls increased in the order: chylomicrons less than VLDL less than or equal to LDL approximately HDL, while the corresponding values in the patients were similar to the chylomicron tmax. Thus, plasma d6-tocopherol in controls increased during chylomicron and VLDL catabolism, whereas in patients it increased only during chylomicron catabolism, thereby resulting in a premature and faster decline in the plasma tocopherol concentration due to a lack of d6-tocopherol secretion from the liver. We suggest that these patients are lacking or have a defective liver "tocopherol binding protein" that incorporates alpha-tocopherol into nascent VLDL.

Intestinal expression of human apolipoprotein A-IV in transgenic mice fails to influence dietary lipid absorption or feeding behavior.

Two transgenic mouse lines, expressing low or high amounts of human apo A-IV were created. In low and high expressor HuAIVTg mice on a chow diet, serum human apo A-IV levels were 6 and 25 times the normal human level and on a high fat diet, they were 12 and 77 times higher. Human apo A-IV was equally distributed between lipoprotein (mainly HDL) and lipid-free fractions. Intestinal absorption of radiolabeled cholesterol and triglycerides was unaffected in HuAIVTg mice. Vitamin A, carried exclusively in chylomicrons and their remnants, was catabolized normally. When an intragastric vitamin E bolus is given to the HuAIVTg mice, the initial absorption and appearance in triglyceride-rich lipoproteins was similar to that observed in normal mice. However, elevated amounts of vitamin E were subsequently observed in the VLDL of the HuAIVTg mice. Furthermore, in the fed state, serum VLDL triglycerides were markedly elevated in HuAIVTg mice. This effect was greater in high expressor mice. Serum total cholesterol was not elevated, but the distribution was altered in the HuAIVTg mice; VLDL-C was increased at the expense of VLDL-C. Kinetic studies suggested a delayed clearance of VLDL in HuAIVTg mice. Apo A-IV has been suggested to be a satiety factor, but no effect on feeding behavior or weight gain was observed in these HuAIVTg mice. In summary, our studies with HuAIVTg mice show that additional apo A-IV does not effect intestinal absorption of fat and fat-soluble vitamins, and at least chronic elevation of plasma apo A-IV does not effect feeding behavior in this model system.

Conjugated linoleic acid and fish oil in laying hen diets: effects on egg fatty acids, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, and tocopherols during storage.

The effects of incorporating conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and fish oil in laying hen diets on egg CLA, n-3 fatty acid, tocopherol, and TBA reactive substances (TBARS) during 60 d of storage were investigated. Hens were fed corn-soybean meal-based diets containing 3% yellow grease (YG), 2.75% yellow grease + 0.25% CLA (YG-CLA), 2.5% yellow grease + 0.25% CLA + 0.25% fish oil (YG-CLA-FO), or 2.75% yellow grease + 0.25% fish oil (YG-FO). Eggs were collected and stored at 4 degrees C up to 60 d. On storage d 0, 20, 40, and 60, eggs (n = 8) from each treatment were selected randomly, and tocopherol and TBARS contents were measured. Egg total lipid and fatty acids were determined on d 0 and 60 of storage. Feeding YG-CLA-FO led to a 5.4 and 7.7% reduction in egg total lipids on d 0 and 60 (P < 0.05) when compared with YG eggs. The YG-CLA and YG-CLA-FO diets led to a 12% increase in egg saturated fatty acids compared with YG eggs. The content of monounsaturated fatty acids were lower ( > 19%) in YG-CLA and YG-CLA-FO compared with YG. Egg n-3 was highest in YG-FO eggs and lowest in YG eggs (P < 0.0001). Storage over 60 d led to a 20 and 67% depletion of CLA in the YG-CLA and YG-CLA-FO eggs (P < 0.0001). A 29% reduction was observed in the total n-3 fatty acid content of YG-CLA-FO eggs at d 60 of storage when compared with d 0 of storage (P < 0.0001). Diet and storage increased TBARS (P < 0.0001), which was highest in YG-CLA eggs at 60 d of storage. The YG-CLA and YG-CLA-FO diets reduced alpha and gamma-tocopherol contents at all days of storage compared with YG eggs (P < 0.05). Regardless of diet, egg storage for 40 d or longer depleted egg tocopherol contents (P < 0.05). These data demonstrate that healthy eggs with increased n-3 fatty acids and CLA can be generated by minor diet modifications, but added tocopherol supplementation may be needed to reduce lipid peroxidation when n-3 or CLA is included in the hen diet.

Vitamin E plasma kinetics in swine show low bioavailability and short half-life of -α-tocopheryl acetate.

Vitamin E is important for animal production because of its effects on health and product quality, but the amount and form required remains controversial. Our objective was to quantify the absolute bioavailability of oral -α-tocopheryl acetate (α-TAc) in swine (22 ± 1 kg and 8 wk old, fitted with jugular catheters) adapted to a diet supplemented with 75 mg/kg -α-TAc; 75 mg/kg was chosen because this level represents the nonweighted average inclusion level in piglet diets across Western key swine-producing countries. For this, a 350-g test meal (6% fat) was supplied at time 0 containing 75 mg deuterated (D9) -α-TAc to 9 animals, and 8 animals received an intravenous () dose containing deuterated (D6) RRR-α-tocopherol (α-T) at one-eighth the oral dose and a test meal without supplemental vitamin E. Plasma samples (12 to 13 per animal) were obtained at incremental intervals over 75 h for analysis of deuterated α-T using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Surprisingly, the i.v. dose rapidly disappeared from plasma and then reappeared. The half-life for this first peak was only 1.7 ± 0.3 min. The second peak had an appearance rate (Ka) of 0.10 ± 0.06 d and a half-life of 5.9 ± 1.2 h. Oral dosing resulted, after a lag of 56 min, in a Ka of 0.91 ± 0.21 d and a half-life of 2.6 ± 0.8 h. The bioavailability for oral α-TAc was 12.5%, whereas the area under the curve was only 5.4%. This low bioavailability, small area under the curve, and short half-life are likely because of various factors, that is, the use of only 6% fat in the diet, the use of the acetate ester and , and the high dose relative to requirements. In conclusion, i.v. dosed vitamin E shows both a rapid and a very slow pool, whereas orally dosed vitamin E shows a single slow pool. The oral material has a very short half-live (44% of i.v. or 2.6 h), low bioavailability (12.5%), and a very small area under the curve (5.4%), bringing into question the efficacy of typical doses of vitamin E in swine diets for alleviating oxidative stress.

Depletion of human stratum corneum vitamin E: an early and sensitive in vivo marker of UV induced photo-oxidation.

As the outermost barrier of the body, the stratum corneum (SC) is frequently and directly exposed to a pro-oxidative environment, including ultraviolet solar radiation (UVR). Therefore, we hypothesized that the SC is susceptible to UVR induced depletion of vitamin E, the major lipophilic antioxidant. To test this, we investigated (i) the susceptibility of SC tocopherols to solar simulated UVR in hairless mice, (ii) the baseline levels and distribution patterns of tocopherols in human SC, and (iii) the impact of a suberythemogenic dose of solar simulated UVR on human SC tocopherols. SC tocopherol levels were measured by high performance liquid chromotography analysis of SC extracts from tape strippings. In murine SC, overall tocopherol concentrations were determined, whereas in human SC, 10 consecutive layers were analyzed for each individual. The results on SC tocopherols demonstrated (i) their concentration dependent depletion by solar simulated UVR in hairless mice; (ii) a gradient distribution within untreated human SC, with the lowest levels at the surface (alpha-tocopherol 6.5 +/- 1.4 pmol per mg, and gamma-tocopherol 2.2 +/- 1.3 pmol per mg) and the highest levels in the deepest layers (alpha-tocopherol 76 +/- 12 pmol per mg, and gamma-tocopherol 7.9 +/- 3.7 pmol per mg, n = 10; p < 0.0001); and (iii) the depletion of tocopherols in human SC by a single suberythemogenic dose of solar simulated UVR (alpha-tocopherol by 45%, and gamma-tocopherol by 35% as compared with controls; n = 6; both p < 0.01). These results demonstrate that the SC is a remarkably susceptible site for UVR induced depletion of vitamin E.

Ozone-exposure depletes vitamin E and induces lipid peroxidation in murine stratum corneum.

The presence of ozone (O(3)) in photochemical smog is an important health concern. We hypothesized that the stratum corneum (SC), as the outermost skin layer and the permeability barrier of the skin, represents a sensitive target for O(3)-induced oxidative stress. To test this hypothesis, SKH-1 hairless mice were anesthetized and exposed for 2 h to O(3) by using two strategies: (i) single exposures to 0 (n = 12), 1 (n = 4), 5 (n = 4), and 10 (n = 4) ppm; and (ii) repeated daily exposures to 0 ppm (controls; n = 4) and 1 ppm (n = 4) for six consecutive days. New techniques based on the removal of SC by tape stripping were used to analyze the biologic effects of O(3) with respect to vitamin E depletion and lipid peroxidation. SC tissue was extracted from the tape and immediately analyzed by HPLC for vitamin E and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations. After in vivo exposure to increasing O(3) doses, vitamin E was depleted and MDA formation was increased, both in a dose-dependent manner. Remarkably, repeated low-level O(3) exposures resulted in cumulative oxidative effects in the SC: As compared with O(3) exposures of 0 ppm (alpha-tocopherol, 8.95 +/- 1.3 pmol per mg; gamma-tocopherol, 3.00 +/- 0.3 pmol per mg; MDA, 3.69 +/- 0.3 pmol per mg), vitamin E was depleted (alpha-tocopherol, 2.90 +/- 0.6 pmol per mg, p < 0.001; gamma-tocopherol, 0.5 +/- 0.1 pmol per mg, p < 0.001) and MDA levels were increased (4.5 +/- 0.2; p < 0.01). This report demonstrates the unique susceptibility of the SC to oxidative damage upon exposure to O(3).

Determinants of plasma vitamin E concentrations.

Vitamin E, a lipid soluble antioxidant, is transported in plasma lipoproteins. This review will summarize the mechanisms for the preferential incorporation of RRR-alpha-tocopherol into lipoproteins. Special attention is devoted to the hepatic tocopherol binding protein, and to patients who are vitamin E deficient because they apparently have a genetic defect in this protein. The regulation of plasma vitamin E by the tocopherol binding protein as a determinant of the biologic activity of various forms of vitamin E is also discussed.

Oxidative stress in athletes during extreme endurance exercise.

Despite the many known health benefits of exercise, there is a body of evidence suggesting that endurance exercise is associated with oxidative stress. To determine whether extreme endurance exercise induces lipid peroxidation, 11 athletes (3 females, 8 males) were studied during a 50 km ultramarathon (trial 1) and during a sedentary protocol (trial 2) 1 month later. The evening before each trial, with dinner, subjects consumed 75 mg each d(3)-RRR and d(6)-all rac-alpha-tocopheryl acetates. Blood was obtained at baseline, 30 min pre-race, mid-race, post-race, 1 h post-race, 24 h post-race, and at corresponding times during trial 2. All 11 subjects completed the race; average run time was 391 +/- 23 min. Plasma F(2)-isoprostanes increased from 75 +/- 7 pg/ml at pre-race to 131 +/- 17 (p <.02) at post-race, then returned to baseline at 24 h post-race; F(2)-isoprostanes were unchanged during trial 2. Deuterated alpha-tocopherol disappearance rates were faster (2.8 x 10(-4) +/- 0.2 x 10(-4)) during the race compared to the sedentary trial (2.3 x 10(-4) +/- 0.2 x 10(-4); p <.03). These data suggest that extreme endurance exercise results in the generation of lipid peroxidation with a concomitant increase in vitamin E disappearance.

Synthetic as compared with natural vitamin E is preferentially excreted as alpha-CEHC in human urine: studies using deuterated alpha-tocopheryl acetates.

Alpha-CEHC (2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-2(2'-carboxyethyl)-6-hydroxychroman) is a urinary vitamin E metabolite with a truncated phytyl tail. To test whether natural and synthetic vitamin E are similarly converted to alpha-CEHC, 6 humans consumed 150 mg each RRR-alpha-[5-(C2H3)]- and all rac-alpha-[5,7(C2H3)2]-tocopheryl acetates (d3RRR-alpha- and d6all rac-alpha-tocopheryl acetates, respectively). Plasma was collected at 0, 6, 12 and 24 h; urine (24 h) at 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 8 days. Following dosing, plasma was enriched with d3RRR-alpha-tocopherol, while urine was enriched with alpha-CEHC derived from d6all rac-alpha-tocopherol. Thus, synthetic compared with natural vitamin E is preferentially metabolized to alpha-CEHC and excreted.

Thiol chelation of Cu2+ by dihydrolipoic acid prevents human low density lipoprotein peroxidation.

Mono-thiols can act either as pro- or anti-oxidants during metal-catalyzed low density lipoprotein (LDL) peroxidation, however investigation of the role of vicinal thiols has been neglected. Therefore dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA), a vicinal dithiol, and lipoic acid, its oxidized form, were used to investigate Cu2+-mediated LDL peroxidation. We demonstrate here that DHLA inhibited Cu2+-dependent LDL peroxidation by chelating copper. DHLA (0-20 microM) increased lag-times of conjugated diene formation in LDL (100 microg/ml) oxidized with 5 microM Cu2+ in a concentration dependent manner, and this effect was saturated after 5 microM DHLA; enough to chelate all of the added Cu2+. In a similar fashion DHLA prevented LDL-mediated reduction of Cu2+ to Cu+. Lipoic acid had no effect in these systems. DHLA alone also reduced Cu2+, however this was inhibited when DHLA was in excess of the copper concentration. Hence there is complex formation between the two species. Copper:DHLA complex formation was further investigated and found to be dependent upon pH and the presence of oxygen. At low pH (<6), or in the absence of oxygen, the complex is stable, presumably due to vicinal thiol chelation. As the pH is increased, the carboxylate group also participates in copper chelation, this results in a less stable complex which is susceptible to oxidation, and copper is eventually released. Electron spin resonance studies demonstrate the formation of hydroxyl, but not superoxide, radicals during Cu2+-catalyzed DHLA oxidation. Thus in our LDL experiments at physiological pH, DHLA is able to either reductively inactivate Cu2+ when Cu2+ is in excess, or effectively chelate Cu2+ when DHLA is in excess. The Cu2+:DHLA complex eventually undergoes copper-catalyzed oxidation, copper is released and LDL peroxidation proceeds. DHLA, thus, has both pro- and antioxidant properties depending upon the ratio of Cu2+:DHLA and the pH. These results provide an additional mechanism of thiol-mediated formation of radicals and metal chelation.

Ozone depletes tocopherols and tocotrienols topically applied to murine skin.

To evaluate ozone damage to hairless mouse skin, two parameters of oxidative damage, vitamin E depletion and malondialdehyde (MDA) production, were measured in vitamin E-enriched and in control skin from mice exposed to ozone (10 ppm). A 5% vitamin E solution (tocotrienol-rich fraction, TRF) in polyethylene glycol (PEG) was applied to 2 sites on the back of hairless mice, PEG to 2 sites. After 2 h, the sites were washed, one of each pair of sites covered and the mice exposed ozone for 2 h. Ozone exposure (compared with covered sites) increased epidermal MDA in PEG-treated sites, while vitamin E was unchanged. In contrast, ozone exposure significantly depleted vitamin E in TRF-treated sites, while significant MDA accumulation was prevented. This is the first demonstration that ozone exposure causes damage to cutaneous lipids, an effect which can be attenuated by vitamin E application.

Efficacy of topically applied tocopherols and tocotrienols in protection of murine skin from oxidative damage induced by UV-irradiation.

To assess the efficacy of various forms of vitamin E in protection of skin from UV-light-induced oxidative stress, vitamin E (tocotrienol-rich fraction of palm oil, TRF) was applied to mouse skin and the contents of antioxidants before and after exposure to UV-light were measured. Four polypropylene plastic rings (1 cm2) were glued onto the animals' backs, and 20 microliters 5% TRF in polyethylene glycol-400 (PEG) was applied to the skin circumscribed by two rings and 20 microliters PEG to the other two rings. After 2 h, the skin was washed and half of the sites were exposed to UV-irradiation (2.8 mW/cm2 for 29 mi: 3 MED). TRF treatment (n = 19 mice) increased mouse skin alpha-tocopherol 28 +/- 16-fold, alpha-tocotrienol 80 +/- 50-fold, gamma-tocopherol 130 +/- 108-fold, and gamma-tocotrienol 51 +/- 36-fold. A significantly higher percentage of alpha-tocopherol was present in the skin as compared with that in the applied TRF. After UV-irradiation, all vitamin E forms decreased significantly (p < .01), while a larger proportion of the vitamin E remained in PEG-treated (approximately 80%) compared with TRF-treated (approximately 40%) skin. Nonetheless, vitamin E concentrations in irradiated TRF-treated skin were significantly higher than in the nonirradiated PEG-treated (control) skin (p < .01). Thus, UV-irradiation of skin destroys its antioxidants: however, prior application of TRF to mouse skin results in preservation of vitamin E.

Redox regulation of NF-kappa B activation.

Cytosolic reactions of the nuclear factor kappa B/inhibitor (NF-kappaB/IkappaB) complex leading to its activation, NF-kappaB translocation into the nucleus, DNA binding, and transactivation have been described with some degree of clarity, but the upstream processes that stimulate those cytosolic reactions remain obscure. These processes definitely involve multiple protein serine/threonine kinases, as proximal modifiers of IkappaB, as well as the corresponding phosphatases, upstream kinases, and phosphatases, including those acting on tyrosine residues. This complex cascade of phosphorylation and dephosphorylation is modulated by redox reactions of unknown nature in the sense that the oxidant status of the cytosol increases the phosphorylation and degradation of IkappaB. NF-kappaB action, however, requires a thioredoxin-dependent reduced status in the nucleus. Upstream kinase(s) and or phosphatase(s) prone to thiolation or oxidation of vicinal SH groups are at present considered the best candidates mediating the redox regulation of NF-kappaB.