Greater γ-tocopherol status during acute smoking abstinence with nicotine replacement therapy improved vascular endothelial function by decreasing 8-iso-15(S)-prostaglandin F2α.

Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) improves the long-term success rate of smoking cessation, but induces oxidative stress and inflammatory responses that may delay the restoration of vascular endothelial function (VEF). No studies have examined co-therapy of NRT-assisted smoking abstinence with γ-tocopherol (γ-T), a vitamin E form with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, on improvements in VEF. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, healthy smokers (25 ± 1 y old; mean ± SEM) received NRT and abstained from smoking for 24 h with placebo (n = 12) or oral administration of γ-T-rich mixture of tocopherols (γ-TmT; n = 11) that provided 500 mg γ-T. Brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD), and biomarkers of nitric oxide metabolism, antioxidant status, inflammation, and lipid peroxidation [8-iso-prostaglandin F2α stereoisomers (8-iso-15(R)-PGF2α and 8-iso-15(S)-PGF2α)] were measured prior to and after 24 h of smoking abstinence. Smoking abstinence with NRT regardless of γ-TmT similarly decreased urinary naphthol (P < 0.05) without affecting plasma cotinine. γ-TmT increased plasma γ-T by 4-times and the urinary metabolite of γ-T, γ-carboxyethyl-chromanol, by three times. Smoking abstinence with γ-TmT, but not smoking abstinence alone, increased FMD without affecting plasma nitrate/nitrite or the ratio of asymmetric dimethylarginine/arginine. Urinary 8-iso-15(S)-PGF2α decreased only in those receiving γ-TmT and was inversely correlated to FMD (R = -0.43, P < 0.05). Circulating markers of inflammation were unaffected by smoking abstinence or γ-TmT. Short-term NRT-assisted smoking abstinence with γ-TmT, but not NRT-assisted smoking abstinence alone, improved VEF by decreasing 8-iso-15(S)-PGF2α, a vasoconstrictor that was otherwise unaffected by NRT-assisted smoking abstinence.

Antioxidant supplements reduced oxidative stress and stabilized liver function tests but did not reduce inflammation in a randomized controlled trial in obese children and adolescents.

Oxidative stress and low-grade systemic inflammation may contribute to the pathogenesis of obesity-induced comorbidities, including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Increasing intake of dietary antioxidants might be beneficial, but there are few data in obese children. To examine the effect of antioxidant supplementation on biomarkers of oxidative stress, inflammation, and liver function, we randomly assigned overweight or obese children and adolescents (n = 44; mean ± SD age: 12.7 ± 1.5 y) participating in a lifestyle modification program to a 4-mo intervention with daily antioxidants (vitamin E, 400 IU; vitamin C, 500 mg; selenium, 50 µg) or placebo. We measured anthropometrics, antioxidant status, oxidative stress (F(2)-isoprostanes, F(2)-isoprostane metabolites), inflammation, liver enzymes, fasting insulin and glucose, and lipid profile at baseline and endpoint. There was a significant treatment effect of antioxidant supplementation on antioxidant status [α-tocopherol, ß = 23.2 (95% CI: 18.0, 28.4); ascorbic acid, ß = 70.6 (95% CI: 51.7, 89.4); selenium, ß = 0.07 (95% CI: 0.01, 0.12)] and oxidative stress [8-iso-prostaglandin F2α, ß = -0.11 (95% CI: -0.19, -0.02)] but not on any of the inflammatory markers measured. There was a significant treatment effect on alanine aminotransferase [ß = -0.13 (95% CI: -0.23, -0.03)], a trend toward a significant effect on aspartate aminotransferase [ß = -0.04 (95% CI: -0.09, 0.01)], and no significant effect on γ-glutamyltransferase [ß = -0.03 (95% CI: -0.11, 0.06)]. In summary, antioxidant supplementation for 4 mo improved antioxidant-oxidant balance and modestly improved liver function tests; however, it did not reduce markers of systemic inflammation despite significant baseline correlations between oxidative stress and inflammation. The study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01316081.

γ-Tocopherol-rich supplementation additively improves vascular endothelial function during smoking cessation.

Oxidative stress and inflammation persist years after smoking cessation thereby limiting the restoration of vascular endothelial function (VEF). Although short-term smoking cessation improves VEF, no studies have examined co-therapy of antioxidants in combination with smoking cessation to improve VEF. We hypothesized that improvements in γ-tocopherol (γ-T) status during smoking cessation would improve VEF beyond that from smoking cessation alone by decreasing oxidative stress and proinflammatory responses. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted in otherwise healthy smokers (22 ± 1 years; mean ± SEM) who quit smoking for 7 days with placebo (n=14) or γ-T-rich supplementation (n=16; 500 mg γ-T/day). Brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD), cotinine, and biomarkers of antioxidant status, oxidative stress, and inflammation were measured before and after 7 days of smoking cessation. Smoking cessation regardless of supplementation similarly decreased plasma cotinine, whereas γ-T-rich supplementation increased plasma γ-T by seven times and its urinary metabolite γ-carboxyethyl hydroxychroman by nine times (P<0.05). Smoking cessation with γ-T-rich supplementation increased FMD responses by 1.3% (P<0.05) beyond smoking cessation alone (4.1 ± 0.6% vs 2.8 ± 0.3%; mean ± SEM). Although plasma malondialdehyde decreased similarly in both groups (P<0.05), plasma oxidized LDL and urinary F2-isoprostanes were unaffected by smoking cessation or γ-T-rich supplementation. Plasma TNF-α and myeloperoxidase decreased (P<0.05) only in those receiving γ-T-rich supplements and these were inversely related to FMD (P<0.05; R=-0.46 and -0.37, respectively). These findings demonstrate that short-term γ-T-rich supplementation in combination with smoking cessation improved VEF beyond that from smoking cessation alone in young smokers, probably by decreasing the proinflammatory mediators TNF-α and myeloperoxidase.

ω-Hydroxylation of phylloquinone by CYP4F2 is not increased by α-tocopherol.

SCOPE: The objective of this study was to investigate the initial catabolic step of vitamin E and K metabolism, the ω-hydroxylation by human cytochrome P450 4F2 (CYP4F2). METHODS AND RESULTS: Tocopherol (T) metabolism was compared using rat liver slices incubated with deuterated (d6)-RRR-α-T (d6-α-T), racemic 2S-α-T (2S, 4'RS, 8'RS α-T, 2S-α-T), or d2-γ-T (d2-γ-T). Following comparable uptake of each T by liver slices, twice as much 13'-OH-T was produced from 2S-α-T or d2-γ-T (39 ± 15 or 42 ± 5 pmol/g liver, respectively) as from d6-α-T (17 ± 2, p < 0.01). Kinetic studies were conducted using insect microsomes expressing human CYP4F2 incubated with d4-phylloquinone (d4-PK), d6-RRR-α-T, d3-SRR-α-T, or d2-γ-T. CYP4F2 demonstrated similar apparent maximal velocities (Vmax) when either of the α-Ts were used as substrates, which were less than the apparent d4-PK Vmax (p < 0.0002), while the CYP4F2 catalytic efficiency toward d4-PK (15.8 Vmax/Km) was five times greater than for α-Ts. Vitamin K had no effect on vitamin E catabolism, while vitamin E slightly decreased the d4-PK Vmax. CONCLUSION: CYP4F2 discriminates between Ts and PK in vitro, but α-T does not apparently increase PK ω-hydroxylation by this mechanism.

Novel liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method shows that vitamin E deficiency depletes arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acids in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos.

To test the hypothesis that embryogenesis depends upon α-tocopherol (E) to protect embryo polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) from lipid peroxidation, new methodologies were applied to measure α-tocopherol and fatty acids in extracts from saponified zebrafish embryos. A solid phase extraction method was developed to separate the analyte classes, using a mixed mode cartridge (reverse phase, π-π bonding, strong anion exchange), then α-tocopherol and cholesterol were measured using standard techniques, while the fatty acids were quantitated using a novel, reverse phase liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) approach. We also determined if α-tocopherol status alters embryonic lipid peroxidation products by analyzing 24 different oxidized products of arachidonic or docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids in embryos using LC with hybrid quadrupole-time of flight MS. Adult zebrafish were fed E- or E+ diets for 4 months, and then were spawned to obtain E- and E+ embryos. Between 24 and 72 hours post-fertilization (hpf), arachidonic acid decreased 3-times faster in E- (21 pg/h) compared with E+ embryos (7 pg/h, P<0.0001), while both α-tocopherol and DHA concentrations decreased only in E- embryos. At 36 hpf, E- embryos contained double the 5-hydroxy-eicosatetraenoic acids and 7-hydroxy-DHA concentrations, while other hydroxy-lipids remained unchanged. Vitamin E deficiency during embryogenesis depleted DHA and arachidonic acid, and increased hydroxy-fatty acids derived from these PUFA, suggesting that α-tocopherol is necessary to protect these critical fatty acids.

Transcription factor Ctip2 controls epidermal lipid metabolism and regulates expression of genes involved in sphingolipid biosynthesis during skin development.

The stratum corneum is composed of protein-enriched corneocytes embedded in an intercellular matrix of nonpolar lipids organized as lamellar layers and giving rise to epidermal permeability barrier (EPB). EPB defects have an important role in the pathophysiology of skin diseases such as eczema. The transcriptional control of skin lipid metabolism is poorly understood. We have discovered that mice lacking transcription factor COUP-TF-interacting protein 2 (Ctip2) exhibit EPB defects including altered keratinocyte terminal differentiation, delayed skin barrier development, and interrupted neutral lipid distribution in the epidermis. Here we adapted a targeted lipidomic approach using mass spectrometry and have determined that Ctip2(-/-) mice (germline deletion of the Ctip2 gene) display altered composition of major epidermal lipids, such as ceramides and sphingomyelins, compared with wild-type mice at different stages of skin development. Interestingly, expressions of several genes involved in skin sphingolipid biosynthesis and metabolism were altered in mutant skin. Ctip2 was found to be recruited to the promoter region of a subset of those genes, suggesting their possible direct regulation by Ctip2. Our results confirm an important role of Ctip2 in regulating skin lipid metabolism and indicate that profiling of epidermal sphingolipid could be useful for designing effective strategies to improve barrier dysfunctions.

Dietary soy and tea mitigate chronic inflammation and prostate cancer via NFκB pathway in the Noble rat model.

Chronic inflammation and nuclear factor-kappa B (NFκB) have been implicated in prostate cancer development; thus, dietary factors that inhibit NFκB may serve as effective chemo-preventative agents. Prostate cancer risk is significantly lower in Asian countries compared to the United States, which has prompted interest in the potential chemopreventative action of Asian dietary components such as soy and green tea. This study examined the effects of dietary soy and tea on NFκB activation and inflammation in vivo using a hormone-induced rat model for prostate cancer. Male Noble rats implanted with estradiol and testosterone were divided into 4 dietary groups: control, soy, tea, or soy+tea. NFκB activation and inflammatory cytokines were measured post implantation. The combination of soy and tea suppressed NFκB p50 binding activity and protein levels via induction of IκBα. Soy and tea also decreased prostate inflammatory infiltration, increased Bax/BcL2 ratio and decreased protein expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1ß compared to control. Soy and tea attenuated prostate malignancy by decreasing prostate hyperplasia. These effects were not apparent in groups treated with soy or tea alone. The ongoing in vivo studies thus far suggest that combination of foods, such as soy and tea, may inhibit hormone-induced proinflammatory NFκB signals that contribute to prostate cancer development.

Characteristics of the rat cardiac sphingolipid pool in two mitochondrial subpopulations.

Mitochondrial sphingolipids play a diverse role in normal cardiac function and diseases, yet a precise quantification of cardiac mitochondrial sphingolipids has never been performed. Therefore, rat heart interfibrillary mitochondria (IFM) and subsarcolemmal mitochondria (SSM) were isolated, lipids extracted, and sphingolipids quantified by LC-tandem mass spectrometry. Results showed that sphingomyelin (approximately 10,000 pmol/mg protein) was the predominant sphingolipid regardless of mitochondrial subpopulation, and measurable amounts of ceramide (approximately 70 pmol/mg protein) sphingosine, and sphinganine were also found in IFM and SSM. Both mitochondrial populations contained similar quantities of sphingolipids except for ceramide which was much higher in SSM. Analysis of sphingolipid isoforms revealed ten different sphingomyelins and six ceramides that differed from 16- to 24-carbon units in their acyl side chains. Sub-fractionation experiments further showed that sphingolipids are a constituent part of the inner mitochondrial membrane. Furthermore, inner membrane ceramide levels were 32% lower versus whole mitochondria (45 pmol/mg protein). Three ceramide isotypes (C20-, C22-, and C24-ceramide) accounted for the lower amounts. The concentrations of the ceramides present in the inner membranes of SSM and IFM differed greatly. Overall, mitochondrial sphingolipid content reflected levels seen in cardiac tissue, but the specific ceramide distribution distinguished IFM and SSM from each other.

Quantitation of plasma total 15-series F(2)-isoprostanes by sequential solid phase and liquid-liquid extraction.

F(2)-isoprostanes are stereo- and regioisomers of prostaglandin F(2alpha) (PGF(2alpha)) and are used as biomarkers for lipid peroxidation. We modified our liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) procedure for F(2)-isoprostane analysis (Anal. Biochem. 350 (2006) 41-51) to use a combination of solid phase extraction (SPE) and LLE to produce a cleaner extract that can be easily concentrated. In addition, shortening the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) separation increased peak heights in HPLC-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) analysis. Both changes increased the overall sensitivity of the assay. MS/MS analysis served to confirm the identity of specific peaks that may be better biomarkers than the commonly measured 8-iso-PGF(2alpha).

Women and smokers have elevated urinary F(2)-isoprostane metabolites: a novel extraction and LC-MS methodology.

F(2)-Isoprostanes (F(2)-IsoPs), regio- and stereoisomers of prostaglandin F(2alpha) (PGF(2alpha)), and urinary F(2)-IsoP metabolites including 2,3-dinor-5,6-dihydro-8-iso-PGF(2alpha) [2,3-dinor-8-iso-PGF(1alpha) (2,3-dinor-F1)] and 2,3 dinor-8-iso-PGF(2alpha) (2,3-dinor-F2), have all been used as biomarkers of oxidative stress. A novel method was developed to measure these biomarkers using a single solid phase extraction (SPE) cartridge, separation by HPLC, and detection by negative mode selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mass spectrometry (MS), using authentic standards of PGF(2alpha); 8-iso-PGF(2alpha); 2,3-dinor-F1 and 2,3-dinor-F2 to identify specific chromatographic peaks. The method was validated in a population of healthy, college-aged nonsmokers (n = 6 M/8F) and smokers (n = 6 M/5F). Urinary F(2)-IsoP concentrations were approximately 0.2-1.5 microg/g creatinine, 2,3-dinor-F1 was approximately1-3 microg/g and 2,3-dinor-F2 was approximately 3-5 microg/g. Additional F(2)-IsoPs metabolites were identified using SRM. The sum of all urinary F(2)-IsoP metabolites was 50-100 microg/g creatinine indicating their greater abundance than F(2)-IsoPs. Women had higher F(2)-IsoP metabolite concentrations than did men (MANOVA, main effect P = 0.003); cigarette smokers had higher concentrations than did nonsmokers (main effect P = 0.036). For men or women, respectively, smokers had higher metabolite concentrations than did nonsmokers (P < 0.05). Thus, our method simultaneously allows measurement of urinary F(2)-IsoPs and their metabolites for the determination of oxidative stress.

Dietary zinc restriction in rats alters antioxidant status and increases plasma F2 isoprostanes.

Approximately 12% of Americans do not consume the estimated average requirement for zinc and could be at risk for zinc deficiency. Since zinc has proposed antioxidant function, inadequate zinc consumption may lead to an enhanced susceptibility to oxidative stress through several mechanisms, including altered antioxidant defenses. In this study, we hypothesized that dietary zinc restriction would result in lower antioxidant status and increased oxidative damage. We fed weanling Sprague-Dawley rats (n=12 per group) a zinc-adequate (50 mg/kg of zinc) diet, a zinc-deficient (<0.05 mg/kg of zinc) diet or a pair-fed diet for 3 weeks and then assessed their antioxidant status and oxidative stress parameters. Rats were zinc deficient as indicated by a significant (P<.05) reduction in body weight (49%) and 19% lower (P<.05) hepatic zinc (20.6+/-2.1 mg/kg) as compared with zinc-adequate rats (24.6+/-2.2 mg/kg). Zinc deficiency resulted in elevated (P<.05) plasma F(2) isoprostanes. Zinc deficiency-mediated oxidative stress was accompanied by a 20% decrease (P<.05) in the ferritin-reducing ability of plasma assay and a 50% reduction in plasma uric acid (P<.05). No significant change in plasma ascorbic acid or in plasma alpha-tocopherol and gamma-tocopherol was observed. However, hepatic alpha-tocopherol and gamma-tocopherol concentrations were decreased by 38% and 27% (P<.05), respectively, as compared with those in zinc-adequate rats. Hepatic alpha-tocopherol transfer protein levels were unaltered (P>.05) by zinc deficiency, but cytochrome P450 (CYP) 4F2 protein levels were elevated (P<.05) as compared with those in zinc-adequate rats. Collectively, zinc deficiency increased oxidative stress, which may be partially explained by increased CYP activity and reductions in hepatic alpha-tocopherol and gamma-tocopherol and in plasma uric acid.

Benefits of prolonged gradient separation for high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry quantitation of plasma total 15-series F-isoprostanes.

The F(2)-isoprostanes are products of free-radical-induced oxidation of arachidonic acid (AA) that are stereoisomers of prostaglandin F(2alpha) (PGF(2alpha)). We describe a method for quantitation of several 15-series PGF isomers (15-PGFs) and AA by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS-MS). Plasma samples were subjected to alkaline hydrolysis and acidified, and total (free + esterified) 15-PGFs and AA were extracted with organic solvents. The analytes were separated by gradient reverse-phase HPLC and detected by multiple reaction monitoring on a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer, using deuterated internal standards for quantitation. The assay had a linear range of 1-40 pg of 8-iso-PGF(2alpha) on column and can quantify as little as 40 pg/mL (0.11 nM) in plasma. Outcomes significantly correlated (p < 0.0001) with data obtained by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry GC-MS or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. All plasma 15-PGF isomers increased over time with in vitro cigarette smoke exposure and correlated (p < 0.0001) with each other. The same strong inter-15-PGF correlations were observed in plasma from healthy young adult subjects. The coefficients of variation of HPLC-MS-MS measurements (24-32%) were smaller than those obtained by GC-MS (53%). Thus, HPLC-MS-MS potentially offers greater precision and allows quantitation of more compounds with simpler sample preparation than existing methods. Ours is the first validated quantitative assay using HPLC-tandem MS applied to plasma total 15-PGFs.

Analysis of proanthocyanidins by high-performance gel permeation chromatography.

A high-performance gel permeation chromatography method was developed for the analysis of proanthocyanidins. The isocratic method consisted of two porous polystyrene-divinylbenzene columns (300 x 7.5 mm each, 5 microm, 100 and 500 A individual pore size) and a mobile phase consisting of N,N-dimethylformamide containing 1% (v/v) acetic acid, 5% (v/v) water and 0.15 M lithium chloride. The flow-rate was maintained at 1 ml/min, with a column temperature of 60 degrees C and with detection at 280 nm. The method was used to analyze proanthocyanidin fractions of increasing molecular mass and from different plant tissues. The average molecular mass of proanthocyanidin fractions as determined by acid catalysis in the presence of phloroglucinol, related well with their gel permeation chromatography column retention, yet significant differences in the retention properties between individual plant tissue isolates existed. Proanthocyanidin compositional differences between isolates may explain these differences. A second-order calibration curve was generated from fractionated grape seed proanthocyanidins and this curve was used to analyze grape seed proanthocyanidins isolated from grapes harvested at extremes of maturity.

Hop (Humulus lupulus L.) proanthocyanidins characterized by mass spectrometry, acid catalysis, and gel permeation chromatography.

Proanthocyanidins extracted from hops (Humulus lupulus L. cv. Willamette) were subjected to Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography using a step gradient of methanol, water, and acetone. The resulting fractions were analyzed by acid catalysis, electrospray ionization and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS), and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The proanthocyanidins contained catechin and epicatechin as monomers and as terminal and extension units. Epigallocatechin was found as extension units. The mean degree of polymerization (mDP) of the crude proanthocyanidins was 7.8, but heptamers were the largest oligomers visible in mass spectra of the whole. In the last-eluted fraction (mDP = 22.2), polymers as large as 20-mers were detected by MALDI-TOF-MS, demonstrating the effectiveness of prior separation in improving MS detection. GPC data correlated well with acid catalysis results, confirming the presence of large polymers that were not detected by MS.