Skip Navigation
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

Use this QR code to view the newest version of this document
Use this QR code to view the newest version of this document

Your Environment. Your Health.

Publication Detail

Title: A role of vitamin E in protection against cell injury. Maintenance of intracellular glutathione precursors and biosynthesis.

Authors: Pascoe, G A; Fariss, M W; Olafsdottir, K; Reed, D J

Published In Eur J Biochem, (1987 Jul 01)

Abstract: The depletion of cell calcium from isolated rat hepatocytes results in stimulated lipid peroxidation, loss of intracellular and mitochondrial GSH (reduced glutathione), and enhancement of both efflux and oxidation of GSH. These events are followed by cell injury and enhance the susceptibility of the cells to toxic chemicals. It is shown herein that an initial event in the generation of such injury is the depletion of cellular alpha-tocopherol. alpha-Tocopheryl succinate addition (25 microM) to the calcium-depleted cells markedly elevated the alpha-tocopherol content of the cells, inhibited the associated lipid peroxidation, and maintained intracellular GSH levels without affecting its efflux or redox status. This resulted in an enhanced formation of total glutathione after a 5-h incubation, which correlated with the alpha-tocopherol content of the cells, and was greater than that expected by a direct sparing action of vitamin E. Inhibition of hepatocyte glutathione biosynthesis by buthionine sulfoximine (0.5 mM) eliminated the enhancement of GSH formation by vitamin E. Analysis of endogenous and 35S-labelled precursors of glutathione biosynthesis by high-performance liquid chromatography demonstrated that the depletion of cellular alpha-tocopherol resulted in the efflux of glutathione precursors. It is concluded that cell injury associated with alpha-tocopherol depletion is partly the result of the efflux of glutathione precursors, and hence diminished biosynthesis and intracellular levels of GSH. These losses and resultant cell injury are preventable by maintenance of cellular alpha-tocopherol levels.

PubMed ID: 3595614 Exiting the NIEHS site

MeSH Terms: Animals; Buthionine Sulfoximine; Calcium/physiology; Glutathione/metabolism*; Lipid Peroxides/biosynthesis; Liver/drug effects*; Liver/metabolism; Male; Methionine Sulfoximine/analogs & derivatives; Methionine Sulfoximine/pharmacology; Mitochondria, Liver/metabolism; Oxidation-Reduction/drug effects; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Vitamin E/pharmacology*

Back
to Top