Dietary supplementation of vitamin E fails to prevent the development of hyperoxic lung injury in the premature guinea pig.
1. The benefit of dietary vitamin E supplementation in preventing oxidative-induced lung injury was investigated. Three day preterm guinea pig pups were exposed to hyperoxic (85% O2) or normoxic (21% O2) conditions. The animals were fed either a standard low birthweight human infant formula milk (6.4 mg/l vitamin E), or a vitamin E supplemented milk (100 mg/l) for up to 7 days. 2. After 3 days vitamin E supplementation, plasma but not erythrocyte vitamin E concentrations were elevated, while following 7 days both plasma and erythrocyte vitamin E concentrations were significantly increased. 3. Lung and liver vitamin E concentrations were elevated at both 3 and 7 days. At 3 days the increase in lung vitamin E was oxygen-dependent, suggesting that the lung increases uptake of vitamin E in response to oxidative stress. 4. Despite an increase in the vitamin E concentration of the lungs of preterm guinea pigs, no amelioration of the lung injury was observed. These results suggest that although vitamin E is a potent antioxidant, it is unable to protect adequately the lungs from reactive oxygen species in the absence of sufficient primary enzymatic antioxidant defences.
Langley
S C
SC
Department of Human Nutrition, University of Southampton, U.K.
Phillips
G J
GJ
Tahedl
S
S
Kelly
F J
FJ
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D055370:Lung Injury; D010100:Oxygen; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*
D011506:Proteins; D014810:Vitamin E; D010100:Oxygen