title: [Vitamin C: structure-activity correlation and cytoprotective actions through free radical scavenging and extracellular matrix construction].
abstract: Conventional studies on vitamin C have been conducted by single-dosage administration with ascorbic acid itself being so labile as to undergo irreversible degradation. In contrast, enrichment of intracellular ascorbate is accomplished by pro-vitamin C in which its 2,3-enediol moiety is protected with phosphate ester, being thereafter enzymatically esterolyzed. Ascorbic acid-2-O-phosphate (Asc2P) gradually releases ascorbate, which is cumulatively taken up into diverse human or mammalian cells, and prevents cell injuries such as post-ischemic reperfusional injury in the liver or heart, age-dependent telomeric DNA shortening in endothelial or epithelial cells, UV-B irradiational injury in the skin and lipid peroxide-induced injury in the vascular endothelium, and tumor invasion and metastasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of BioTechnology, Hiroshima Prefectural University School of BioSciences.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nagao
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Miwa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000187:drug effects; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D006801:Humans; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D001205:Ascorbic Acid