title: Vitamin E supplementation improves cell-mediated immunity and oxidative stress of Asian men and women.
abstract: Vitamin E is an efficient antioxidant and a modulator of the immune system. Although racial differences in both baseline vitamin E level and immunologic subsets are known, no reliable data exist for the Asian population. Furthermore, the extent of the effect of alpha-tocopherol in protecting lymphocyte cells against oxidative stress and its association with cell-mediated immunity have not been elucidated. This study was undertaken to investigate the immunologic and antioxidant effects of vitamin E in healthy ethnic Chinese men and women. Volunteers < 35 y old (n = 26) were supplemented with 233 mg/d dl-alpha-tocopherol for 28 d. The in vitro proliferative response to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of T-lymphocytes was determined in the study group before and after vitamin E supplementation. Cell-mediated immunity subsets and hydrogen peroxide production in T-lymphocytes were investigated by flow cytometry. The oxidant-antioxidant balance in plasma and urine was studied by spectrophotometric and gas chromatography-mass selective detection methods. The antioxidant properties of vitamin E were established (P: < 0.01) by the elevation of plasma vitamin E, together with depression in both plasma malondialdehyde and urinary DNA adduct 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine after supplementation. Our data suggest a specific requirement for vitamin E in total-T and T-helper cell proliferation. We present the first evidence of the beneficial effects of supplemental vitamin E in healthy Chinese individuals on cell-mediated immunity and oxidative stress.
authors: Department of Zoology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors: C Y
authors: CY
authors: Lee
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Man-Fan Wan
mesh_terms: D000080242:8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine; D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D044466:Asian People; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D018736:DNA Adducts / Q000652:urine; D003849:Deoxyguanosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000652:urine; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000378:metabolism; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000276:immunology; D013053:Spectrophotometry; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D018736:DNA Adducts; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D014810:Vitamin E; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D000080242:8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine; D002784:Cholesterol; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D003849:Deoxyguanosine