Cardiovascular aging is associated with vitamin E increase.
BACKGROUND
Aging is an independent risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease. Therefore, therapies to delay vascular aging may have enormous medical consequences. In this context, vitamin E is of particular interest, mainly because of its antioxidative properties.


RESULTS
In 3-year-old rats, which are not susceptible to atherosclerosis, vitamin E levels, as measured by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, were markedly increased both in plasma and in major organs (P<0.01 to P<0.0001). The highest increase (at least 70-fold) was found in the aortic wall.


CONCLUSIONS
This unexpected accumulation of vitamin E appears to be a compensatory mechanism that attempts to counterbalance age-associated oxidative stress and that may represent a self-regulatory protective adaptation.
van der Loo
Bernd
B
Division of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Centre, University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland.
Labugger
Ralf
R
Aebischer
Claude P
CP
Skepper
Jeremy N
JN
Bachschmid
Markus
M
Spitzer
Volker
V
Kilo
Juliane
J
Altwegg
Lukas
L
Ullrich
Volker
V
Lüscher
Thomas F
TF
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000502:physiology; D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D001011:Aorta / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000378:metabolism*; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D009206:Myocardium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D011914:Rats, Inbred BN; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D024504:gamma-Tocopherol / Q000378:metabolism
D000975:Antioxidants; D013481:Superoxides; D014810:Vitamin E; D024504:gamma-Tocopherol