The role of alpha-tocopherol in preventing disease: from epidemiology to molecular events.
The function of vitamin E has been attributed to its capacity to protect the organism against the attack of free radicals by acting as a lipid based radical chain breaking molecule. More recently, alternative non-antioxidant functions of vitamin E have been proposed and in particular that of a "gene regulator". Effects of vitamin E have been observed at the level of mRNA or protein and could be consequent to regulation of gene transcription, mRNA stability, protein translation, protein stability and post-translational events. Given the high priority functions assigned to vitamin E, it can be speculated that it would be inefficient to consume it as a radical scavenger. Rather, it would be important to protect vitamin E through a network of cellular antioxidant defences, similarly to what occurs with proteins, nucleic acids and lipids.
Azzi
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Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Bern, Bühlstrasse 28, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland. angelo.azzi@mci.unibe.ch
Gysin
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Kempná
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Ricciarelli
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R
Villacorta
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L
Visarius
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Zingg
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JM
D000820:Animal Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D001259:Ataxia / Q000517:prevention & control; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000378:metabolism*; D024504:gamma-Tocopherol / Q000378:metabolism
D000975:Antioxidants; D005609:Free Radicals; D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D024504:gamma-Tocopherol; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol