Anti-inflammatory effects of alpha-tocopherol.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the western world. Its incidence has been increasing lately in the developing countries. Much evidence suggests a major role for inflammation in all phases of atherosclerosis. Cell adhesion molecules, cytokines, chemokines, and monocytes-macrophages as well as T lymphocytes play a pivotal role in atherogenesis. C-reactive protein (CRP), a downstream marker of inflammation, in addition to being a risk marker for CVD, could contribute to atherosclerosis. Dietary micronutrients with anti-inflammatory properties, specially alpha-tocopherol, may play an important role with regard to the prevention and treatment of CVD. alpha-Tocopherol has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects both in vitro and in vivo. alpha-Tocopherol therapy, especially at high doses, has been shown to decrease release of pro-inflammatory cytokines (such as interleukin-1beta, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha) and the chemokine interleukin-8, and to decrease adhesion of monocytes to endothelium. In addition, alpha-tocopherol has been shown to decrease CRP levels in patients with CVD and having related risk factors for CVD (such as diabetes and smoking). Furthermore, pro-inflammatory cytokines and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) levels have also been shown to be decreased with alpha-tocopherol supplementation in vivo. In this review, our focus will be on anti-inflammatory effects of alpha-tocopherol reported in in vivo studies.
Singh
Uma
U
Laboratory for Atherosclerosis and Metabolic Research, University of California Davis Medical Center, 4635 Second Avenue, Res 1 Building, Room 3000, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA.
Jialal
Ishwarlal
I
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000975:Antioxidants; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009000:Monocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000097:blood; D012307:Risk Factors; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D016207:Cytokines; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol