Moderate hyperoxia (40%) increases antioxidant levels in mouse tissue.
BACKGROUND
Oxygen is routinely administered to patients to improve clinical outcome. Since studies have shown that administering 100% oxygen can cause unwanted side effects, intermediate concentrations of 40% oxygen are used in clinical practice. In this study, we examined whether the breathing of 40% oxygen causes beneficial effects upon tissue levels of antioxidants such as vitamin E, vitamin C, and glutathione.


METHODS
Four-month-old mice were separated into two groups: control (n = 11) and experimental (n = 11). The treatment group was administered 40% oxygen for 10 days. Brain, heart, lung, liver, testes, and skeletal muscle were harvested and tissue antioxidant levels were determined by HPLC.


RESULTS
Vitamin E concentrations were higher in brain, heart, lung, liver, and testes of the treatment group (P < 0.05). Glutathione concentrations were higher in the lung tissue only (P < 0.05). No differences were found in vitamin C levels.


CONCLUSIONS
The data suggest that mice respond to oxidative stress by increasing tissue vitamin E incorporation and cellular synthesis of glutathione in the lung when exposed to moderate levels (40%) of hyperoxia.
Lee
Eugene S
ES
Department of Surgery, University of California Davis, Sacramento, California 95817, USA. eugenes.lee@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu
Smith
W Ed
WE
Quach
Hung T
HT
Jones
Bryan D
BD
Santilli
Steven M
SM
Vatassery
Govind T
GT
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism*; D018496:Hyperoxia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000378:metabolism*
D000975:Antioxidants; D014810:Vitamin E; D005978:Glutathione; D001205:Ascorbic Acid