title: Delivery of orally supplemented alpha-tocotrienol to vital organs of rats and tocopherol-transport protein deficient mice.
abstract: The natural vitamin E tocotrienol (TCT) possesses biological properties not shared by tocopherols (TCP). Nanomolar alpha-TCT, not alpha-TCP, is potently neuroprotective (JBC 275:13049; 278:43508). Tocopherol-transport protein (TTP) represents the primary mechanism for maintaining normal alpha-TCP concentrations in plasma and extrahepatic tissues. TTP primarily transports alpha-TCP and has low affinity for alpha-TCT. There are no studies that have investigated tissue delivery of alpha-TCT when orally gavaged on a long-term basis. A long-term study was conducted to examine the effects of alpha-TCT or alpha-TCP supplementation, either alone or in combination, on tissue levels. Rats were maintained on a vitamin E-deficient diet and gavaged with alpha-TCT or alpha-TCP alone or in combination. Five generations of rats were studied over 60 weeks. TTP-deficient mice were supplemented with TCT and bred to examine tissue delivery of oral alpha-TCT. Orally supplemented alpha-TCT was effectively delivered to most tissues over time. When co-supplemented, alpha-TCP outcompeted alpha-TCT for transport systems delivering vitamin E to tissues. To evaluate the significance of TTP in alpha-TCT delivery to tissues, tissue levels of alpha-TCT in supplemented TTP-deficient mice were studied. alpha-TCT was transported to several vital organs in TTP-deficient mice. alpha-TCT restored fertility in TTP-deficient mice. In sum, orally supplemented alpha-TCT was successfully delivered to several vital organs. The transport efficiency of alpha-TCT to tissues may be maximized by eliminating the co-presence of alpha-TCP in the oral supplement. Examination of whether alpha-TCT may benefit humans suffering from neurological disorders because of congenital TTP deficiency is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Department of Surgery, Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
authors.forename: Savita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khanna
authors.forename: Viren
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Cameron
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rink
authors.forename: Sashwati
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: Chandan K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Sen
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D001692:Biological Transport; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000473:pathology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013997:Time Factors; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D024505:Tocopherols / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D024508:Tocotrienols; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D024508:Tocotrienols; C017763:alpha-tocopherol transfer protein; D014810:Vitamin E; C082032:tocotrienol, alpha; D024505:Tocopherols