Pro-oxidant effect of alpha-tocopherol in patients with type 2 diabetes after an oral glucose tolerance test--a randomised controlled trial.
BACKGROUND
As a part of a larger study investigating the effects of alpha-tocopherol on gene expression in type 2 diabetics we observed a pro-oxidant effect of alpha-tocopherol which we believe may be useful in interpreting outcomes of large intervention trials of alpha-tocopherol.


METHODS
19 type 2 diabetes subjects were randomised into two groups taking either 1200 IU/day of alpha-tocopherol or a matched placebo for 4 weeks. On day 0 and 29 of this study oxidative DNA damage was assessed in mononuclear cells from fasted blood samples and following a 2 h glucose tolerance test (GTT).


RESULTS
On day 0 there was no significant difference in oxidative DNA damage between the two groups or following a GTT. On day 29 there was no significant difference in oxidative DNA damage in fasted blood samples, however following a GTT there was a significant increase in oxidative DNA damage in the alpha-tocopherol treatment group.


CONCLUSIONS
High dose supplementation with alpha-tocopherol primes mononuclear cells from patients with type 2 diabetes for a potentially damaging response to acute hyperglycaemia.
Winterbone
Mark S
MS
Institute of Food Research, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UA, UK. mark.winterbone@bbsrc.ac.uk
Sampson
Mike J
MJ
Saha
Shikha
S
Hughes
Jackie C
JC
Hughes
David A
DA
D000368:Aged; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D004249:DNA Damage; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005215:Fasting / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005453:Fluorescence; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006147:Guanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D016877:Oxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
D016877:Oxidants; C024829:8-hydroxyguanine; D006147:Guanine; D004247:DNA; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol