The alpha-tocopherol transfer protein.
Almost a century ago, plant extracts were documented to be critical for the fertility of rodents. This activity was later ascribed to vitamin E, a term comprising a number of structurally related plant lipids that function as fat soluble antioxidants. The alpha-tocopherol transfer protein (TTP) is a critical regulator of vitamin E status that stimulates the movement of vitamin E between membrane vesicles in vitro and facilitates the secretion of tocopherol from hepatocytes. Heritable mutations in the ttpA gene cause ataxia with vitamin E deficiency (AVED), an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by low plasma vitamin E levels and progressive neurodegeneration. This chapter summarizes recent advances in our understanding of the molecular and physiological aspects of TTP activity.
Manor
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Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA.
Morley
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D000818:Animals; D001259:Ataxia / Q000235:genetics; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011487:Protein Conformation; D051381:Rats; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*
D002352:Carrier Proteins; C017763:alpha-tocopherol transfer protein; D014810:Vitamin E