Positive Health Online

Abstract

TAIKI and COLLEAGUES, 1 Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan; 2 Institute for Animal Nutrition and Metabolic Physiology, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Kiel, Germany; 3 Food and Biodynamic Chemistry Laboratory, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan; 4 Food and Health Science Research Unit, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan; 5 New Industry Creation Hatchery Center (NICHe), Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan reviewed the regulatory redox reactions in Vitamin E.

Background

Vitamin E is an essential nutrient that was discovered in the 1920s. Many of the physiological functions of vitamin E, including its antioxidative effects, have been studied for nearly 100 years.

Methodology

Changes in redox balance induced by both endogenously and exogenously generated reactive oxygen species (ROS) are involved in various diseases, and are also a phenomenon that is considered essential for survival. Vitamin E is known to regulate redox balance in the body due to its high concentration among the lipid soluble vitamin groups, and exists ubiquitously in the whole body, including cell membranes and lipoproteins.

Results

However, it has been reported that the beneficial properties of vitamin E, including its antioxidative effects, are only displayed in vitro, and not in vivo. Therefore, there exists an ongoing debate regarding the biological functions of vitamin E and its relationship with redox balance. In this review, the authors introduce the relationship between vitamin E and redox interactions with (i) absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of vitamin E, (ii) oxidative stress and ROS in the body, (iii) mechanism of antioxidative effects, (iv) non-antioxidant functions of vitamin E, and (v) recent recognition of the field of oxidative stress research.

Conclusion

Understanding the recent findings of the redox interaction of vitamin E may help to elucidate the different antioxidative phenomena observed for vitamin E in vitro and in vivo.

References

Taiki Miyazawa  1 , Gregor C Burdeos  2 , Mayuko Itaya  3 , Kiyotaka Nakagawa  3 , Teruo Miyazawa  4,5. Vitamin E: Regulatory Redox Interactions. IUBMB Life ;71(4):430-441. doi: 10.1002/iub.2008. Epub Jan 25 2019. Apr 2019.