Ataxia with vitamin E deficiency is caused by mutations in α-tocopherol transfer protein (α-TTP) gene and it can be experimentally generated in mice by α-TTP gene inactivation (α-TTP-KO). This study compared α-tocopherol (α-T) concentrations of five brain regions and of four peripheral organs from 5 months old, male and female, wild-type (WT) and α-TTP-KO mice. All brain regions of female WT mice contained significantly higher α-T than those from WT males. α-T concentration in the cerebellum was significantly lower than that in other brain regions of WT mice. These sex and regional differences in brain α-T concentrations do not appear to be determined by α-TTP expression which was undetectable in all brain regions. All the brain regions of α-TTP-KO mice were severely depleted in α-T. The concentration of another endogenous antioxidant, total glutathione, was unaffected by gender but was decreased slightly but significantly in most brain regions of α-TTP-KO mice. The results show that both gender and the hepatic α-TTP, but not brain α-TTP gene expression are important in determining α-T concentrations within the brain. Interestingly, functional abnormality (ataxia) develops only very late in α-TTP-KO mice in spite of the severe α-tocopherol deficiency in brain starting at an early age.
Oxidative stress is a putative factor in the pathogenesis of many human disorders of the central nervous system. Therefore, antioxidants such as vitamin E have become attractive as therapeutic agents in the treatment of several diseases. In addition, vitamin E seems to play a specific role in the nervous system. As a result, vitamin E has been used in pharmacologic doses in the treatment of disorders such as Parkinson disease, Alzheimer disease, and tardive dyskinesia. One investigation showed that the use of 2000 IU all-rac-alpha-tocopheryl acetate is beneficial in the treatment of Alzheimer disease. Similar doses of vitamin E, however, were not beneficial for delaying the progression of Parkinson disease. In other studies, dosages >/=400 IU vitamin E/d were found to be beneficial in the treatment of tardive dyskinesia, although this finding was not confirmed in a larger cooperative study conducted by the Veterans Administration. Even though the efficacy of vitamin E in the management of cardiovascular disease has been shown, the potential role of vitamin E in the treatment of cerebrovascular disease remains essentially unknown. The experience from 2 large clinical trials involving the oral intake of 2000 IU vitamin E/d suggests that vitamin E is relatively safe at this dosage for periods <2 y. However, the safety and efficacy of supplemental vitamin E over periods of many years in the prevention of neurologic diseases has not been adequately explored.
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