Antioxidant defense systems: the role of carotenoids, tocopherols, and thiols

Mascio, Paolo Di; Murphy, Michael E.; Sies, Helmut

doi:10.1093/ajcn/53.1.194s

Cited by 669 publications

(308 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…Several mechanisms have been proposed for the protective role of these vitamins, including their in-vitro and in-vivo antioxidant activity (Di Mascio et al, 1991). It is plausible that habitually low carotenoid intake in a population may contribute to increased initiation, formation and instability of atherosclerotic plaques and consequently to higher rates of cardiovascular events.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Could antioxidants play a role in high rates of coronary heart disease in the Czech Republic?

Bobák

Brunner

et al. 1998

Eur J Clin Nutr

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Objectives: To compare plasma levels of antioxidant vitamins in the Czech population with those in a western European population, and to investigate whether plasma levels of antioxidant vitamins in Czech population are related to risk of MI. Design: The study has two parts: a cross-sectional survey and a population based case-control study. Setting: Adult population in two districts of the Czech Republic, and London based civil servants group as the comparison. Subjects: A random sample of men and women aged 25±64 y resident in two districts were selected for the cross-sectional survey. Subjects in the age group 40±49 y were compared to a sample of British civil servants of the same age enrolled in the Whitehall II Study. Men in the Czech sample served as controls to 52 male cases of ®rst non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI) which occurred in the same population. Plasma samples were obtained from venepuncture during an interview in hospital in the population sample and immediately after hospitalization in the MI cases. Main outcome measures: Plasma levels of b-carotene and a-tocopherol, and the event of MI. Identical protocol and one laboratory was used for all analyses. Results: The mean plasma levels of b-carotene and a-tocopherol in healthy Czech men and women were substantially lower than in a subsample of British civil servants examined in the same laboratory. Smoking was strongly related to b-carotene in both populations but differences between Czechs and Brits were present in both smokers and non-smokers. In the case-control study among Czech men, low levels of the vitamins were strongly related to an increases risk of MI. Age-adjusted odds ratios for concentrations below the median were 3.33 (95% con®dence interval 1.43±8.33) for b-carotene and 1.89 (0.94±3.45) for a-tocopherol; further adjustment for a range of variables reduced these estimates only slightly. Conclusions: Plasma concentrations of antioxidants in the Czech population appeared to be very low, and men with low levels of these substances are at increased risk of MI. This indicates that sub-optimal intake of antioxidants or related dietary factors may have played a role in the high rates of coronary heart disease in this population. Sponsorship: This study was supported by grants from the Wellcome Trust, Czech Ministry of Health and the British Heart Foundation. MB was a Wellcome Trust fellow in clinical epidemiology.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Could antioxidants play a role in high rates of coronary heart disease in the Czech Republic?

Bobák

Brunner

et al. 1998

Eur J Clin Nutr

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“…Other cellular peroxidase scavenging enzyme systems include thioredoxin, glutaredoxins and the six-member family of peroxiredoxins Tanaka et al, 2000;Fernandes and Holmgren, 2004). Cysteine, GSH, vitamins C and E (ascorbic acid and a-tocopherol), among others, constitute a pool of small molecular weight non-enzymatic antioxidants (Di Mascio et al, 1991). GSH is ubiquitously found within the cell in both reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG) forms (Schafer and Buettner, 2001).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A redox cycle within the cell cycle: ring in the old with the new

2006

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In recent years, the intracellular oxidation-reduction (redox) state has gained increasing attention as a critical mediator of cell signaling, gene expression changes and proliferation. This review discusses the evidence for a redox cycle (i.e., fluctuation in the cellular redox state) regulating the cell cycle. The presence of redox-sensitive motifs (cysteine residues, metal co-factors in kinases and phosphatases) in several cell cycle regulatory proteins indicate periodic oscillations in intracellular redox state could play a central role in regulating progression from G 0 /G 1 to S to G 2 and M cell cycle phases. Fluctuations in the intracellular redox state during cell cycle progression could represent a fundamental mechanism linking oxidative metabolic processes to cell cycle regulatory processes. Proliferative disorders are central to a variety of human pathophysiological conditions thought to involve oxidative stress. Therefore, a more complete understanding of redox control of the cell cycle could provide a biochemical rationale for manipulating aberrant cell proliferation.

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“…As vitamin C is a hydrophilic antioxidant, it counteracts several hydroxyl radicals and may contribute in protecting the fetus from oxygen free radical damage (Rose, 1990;Cederberg et al, 2001). Vitamin E is a lipophilic antioxidant and interferes with lipid peroxidation (Hubel et al, 1989;Di Mascio et al, 1991). On the other hand, it is known that vitamins C and E act synergistically against oxidative stress, because vitamin C is involved in the regeneration of oxidized vitamin E (Tappel, 1968;Niki, 1987;Parker, 1992).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of maternal serum levels of vitamins C and E during the second trimester on birth weight and length

et al. 2004

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Objective: It has been known that maternal oxidative stress during pregnancy plays an important role in fetal growth. However, the association between antioxidant vitamin levels and birth outcomes is not conclusive. We investigated the relationship between maternal serum levels of vitamins C and E during the second trimester and birth weight and length. Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: Outpatient-clinic of obstetrics, Ewha Womans University Hospital, South Korea. Subjects and methods: The study subjects were 239 healthy, pregnant women who visited an obstetric clinic for antenatal care, and their singleton live births, in Seoul, Korea, between August 2001 and March 2003. We measured the levels of vitamins C and E in maternal serum during the period 24-28 gestational weeks. Each woman was interviewed for dietary intake by trained interviewers during the second trimester. Results: The serum concentration of maternal vitamin C during the second trimester was significantly associated with birth weight and length in the group of full-term deliveries. An increase of 1 mg/ml in the serum vitamin C level increased the birth weight by 27.2 g and the birth length by 0.17 cm. When we considered the levels of vitamins C and E together in the relationship with birth weight and length, we found that the heaviest birth weight and the longest birth length belonged to the group of upper vitamin C/ upper vitamin E. However, dietary intake estimated by 24-h recall method was not a predictor of the levels of serum vitamins C and E. Conclusion: We found that maternal serum vitamin C levels during the second trimester were positively correlated with birth weight and length in full-term babies. We also found that birth weight and length were highest when the levels of both vitamins C and E were high. Our results indicate the importance of antioxidant nutrient balance for pregnant women who are exposed to various oxidants through food, drinking water, or inhaled air.

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Antioxidant defense systems: the role of carotenoids, tocopherols, and thiols

Cited by 669 publications

References 48 publications

Could antioxidants play a role in high rates of coronary heart disease in the Czech Republic?

Could antioxidants play a role in high rates of coronary heart disease in the Czech Republic?

A redox cycle within the cell cycle: ring in the old with the new

Influence of maternal serum levels of vitamins C and E during the second trimester on birth weight and length

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