Comprehensive analysis of oral administration of Vitamin E on the early stage of Trypanosoma brucei brucei infection

Rotimi Johnson Ojo, Gideon Agyiye Enoch, Faratu Saleh Adeh, Luret Carmen Fompun, Blessing Yohanna Bitrus, Meshack Anthony Kugama

J Parasit Dis . 2021 Jun;45(2):512-523. doi: 10.1007/s12639-020-01322-5. Epub 2021 Jan 3.

Abstract

Reinforcement of the body with exogenous antioxidants have been shown to mitigate the negative effects of African trypanosomiasis on the host and contribute greatly to their survival. This study was therefore conducted to evaluate the effects of oral administration of Vitamin E on the early stage of Trypanosoma brucei brucei infection. To achieve this, parasite free healthy rats were acclimatized for 2 weeks before they were divided into three groups. Two of the groups were infected by intraperitoneal inoculation of 1 × 10⁴ parasites/rat and monitored for the presence of Trypanosoma brucei brucei. Blood samples were collected from the infected rats from the second day post infection to detect the presence of parasites. Vitamin E treatment started day 4 post infection at the onset of parasitaemia. Parasites were monitored till the end of the study. The blood glucose level was determined using a glucometer; the lipid profile, liver and kidney biomarkers, electrolytes and protein were determined by colorimetric method using commercial kits. Haematological parameters were analysed using a sysmex haematology analyser. The results of this study showed that the infection adversely affected the biomarkers examined showing its negative effect on liver, kidney, haematological parameters and host electrolyte balance. Treatments with Vitamin E was however able to mitigate the negative effect of this infection. In conclusion, the treatment was able to ameliorate the anaemia and organ damage caused by Trypanosoma brucei brucei, extend the life span of the treated rats and greatly delay the time taken to get to the second stage of the infection.

Marina C Vera, Alvaro Lucci, Anabela C Ferretti, Adriano A Abbondanzieri, Carla G Comanzo, Florencia Lorenzetti, Gerardo B Pisani, María P Ceballos, Maria de L Alvarez, María C Carrillo, Ariel D Quiroga

J Nutr Biochem . 2021 Jun 17;108806. doi: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2021.108806. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

Many cancer patients receive their classical therapies together with vitamin supplements. However, the effectiveness of these strategies is on debate. Here we aimed to evaluate how vitamin E supplementation affects the anticancer effects of interferon (IFN-α) using an early-model of liver cancer development (initiation-promotion, IP). Male Wistar rats subjected to this model were divided as follows: untreated (IP), IP treated with recombinant IFN-α-2b (6.5 × 10⁵ U/kg), IP treated with vitamin E (50 mg/kg), and IP treated with combination of vitamin E and IFN-α-2b. After treatments rats were fasted and euthanized and plasma and livers were collected. Combined administration of vitamin E and IFN-α-2b induced body weight drop, increased liver apoptosis and low levels of hepatic lipid levels. Interestingly, vitamin E and IFN-α-2b combination also induced an increase in altered hepatic foci number, but not in size. It seems that vitamin E acts on its antioxidant capability in order to block the oxidative stress induced by IFN-α-2b, blocking in turn its beneficial effects on preneoplastic livers, leading to harmful final effects. In conclusion, this study shows that vitamin E supplementation in IFN-α-2b-treated rats exerts unwanted effects; and highlights that in spite of being natural, nutritional supplements may not always exert beneficial outcomes when used as complementary therapy for the treatment of cancer.

Daniel Edem Kpewou, Faustina O Mensah, Collins A Appiah, Huseini Wiisibie Alidu, Vitus Sambo Badii

Heliyon . 2021 Jun 17;7(6):e07339. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07339. eCollection 2021 Jun.

Abstract

Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant that helps to counteract oxidative stress in the body. Oxidative stress is known to greatly affect people living with HIV (PLWH) through the stimulation of HIV replication and apoptosis of CD4+ T cells. There is however, a paucity of scientific data on the serum levels of vitamin E among PLWH in Ghana, and hence, there is a need to assess its level because of the pivotal role it plays in cell longevity determination and the immune system enhancement of such persons. This study aims to assess the serum levels of vitamin E among PLWH undergoing highly active antiretroviral therapy at Ho Teaching Hospital, Ghana. In a cross-sectional study, serum vitamin E levels of 103 randomly selected PLWH aged 24-88 years who attended an antiretroviral therapy clinic at the Ho Teaching Hospital, Ghana, were measured by following standard protocols. A 24-hour dietary recall and food frequency questionnaire were employed to assess dietary intake. The results show that a high level of serum vitamin E deficiency (82.5%) was observed among the participants. Majority (91.3%) of the participants had normal serum zinc status. Participants’ serum vitamin E levels did not show significant correlation with their dietary intakes (correlation coefficient (ρ) = -0.094, p-value = 0.35). The prevalence of vitamin E deficiency among underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese participants was 91.7%, 75.4%, 86.5%, and 91.7% respectively with no significant difference among these groups. There was no significant correlation between serum vitamin E levels and HIV infection duration (ρ = 0.010, p-value = 0.405) and HAART duration (ρ = 0.001, p-value = 0.313). The low serum vitamin E levels found in this study suggests that the participants could potentially be at an increased risk of developing oxidative stress and its effects.

Hongxing Dang, Jing Li, Chengjun Liu, Feng Xu

Front Nutr . 2021 Jun 16;8:648442. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2021.648442. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Background: Literature is scarce on the assessment of vitamin E status in septic children. We aim to investigate the prevalence of vitamin E deficiency in critically ill children with sepsis and septic shock and its association with clinical features and outcomes. Methods: We compared serum vitamin E status between the confirmed or suspected infection and no infection groups, the sepsis shock and no sepsis shock groups upon pediatric intensive care unit admission. Clinical characteristics were compared in subgroup patients with and without vitamin E deficiency. The association between vitamin E deficiency and septic shock were evaluated using univariate and multivariable methods. Results: 182 critically ill children with confirmed or suspected infection and 114 without infection were enrolled. The incidence of vitamin E deficiency was 30.2% in the infection group and 61.9% in the septic shock subgroup (P < 0.001). Thirty-days mortality in critically ill children with vitamin E deficiency was significantly higher than that without vitamin E deficiency (27.3 vs. 14.2%, P < 0.05). Vitamin E levels were inversely associated with higher pediatric risk of mortality (r = – 0.238, P = 0.001) and cardiovascular sequential organ failure assessment (r = -0.249, p < 0.001) scores in critically ill children with infection. In multivariable logistic regression, vitamin E deficiency showed an independent effect on septic shock (adjusted OR: 6.749, 95%CI: 2.449-18.60, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Vitamin E deficiency is highly prevalent in critically ill children with sepsis and contributed to the septic shock.

Nodam Park, Soo A Kim, Kiyoung Oh, Yuntae Kim, Siha Park, Joon Yeop Kim, Namhun Heo

Ann Rehabil Med . 2021 Jun 14. doi: 10.5535/arm.21038. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the association between vitamin E and handgrip strength (HGS) with multiple factors.

Methods: A total of 1,814 participants were included (822 men and 981 women) from the Korean subjects of the 7th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2018. Data were analyzed using multiple logistic regression to determine the correlation between vitamin E and HGS with potential confounding factors.

Results: In the multiple logistic regression model, only the young age group (19-40 years) of men showed a positive relationship between vitamin E and HGS. However, in older age groups (41-80 years) of men and all age groups of women, there was no statistically significant result. After adjusting for confounding factors, young men showed higher vitamin E levels and higher HGS. Conversely, women and older age groups did not show significant results after adjusting for confounding factors.

Conclusion: In this study, the serum vitamin E level had a positive effect on HGS in young men (<40 years). Further research is needed on this topic regarding vitamin E intake and other objective measures.

Sunil Shah, Yasir Shiekh, Jannel A Lawrence, Francis Ezekwueme, Mohammad Alam, Saru Kunwar, Domonick K Gordon

Cureus . 2021 Jun 12;13(6):e15616. doi: 10.7759/cureus.15616. eCollection 2021 Jun.

Abstract

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin and an antioxidant that prevents the peroxidation of lipid in vitro. The antioxidant role of vitamin E in preventing adverse cardiovascular outcomes is controversial as some studies support it, while others reject it. Therefore, this review aims to determine whether there is an association between vitamin E and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). An electronic search was done to find out relevant articles. Papers were shortlisted after the initial title and abstract screen. A full-text study was done, and inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied before the quality assessment of each paper was done. Only high-quality papers were selected for analysis. Full-text articles of the last ten years were included, while non-English articles, gray literature, and animal studies were excluded. The majority of the papers, including 75% of the total population in this review, suggested no role of vitamin E in preventing CVD and CVD mortality. Some studies also suggested that a high level of vitamin E can be associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Thus, one should be prudent about taking vitamin E supplementation for cardiovascular risk prevention.

Erdem Danyer, Tanay Bilal, Ayşen Altiner, İsmail Aytekin, Hasan Atalay

J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl) . 2021 Jun 11. doi: 10.1111/jpn.13560. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

The study aimed to investigate the effects of vitamin E injection for the prevention of transport stress on ewes. Kivircik ewes (2-3 years old, n = 24) were randomly separated into three groups; G1 (Control) and G2 treated with 14 ml. saline as the placebo, G3 treated with 2100 IU/ind. DL-alpha-tocopherol acetate prior to transport. G2 and G3 were transported at 80 km/h for 4 h on a truck. Serum samples were obtained before (T0) and after (T1) transport. Serum cortisol, catalase, IgG, ceruloplasmin, C-reactive protein, complement component 4, interleukin-1 beta, tumour necrosis factor-alpha, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde analyses performed by ELISA, and serum alpha-tocopherol concentrations were evaluated by HPLC-UV. Wilcoxon and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used for statistical assessments (p < 0.05). Alpha-tocopherol concentrations were founded 1.22 ± 0.82, 0.27 ± 0.14 and 0.14 ± 0.07 µmol/L, respectively, in G1, G2 and G3 at T1. Alpha-tocopherol concentration decreased significantly in G2 between T0 and T1. GPx concentrations were increased twofold in G2 and G3 between T0 and T1 (p < 0.01). As a result, G2 alpha-tocopherol concentrations decreased but, the stress and oxidative parameters tested in this study were not affected by treating 2100 IU/ind. DL-alpha-tocopherol acetate before transport.

William S Blaner, Igor O Shmarakov, Maret G Traber

Annu Rev Nutr . 2021 Jun 11. doi: 10.1146/annurev-nutr-082018-124228. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

Vitamin A, acting through its metabolite, all-trans-retinoic acid, is a potent transcriptional regulator affecting expression levels of hundreds of genes through retinoic acid response elements present within these genes. However, the literature is replete with claims that consider vitamin A to be an antioxidant vitamin, like vitamins C and E. This apparent contradiction in the understanding of how vitamin A acts mechanistically within the body is a major focus of this review. Vitamin E, which is generally understood to act as a lipophilic antioxidant protecting polyunsaturated fatty acids present in membranes, is often proposed to be a transcriptional regulator. The evaluation of this claim is another focus of the review. We conclude that vitamin A is an indirect antioxidant, whose indirect function is to transcriptionally regulate a number of genes involved in mediating the body’s canonical antioxidant responses. Vitamin E, in addition to being a direct antioxidant, enables the increase of peroxidized lipids that alter both metabolic pathways and gene expression profiles within tissues and cells. However, there is little compelling evidence that vitamin E has a direct transcriptional mechanism like that of vitamin A. Thus, we propose that the term antioxidant not be applied to vitamin A, and we discourage the use of the term transcriptional mediator when discussing vitamin E.

Alexander T Watt, Brian Head, Scott W Leonard, Robyn L Tanguay, Maret G Traber

J Nutr Biochem . 2021 Jun 10;108801. doi: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2021.108801. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

An evaluation of the impact of vitamin E deficiency on expression of the alpha-tocopherol transfer protein (α-TTP) and related CRAL_TRIO genes was undertaken using livers from adult zebrafish based on the hypothesis that increased lipid peroxidation would modulate gene expression. Zebrafish were fed either a vitamin E sufficient (E+) or deficient (E-) diet for 9 months, then fish were euthanized, and livers were harvested. Livers from the E+ relative to E- fish contained 40-times more α-tocopherol (P<0.0001) and one fourth the malondialdehyde (P = 0.0153). RNA was extracted from E+ and E- livers, then subject to evaluation of gene expression of ttpa and other genes of the CRAL_TRIO family, genes of antioxidant markers, and genes related to lipid metabolism. Ttpa expression was not altered by vitamin E status. However, one member of the CRAL_TRIO family, tyrosine-protein phosphatase non-receptor type 9 gene (ptpn9a), showed a 2.4-fold increase (P=0.029) in E- relative to E+ livers. Further, we identified that the gene for choline kinase alpha (chka) showed a 3.0-fold increase (P=0.010) in E- livers. These outcomes are consistent with our previous findings that show vitamin E deficiency increased lipid peroxidation causing increases in phospholipid turnover.

Kacper Szewczyk, Aleksandra Chojnacka, Magdalena Górnicka

Int J Mol Sci . 2021 Jun 9;22(12):6222. doi: 10.3390/ijms22126222.

Abstract

Tocopherols and tocotrienols are natural compounds of plant origin, available in the nature. They are supplied in various amounts in a diet, mainly from vegetable oils, some oilseeds, and nuts. The main forms in the diet are α- and γ-tocopherol, due to the highest content in food products. Nevertheless, α-tocopherol is the main form of vitamin E with the highest tissue concentration. The α- forms of both tocopherols and tocotrienols are considered as the most metabolically active. Currently, research results indicate also a greater antioxidant potential of tocotrienols than tocopherols. Moreover, the biological role of vitamin E metabolites have received increasing interest. The aim of this review is to update the knowledge of tocopherol and tocotrienol bioactivity, with a particular focus on their bioavailability, distribution, and metabolism determinants in humans. Almost one hundred years after the start of research on α-tocopherol, its biological properties are still under investigation. For several decades, researchers’ interest in the biological importance of other forms of vitamin E has also been growing. Some of the functions, for instance the antioxidant functions of α- and γ-tocopherols, have been confirmed in humans, while others, such as the relationship with metabolic disorders, are still under investigation. Some studies, which analyzed the biological role and mechanisms of tocopherols and tocotrienols over the past few years described new and even unexpected cellular and molecular properties that will be the subject of future research.