Abstract
Vitamin C (VC) has a strong antioxidant function evident as its ability to scavenge superoxide radicals in vitro. We verified that this property actually exists in vivo by using a real-time imaging system in which Lucigenin is the chemiluminescent probe for detecting superoxide in senescence marker protein-30 (SMP30)/gluconolactonase (GNL) knockout (KO) mice, which cannot synthesize VC in vivo. SMP30/GNL KO mice were given 1.5 g/L VC [VC(+)] for 2, 4, or 8 weeks or denied VC [VC(-)]. At 4 and 8 weeks, VC levels in brains from VC(-) KO mice were <6% of that in VC(+) KO mice. Accordingly, superoxide-dependent chemiluminescence levels determined by ischemia-reperfusion at the 4- and 8 weeks test intervals were 3.0-fold and 2.1-fold higher, respectively, in VC(-) KO mice than in VC(+) KO mice. However, total superoxide dismutase activity and protein levels were not altered. Thus, VC depletion specifically increased superoxide generation in a model of the living brain.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 291-296 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications |
Volume | 377 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2008 Dec 5 |
Keywords
- Ascorbic acid
- Catalase
- Chemiluminescence
- Gluconolactonase
- Oxidative stress
- ROS
- SMP30
- SOD
- Senescence marker protein-30
- Vitamin C
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biophysics
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Cell Biology