The role of α-tocopherol in preventing disease: from epidemiology to molecular events

• Published in: Molecular aspects of medicine 2003-12, Vol.24 (6), p.325-336
• Main Authors: Azzi, A., Gysin, R., Kempná, P., Ricciarelli, R., Villacorta, L., Visarius, T., Zingg, J.-M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: alpha-Tocopherol - metabolism; Animal Diseases - prevention & control; Animals; Antioxidants - metabolism; Arteriosclerosis - prevention & control; Ataxia - prevention & control; Cardiovascular Diseases - epidemiology; Cardiovascular Diseases - prevention & control; Cell signaling; Free Radicals - metabolism; gamma-Tocopherol - metabolism; Gene expression; Gene Expression Regulation; Humans; Male; Non-antioxidant; Prostatic Neoplasms - prevention & control; Protein kinase C; Protein Processing, Post-Translational; Proteins - metabolism; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Signal Transduction; Tocopherols; Transcription, Genetic; Vitamin E
• ISSN: 0098-2997; 1872-9452
• DOI: 10.1016/S0098-2997(03)00028-1

The function of vitamin E has been attributed to its capacity to protect the organism against the attack of free radicals by acting as a lipid based radical chain breaking molecule. More recently, alternative non-antioxidant functions of vitamin E have been proposed and in particular that of a “gene regulator”. Effects of vitamin E have been observed at the level of mRNA or protein and could be consequent to regulation of gene transcription, mRNA stability, protein translation, protein stability and post-translational events. Given the high priority functions assigned to vitamin E, it can be speculated that it would be inefficient to consume it as a radical scavenger. Rather, it would be important to protect vitamin E through a network of cellular antioxidant defences, similarly to what occurs with proteins, nucleic acids and lipids.