Age-dependent telomere-shortening is repressed by phosphorylated α-tocopherol together with cellular longevity and intracellular oxidative-stress reduction in human brain microvascular endotheliocytes

Cellular life-span of neonatal human brain microvascular endotheliocytes (HBME) was estimated by population doubling levels (PDLs) for serial subcultivations until spontaneous proliferation stoppage, and was 2.4-fold longer for continuous administration with the 6-O-phosphorylated derivative (TocP) of alpha-tocopherol (Toc), being bio-available owing to its water-solubility, or TocP plus 2-O-phosphorylated ascorbate (Asc2P), and 1.3-fold longer with Asc2P, at a dose of 150 microM, than for the non-administered control. Enlarged cell diameters indicative of cellular aging were repressed for TocP-administered cells as analyzed with a channelizer. Age-dependent shortening of telomeric DNA length (291 bp/PDL) was slowed markedly for TocP (165 bp/PDL) or TocP plus Asc2P, but slightly for Asc2P. Telomerase activity as assessed by the PCR-based TRAP method was detectable slightly at younger ages but no longer at middle ages for the non-administered cells, but, for TocP-administered cells, was intensely detected at younger ages and appreciably until middle ages. Intracellular TocP amounts were not changed age-dependently in contrast to a marked decrease in Toc which accrued from TocP esterolysis. This may be partly attributed to age-dependent changes in the lipid peroxidation product acrolein (ACR), which was abundant at older ages in non-administered cells, but scarcely in TocP-administered cells. Furthermore, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as H(2)O(2) and hydroperoxides as detected using the redox indicator CDCFH-DA was less abundant in TocP-administered cells than in non-administered cells. Thus the telomeric-DNA retention, concurrently with retained telomerase activity, was shown to be correlated with cellular longevity, and may be supported by diminished oxidative stress, in hydrophobic microenvironment, which can be achieved by TocP rather than AscP.

L-threo 3,4-dihydroxyphenylserine treatment during mouse perinatal and rat postnatal development does not alter the impact of dietary copper deficiency

Dietary copper (Cu) deficiency was induced perinatally in Swiss Albino mice and postnatally in male Holtzman rats to investigate the effect of L-threo 3,4-dihydroxyphenylserine (DOPS) on pup survival and catecholamine levels in a 2 x 2 factorial design. Mouse dams were placed on one of four treatments 14 days after mating and rats at postnatal day 19 (P19). Treatments were Cu-adequate (Cu + ) and Cu-deficient (Cu - ) diets with or without DOPS (1 mg/ml) in the drinking water. Mouse pups were killed at P14 and rats at P49. Mortality in Cu - pups was 46% and not significantly improved by DOPS, 39%. A repeat study with mice adding ascorbic acid in the water with DOPS showed no improvement. Compared to Cu + animals, Cu - animals were smaller, anemic and had a 92% reduction in liver Cu. DOPS treatment made no improvement to and in some cases exacerbated the Cu deficiency. Catecholamine levels measured in heart and brain by LCEC showed decreased NE levels and increased DA levels in Cu - animals compared to controls. DOPS treatment did not alter this pattern. Although DOPS was present in treated animal's tissues, survival in mice and catecholamine levels in mice and rats were not altered by the 1 mg/ml dose of DOPS.