Lab Anim Res.  2015 Sep;31(3):117-124. 10.5625/lar.2015.31.3.117.

Effects of lutein or lutein in combination with vitamin C on mRNA expression and activity of antioxidant enzymes and status of the antioxidant system in SD rats

• Song MH
• Shin EC
• Hwang DY
• Jang IS

• KMID: 2312128
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5625/lar.2015.31.3.117

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of lutein alone or in combination with vitamin C on the antioxidant defense system in rats. A total of 18 eight-week-old male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly assigned to three groups for 4 weeks: control (CON), lutein (LUT, 50 mg lutein/kg BW) and lutein plus vitamin C (LVC, 50 mg lutein/kg BW+1,000 mg vitamin C/kg BW). No differences in body weight, relative live weight or plasma biochemical profiles were observed among treatment groups. In the hepatic antioxidant defense systems, the mRNA expression of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the LUT and LVC groups was significantly (P<0.05) higher than that in the CON group, whereas the mRNA level of glutathione peroxidase (GPX), catalase (CAT) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) was not affected by the administration of antioxidants. SOD and GST activities in the LUT and LVC groups were significantly higher (P<0.05) than those in the CON group, whereas GPX, CAT and lipid peroxidation did not differ among groups. In addition, the LVC group showed a significant (P<0.05) increase in plasma and hepatic total antioxidant power (TAP) relative to the CON group. Overall, administration of lutein in combination with vitamin C improved the status of the total antioxidant defense system in SD rats.

Keyword

Lutein; lutein plus vitamin C; antioxidant enzymes; lipid peroxidation; total antioxidant power

MeSH Terms

Animals
Antioxidants
Ascorbic Acid*
Body Weight
Catalase
Cats
Glutathione Peroxidase
Glutathione Transferase
Humans
Lipid Peroxidation
Lutein*
Male
Plasma
Rats*
RNA, Messenger*
Superoxide Dismutase
Vitamins*
Antioxidants
Ascorbic Acid
Catalase
Glutathione Peroxidase
Glutathione Transferase
Lutein
RNA, Messenger
Superoxide Dismutase
Vitamins

Figure

• 

  Figure 1 Specific activity of antioxidant enzymes (A: SOD, B: GPX and C: GST and D: CAT) in the liver of SD rats administrated saline (CON), lutein (LUT) and lutein in combination with vitamin C (LVC). Means (Mean±SD, n=5) with different superscript differ among dietary groups (P<0.05).

• 

  Figure 2 The level of total antioxidant power in plasma (A) and cytosolic fraction of the liver (B) of SD rats administrated saline (CON), lutein (LUT) and lutein in combination with vitamin C (LVC). Means (Mean±SD, n=5) with different superscript differ among dietary groups (P<0.05).

• 

  Figure 3 The level of MDA in microsome fraction of the liver of SD rats administrated saline (CON), lutein (LUT) and lutein in combination with vitamin C (LVC). Bar represented Mean±SD (n=5).

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