Vitamin E Supplementation Delays Cellular Senescence In Vitro

Biomed Res Int. 2015:2015:563247. doi: 10.1155/2015/563247. Epub 2015 Nov 3.

Abstract

Vitamin E is an important antioxidant that protects cells from oxidative stress-induced damage, which is an important contributor to the progression of ageing. Ageing can be studied in vitro using primary cells reaching a state of irreversible growth arrest called senescence after a limited number of cellular divisions. Generally, the most utilized biomarker of senescence is represented by the expression of the senescence associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal). We aimed here to study the possible effects of vitamin E supplementation in two different human primary cell types (HUVECs and fibroblasts) during the progression of cellular senescence. Utilizing an unbiased automated system, based on the detection of the SA-β-gal, we quantified cellular senescence in vitro and showed that vitamin E supplementation reduced the numbers of senescent cells during progression of ageing. Acute vitamin E supplementation did not affect cellular proliferation, whereas it was decreased after chronic treatment. Mechanistically, we show that vitamin E supplementation acts through downregulation of the expression of the cycline dependent kinase inhibitor P21. The data obtained from this study support the antiageing properties of vitamin E and identify possible mechanisms of action that warrant further investigation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aging / metabolism
  • Antioxidants / metabolism
  • Biomarkers / metabolism
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cellular Senescence / drug effects*
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Fibroblasts / metabolism
  • Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Vitamin E / pharmacology*
  • beta-Galactosidase / metabolism

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Biomarkers
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • Vitamin E
  • beta-Galactosidase