Vitamin E (α-tocopherol [α-TOH]) is transported in lipoprotein particles in blood, but little is known about the transportation of its oxidized metabolites. In the Netherlands Epidemiology of Obesity Study, we aimed to investigate the associations of 147 circulating metabolomic measures obtained through targeted nuclear magnetic resonance with serum α-TOH and its urinary enzymatic (α-CEHC) and oxidized (α-TLHQ) metabolites from 24-h urine quantified by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. Multivariable linear regression analyses, in which multiple testing was taken into account, were performed to assess associations between metabolomic measures (determinants; standardized to mean = 0, SD = 1) and vitamin E metabolites (outcomes), adjusted for demographic factors. We analyzed 474 individuals (55% women, 45% men) with a mean (SD) age of 55.7 (6.0) y. Out of 147 metabolomic measures, 106 were associated (P < 1.34 × 10-3) with serum α-TOH (median β [interquartile range] = 0.416 [0.383-0.466]), predominantly lipoproteins associated with higher α-TOH. The associations of metabolomic measures with urinary α-CEHC have directions similar to those with α-TOH, but effect sizes were smaller and non-significant (median β [interquartile range] = 0.065 [0.047-0.084]). However, associations of metabolomic measures with urinary α-TLHQ were markedly different from those with both serum α-TOH and urinary α-CEHC, with negative and small-to-null relations to most very-low-density lipoproteins and amino acids. Therefore, our results highlight the differences in the lipoproteins involved in the transportation of circulating α-TOH and oxidized vitamin E metabolites. This indicates that circulating α-TOH may be representative of the enzymatic but not the antioxidative function of vitamin E.

Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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TitleAssociations of metabolomic profiles with circulating vitamin E and urinary vitamin E metabolites in middle-aged individuals.
DateJanuary 1st, 2022
Issue nameNutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.)
Issue numberv93:111440
DOI10.1016/j.nut.2021.111440
PubMed34534944
AuthorsLuo J, Hashimoto Y, Martens LG, Meulmeester FL, Ashrafi N, Mook-Kanamori DO, Rosendaal FR, Jukema JW, van Dijk KW, Mills K, le Cessie S, Noordam R & van Heemst D
KeywordsCarboxymethyl-hydroxychroman, Lipid profile, Tocopheronolactone hydroquinone, Vitamin E
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