| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|||||||||
The Linus Pauling Institute and the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, USA
1Correspondence: Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, 571 Weniger Hall, Corvallis OR 97331-6512, USA. E-mail: balz.frei{at}orst.edu
Vitamin C readily scavenges reactive oxygen and nitrogen species and may thereby prevent oxidative damage to important biological macromolecules such as DNA, lipids, and proteins. Vitamin C also reduces redox active transition metal ions in the active sites of specific biosynthetic enzymes. The interaction of vitamin C with `free', catalytically active metal ions could contribute to oxidative damage through the production of hydroxyl and alkoxyl radicals; whether these mechanisms occur in vivo, however, is uncertain. To examine this issue, we reviewed studies that investigated the role of vitamin C, both in the presence and absence of metal ions, in oxidative DNA, lipid, and protein damage. We found compelling evidence for antioxidant protection of lipids by vitamin C in biological fluids, animals, and humans, both with and without iron cosupplementation. Although the data on protein oxidation in humans are sparse and inconclusive, the available data in animals consistently show an antioxidant role of vitamin C. The data on vitamin C and DNA oxidation in vivo are inconsistent and conflicting, but some of the discrepancies can be explained by flaws in experimental design and methodology. These and other important issues discussed here need to be addressed in future studies of the role of vitamin C in oxidative damage.—Carr, A., Frei, B. Does vitamin C act as a pro-oxidant under physiological conditions?
Key Words: iron • DNA • protein • lipid • antioxidant
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  Y. Li and H. E. Schellhorn New Developments and Novel Therapeutic Perspectives for Vitamin C J. Nutr., October 1, 2007; 137(10): 2171 - 2184. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 D.-H. Lee, D. Y. Liu, D. R. Jacobs Jr., H.-R. Shin, K. Song, I.-K. Lee, B. Kim, and R. C. Hider Common Presence of Non-Transferrin-Bound Iron Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Diabetes Care, May 1, 2006; 29(5): 1090 - 1095. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. R. Rumbold, C. A. Crowther, R. R. Haslam, G. A. Dekker, J. S. Robinson, and the ACTS Study Group Vitamins C and E and the risks of preeclampsia and perinatal complications. N. Engl. J. Med., April 27, 2006; 354(17): 1796 - 1806. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 Y. Yoshikawa, K. Hizume, Y. Oda, K. Takeyasu, S. Araki, and K. Yoshikawa Protective Effect of Vitamin C against Double-Strand Breaks in Reconstituted Chromatin Visualized by Single-Molecule Observation Biophys. J., February 1, 2006; 90(3): 993 - 999. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 D. Canoy, N. Wareham, A. Welch, S. Bingham, R. Luben, N. Day, and K.-T. Khaw Plasma ascorbic acid concentrations and fat distribution in 19 068 British men and women in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition Norfolk cohort study Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, December 1, 2005; 82(6): 1203 - 1209. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 L. J. Martin, K. Chen, and Z. Liu Adult Motor Neuron Apoptosis Is Mediated by Nitric Oxide and Fas Death Receptor Linked by DNA Damage and p53 Activation J. Neurosci., July 6, 2005; 25(27): 6449 - 6459. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 N. Karasavvas, J. M. Carcamo, G. Stratis, and D. W. Golde Vitamin C protects HL60 and U266 cells from arsenic toxicity Blood, May 15, 2005; 105(10): 4004 - 4012. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 B A Darlow, H Buss, F McGill, L Fletcher, P Graham, and C C Winterbourn Vitamin C supplementation in very preterm infants: a randomised controlled trial Arch. Dis. Child. Fetal Neonatal Ed., March 1, 2005; 90(2): F117 - F122. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 N. W. Blackstone, M. J. Bivins, K. S. Cherry, R. E. Fletcher, and G. C. Geddes Redox signaling in colonial hydroids: many pathways for peroxide J. Exp. Biol., January 15, 2005; 208(2): 383 - 390. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S. Martindale, G. McNeill, G. Devereux, D. Campbell, G. Russell, and A. Seaton Antioxidant Intake in Pregnancy in Relation to Wheeze and Eczema in the First Two Years of Life Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., January 15, 2005; 171(2): 121 - 128. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 R. Stocker and J. F. Keaney Jr. Role of Oxidative Modifications in Atherosclerosis Physiol Rev, October 1, 2004; 84(4): 1381 - 1478. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. Tarozzi, A. Marchesi, G. Cantelli-Forti, and P. Hrelia Cold-Storage Affects Antioxidant Properties of Apples in Caco-2 Cells J. Nutr., May 1, 2004; 134(5): 1105 - 1109. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
K. Premkumar and C. L. Bowlus Ascorbic Acid Does Not Increase the Oxidative Stress Induced by Dietary Iron in C3H Mice J. Nutr., February 1, 2004; 134(2): 435 - 438. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S. Mak and G. E. Newton Redox modulation of the inotropic response to dobutamine is impaired in patients with heart failure Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, February 1, 2004; 286(2): H789 - H795. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
K. W. Lee, H. J. Lee, Y.-J. Surh, and C. Y. Lee Vitamin C and cancer chemoprevention: reappraisal Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, December 1, 2003; 78(6): 1074 - 1078. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 O. Teufelhofer, R.-M. Weiss, W. Parzefall, R. Schulte-Hermann, M. Micksche, W. Berger, and L. Elbling Promyelocytic HL60 Cells Express NADPH Oxidase and Are Excellent Targets in a Rapid Spectrophotometric Microplate Assay for Extracellular Superoxide Toxicol. Sci., December 1, 2003; 76(2): 376 - 383. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
B. P. Esposito, W. Breuer, P. Sirankapracha, P. Pootrakul, C. Hershko, and Z. I. Cabantchik Labile plasma iron in iron overload: redox activity and susceptibility to chelation Blood, October 1, 2003; 102(7): 2670 - 2677. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 V. E. Ziccarelli and T. K. Basu An in Vivo Study of the Antioxidant Potentials of a Plant Food Concentrate J. Am. Coll. Nutr., August 1, 2003; 22(4): 277 - 282. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 F. Wu, J. X. Wilson, and K. Tyml Ascorbate inhibits iNOS expression and preserves vasoconstrictor responsiveness in skeletal muscle of septic mice Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, July 1, 2003; 285(1): R50 - R56. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. J. Padayatty, A. Katz, Y. Wang, P. Eck, O. Kwon, J.-H. Lee, S. Chen, C. Corpe, A. Dutta, S. K Dutta, et al. Vitamin C as an Antioxidant: Evaluation of Its Role in Disease Prevention J. Am. Coll. Nutr., February 1, 2003; 22(1): 18 - 35. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
K. J Lenton, A. T Sane, H. Therriault, A. M Cantin, H. Payette, and J R. Wagner Vitamin C augments lymphocyte glutathione in subjects with ascorbate deficiency Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, January 1, 2003; 77(1): 189 - 195. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 X. Zhang, W.-S. Kim, N. Hatcher, K. Potgieter, L. L. Moroz, R. Gillette, and J. V. Sweedler Interfering with Nitric Oxide Measurements. 4,5-DIAMINOFLUORESCEIN REACTS WITH DEHYDROASCORBIC ACID AND ASCORBIC ACID J. Biol. Chem., December 6, 2002; 277(50): 48472 - 48478. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 R. Kohen and A. Nyska Invited Review: Oxidation of Biological Systems: Oxidative Stress Phenomena, Antioxidants, Redox Reactions, and Methods for Their Quantification Toxicol Pathol, October 1, 2002; 30(6): 620 - 650. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
B. L. Halvorsen, K. Holte, M. C. W. Myhrstad, I. Barikmo, E. Hvattum, S. F. Remberg, A.-B. Wold, K. Haffner, H. Baugerod, L. F. Andersen, et al. A Systematic Screening of Total Antioxidants in Dietary Plants J. Nutr., March 1, 2002; 132(3): 461 - 471. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. TSUCHIYA, A. ASADA, E. KASAHARA, E. F. SATO, M. SHINDO, and M. INOUE Antioxidant Protection of Propofol and Its Recycling in Erythrocyte Membranes Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., January 1, 2002; 165(1): 54 - 60. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 K. Chen, J. Suh, A. C. Carr, J. D. Morrow, J. Zeind, and B. Frei Vitamin C suppresses oxidative lipid damage in vivo, even in the presence of iron overload Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, December 1, 2000; 279(6): E1406 - E1412. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. C. Carr, B.-Z. Zhu, and B. Frei Potential Antiatherogenic Mechanisms of Ascorbate (Vitamin C) and {alpha}-Tocopherol (Vitamin E) Circ. Res., September 1, 2000; 87(5): 349 - 354. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 F. PUSKAS, P. GERGELY JR, K. BANKI, and A. PERL Stimulation of the pentose phosphate pathway and glutathione levels by dehydroascorbate, the oxidized form of vitamin C FASEB J, July 1, 2000; 14(10): 1352 - 1361. [Abstract] [Full Text]
|
|
|
|
|
|
B. FREI Molecular and biological mechanisms of antioxidant action FASEB J, June 1, 1999; 13(9): 963 - 964. [Full Text]
|
|
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
