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Moderate hyperoxia (40%) increases antioxidant levels in mouse tissue.

Lee ES, Smith WE, Quach HT, Jones BD, Santilli SM, Vatassery GT

Department of Surgery, University of California Davis, Sacramento, California 95817, USA. eugenes.lee@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu

BACKGROUND: Oxygen is routinely administered to patients to improve clinical outcome. Since studies have shown that administering 100% oxygen can cause unwanted side effects, intermediate concentrations of 40% oxygen are used in clinical practice. In this study, we examined whether the breathing of 40% oxygen causes beneficial effects upon tissue levels of antioxidants such as vitamin E, vitamin C, and glutathione. METHODS: Four-month-old mice were separated into two groups: control (n = 11) and experimental (n = 11). The treatment group was administered 40% oxygen for 10 days. Brain, heart, lung, liver, testes, and skeletal muscle were harvested and tissue antioxidant levels were determined by HPLC. RESULTS: Vitamin E concentrations were higher in brain, heart, lung, liver, and testes of the treatment group (P < 0.05). Glutathione concentrations were higher in the lung tissue only (P < 0.05). No differences were found in vitamin C levels. CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest that mice respond to oxidative stress by increasing tissue vitamin E incorporation and cellular synthesis of glutathione in the lung when exposed to moderate levels (40%) of hyperoxia.

Published 8 August 2005 in J Surg Res, 127(2): 80-4.
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