Effects of coenzyme Q(10) and alpha-tocopherol administration on their tissue levels in the mouse: Elevation of mitochondrial alpha-tocopherol by coenzyme Q(10)

Coenzyme Q (CoQ) was previously demonstrated in vitro to indirectly act as an antioxidant in respiring mitochondria by regenerating alpha-tocopherol f rom its phenoxyl radical. The objective of this study waste determine wheth er CoQ has a similar sparing effect on alpha-tocopherol in vivo. Mice were administered CoQ(10) (123 mg/kg/day) alone, or alpha-tocopherol (200 mg/kg/ day) alone, or both, for 13 weeks, after which the amounts of CoQ(10), CoQ( 9) and alpha-tocopherol were determined by HPLC in the serum as well as hom ogenates and mitochondria of liver, kidney, heart, upper hindlimb skeletal muscle and brain. Administration of CoQ(10) and alpha-tocopherol, alone or together, increased the corresponding levels of CoQ(10) and alpha-tocophero l in the serum. Supplementation with CoQ(10) also elevated the amounts of t he predominant homologue CoQ(9) in the serum and the mitochondria. A notabl e effect of CoQ(10) intake was the enhancement of alpha-tocopherol in mitoc hondria. alpha-Tocopherol administration resulted in an elevation of alpha- tocopherol content in the homogenates of nearly all tissues and their mitoc hondria. Results of this study thus: indicate that relatively long-term adm inistration of CoQ(10) or alpha-tocopherol can result in an elevation of th eir concentrations in the tissues of the mouse. More importantly, CoQ(10) i ntake has a sparing effect on alpha-tocopherol in mitochondria in vivo. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc.