Vitamin D-3 as a modulator of cellular antioxidant defence in murine lymphoma

The present investigation characterises and documents the relative effectiv eness of vitamin D-3 (VD3) in monitoring reduced glutathione (GSH), glutath ione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GR) activity as well as-ma londialdehyde (MDA) formation in hepatic tissue of Dalton's Lymphoma (DL) b earing mice. Inoculation of DL brings about drastic induction in GSH, GPx a nd GR activity (128.2%, 17.04% and 63.8% respectively on the 15th day follo wing transplantation) in association with increase in extent of lipid perox idation. VD3 treatment maintained well controlled steady level of GSH, whic h although much higher than the normal control level, was 22.42% lower than that achieved in untreated DL mice. It also produced a delayed increase in GPx and GR activity and MDA formation. Moreover VD3 has also improved surv ival of DL bearing mice. These observations suggest a definite and signific ant preventive role of VD3 and its efficacy as an antioxidant on rapidly pr oliferating neoplasms in mice. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc.