Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2005;338(2):951-5.
Dietary vitamin C down-regulates inflammatory gene expression in apoE4
smokers.
Majewicz J, Rimbach G, Proteggente AR, Lodge JK, Kraemer K,
Minihane AM.
Hugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition, School of Food Biosciences, University of
Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AP, UK.
The deleterious impact of cigarette smoking on cardiovascular health may be in
part attributable to a free radical mediated proinflammatory response in
circulating monocytes. In the current investigation, the impact of vitamin C
supplementation on monocyte gene expression was determined in apoE4 smokers
versus non-smokers. A total of 10 smokers and 11 non-smokers consumed 60mg/day
of vitamin C for four weeks and a fasting blood sample was taken at baseline
and post-intervention for the determination of plasma vitamin C and monocyte
gene expression profiles using cDNA array and real time PCR. In apoE4 smokers,
supplementation resulted in a 43% increase in plasma vitamin C concentrations.
Furthermore, a number of genes were differentially expressed more than 2-fold
in response to treatment, including a downregulation of the proinflammatory
mediators tumor necrosis factor (TNF) beta, TNF receptor, neurotrophin-3 growth
factor receptor, and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 receptor. The study has
identified a number of molecular mechanisms underlying the benefit of vitamin C
supplementation in smokers.