Vitamin E

Question 1

What is the chemical name for Vitamin E? How is its structure related to its function?

Answer 1

• alpha-Tocopherol - “Tail” anchors Vitamin E in lipid membrane - “Head” is the site of antioxidant action

Question 2

Where and in what form is Vitamin E packaged?

Answer 2

• Vitamin E actually has multiple forms but only alpha-tocopherol is active in humans because it is preferentially packaged into VLDLs in the liver using liver specific a-tocopherol transfer protein (alpha-TTP)

Question 3

Function of Vitamin E? What kinds of fatty acids does it prevent from becoming nonenzymatically oxidized?

Answer 3

Anti-E-oxidant! Prevents nonenzymic oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids in cell membrane

Question 4

Deficiency of Vitamin E?

Answer 4

Rare. Includes people with fat malabsorption syndoromes and newborns with necrotizing entercolitis.

May result in red cell fragility (acanthocytosis).

Symptoms will be of neurologic variety.

Question 5

What is this peripheral blood smear showing? What causes it?

Answer 5

Acanthocytosis (spiculated red cells with varying projections)

Caused by Vitamin E deficiency.

Question 6

Where can Vitamin E be found?

Answer 6

Vegetable oils, such as soy, corn and peanut