Tissue distribution of alpha-tocopherol in nephrotic rats

1. Reactive oxygen species are involved in the pathogenesis of puromycin aminonucleoside (PAN) nephrosis and alpha-tocopherol is one of the major anti-oxidants in the body. 2. In the present study, we measured the levels of alpha-tocopherol by high-performance liquid chromatography in the plasma and in nine tissues of control and nephrotic rats obtained 10 days after either 0.9% saline solution or PAN injection, respectively. 3. In nephrotic rats, alpha-tocopherol levels increased four-fold in plasma; however, the molar ratio of alpha-tocopherol/ cholesterol remained unchanged, suggesting that the increase in alpha-tocopherol content was attributable to an increase in plasma lipid concentration. 4. In nephrotic rats, the alpha-tocopherol/cholesterol ratio increased 1.33-fold in adrenal glands and 1.34-fold in the testis, but remained unchanged in heart, spleen, liver, kidney lung, brain and muscle. 5. These data suggest that, in PAN nephrotic rats, there are alterations in the distribution of alpha-tocopherol and there is no deficiency of alpha-tocopherol in plasma or tissues.