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Alpha-tocopherol controls cell proliferation in the adult rat dentate gyrus
R Cuppini1, S Ciaroni, T Cecchini
1Institute of Physiological Sciences, Università degli Studi di Urbino loc. Crocicchia I-61029 (PS), Urbino, Italy. r.cuppini@uniurb.it
Abstract:
The effect of alpha-tocopherol on cell proliferation and proliferated cell survival was investigated in the dentate gyrus of adult rats. Adult rats were supplemented with alpha-tocopherol, injected with 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU), that is incorporated into DNA during the S-phase, and killed at different time after BrdU injection. The number of newborn cells decreased after alpha-tocopherol supplementation, confirming the hypothesis that alpha-tocopherol is able to depress cell proliferation in vivo. Most newborn cells die within few days; more newborn cells survive in alpha-tocopherol-treated rats, suggesting the hypothesis that alpha-tocopherol decreases cell death.