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Dehydroascorbic acid reduction in several tissues and cultured hepatocytes of the chicken
K Sasaki1, Y Kitaguchi, K Koga
1Department of Animal Products, National Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, Ibaraki, Japan. ksuk@affrc.go.jp
Abstract:
Dehydroascorbic acid, the oxidized form of ascorbic acid, is rapidly reduced to ascorbate in living organs (ascorbate recycling). We examined the GSH-dependent dehydroascorbate reductase activity in several tissues of the chicken. The activity was highest in the liver, and second highest in the brain. The activity was localized in the cytosol fraction of the liver. We subsequently examined the dehydroascorbate reduction in separated chicken hepatocytes. The cellular ascorbate concentration was elevated in dehydroascorbate-treated cells. It is thought that hepatocytes incorporated external dehydroascorbate and converted it into ascorbate. These findings suggest that the liver plays an important role in ascorbate recycling by the chicken.