Ascorbic acid prevents protein oxidation in livers of senescence marker protein-30/gluconolactonase knockout mice

Senescence marker protein-30 (SMP30)/gluconolactonase (GNL) knockout (KO) mice are incapable of synthesizing L-ascorbic acid (AA) in vivo. As AA is known to be a water-soluble anti-oxidant, we assessed protein oxidation levels in livers from SMP30/GNL KO mice maintained in an AA-insufficient condition.

Livers were collected from male SMP30/GNL KO mice at the ages of 3, 6 and 12 months, and wild-type (WT) mice at the ages of 3, 6, 12 and 24 months. To assess protein oxidation, we measured the content of protein carbonyl, which is a major protein oxidation marker. AA levels were measured by 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine method using high-performance liquid chromatography.

Livers of SMP30/GNL KO mice had just ∼5% as much AA as those of WT mice from 3 to 12 months-of-age. Protein carbonyl levels in livers from SMP30/GNL KO mice were a significant 1.8- to 2.3-fold higher than those from age-atched WT mice. To establish that the AA-insufficiency caused this difference, we added AA to some drinking water, and examined the effect on AA and protein carbonyl levels in livers from SMP30/GNL KO and WT mice. Livers from SMP30/GNL KO mice given extra AA had a significantly higher content than those from their deprived counterparts. Furthermore, protein carbonyl levels in livers from AA-supplemented SMP30/GNL KO mice were significantly lower than those from the SMP30/GNL KO mice without AA supplementation. However, added AA did not affect the protein carbonyl levels in WT mice.

These results strongly suggest that AA plays an important role in preventing protein oxidation in vivo, thus enhancing overall health.