α-Tocopherol Depletion Exacerbates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Reduction of Grip Strength

α-Tocopherol (αT) deficiency causes several neurologic disorders, such as spinocerebellar ataxia, peripheral neuropathy, and myopathy. Furthermore, decreased antibody production, impaired ex vivo T cell function, and elevated cytokine production are observed in humans and mice with αT deficiency. Although modeling αT deficiency in animals is challenging, αT depletion can be more readily achieved in α-tocopherol transfer protein-null (Ttpa^-/-) mice than wild-type (WT) mice. Thus, the Ttpa^-/- mouse model is a useful tool for studying metabolic consequences of low αT status. Optimizing this mouse model and selecting the reliable indicators/markers of deficiency are still needed.

Our objective was to assess whether αT depletion alters lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory response in the brain and/or grip strength used as a proxy for fatigue.

WT and Ttpa^-/- weanling littermates (n = 37-40/genotype) were fed an αT deficient diet ad libitum for 9 wk. Mice were then injected with LPS (10 μg/mouse) or saline (control) intraperitoneally and killed 4 h later. Concentrations of αT in diet and tissues were measured via high-pressure liquid chromatography. Grip strength was evaluated via a grip strength meter apparatus 2 d before and 3.5 h after LPS injection. Cerebellar and serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) concentrations were measured via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

αT concentrations in the liver, heart, and adipose tissue of WT mice were higher than Ttpa^-/- mice. Although αT was detected in the brain, muscle, and serum of WT mice, it was undetectable in these tissues of Ttpa^-/- mice. Cerebellar and serum concentrations of IL-6 were increased in LPS-treated groups but were not significantly affected by genotype. Grip strength was reduced in LPS-treated groups, an effect that was more pronounced in Ttpa^-/- mice.

Systemic LPS administration caused an acute inflammatory response with a concomitant decline in grip strength, especially in Ttpa^-/- mice. αT depletion appears to exacerbate reductions in grip strength brought on by systemic inflammation.