Effect of dietary vitamin E and aging on tissue lipofuscin pigment concentration in mice

This study reports a re-investigation of the effect of dietary vitamin E upon tissue organic solvent soluble lipofuscin pigment concentrations. Female weanling mice were fed a vitamin E deficient, vitamin E or N,N'-diphenyl-phenylenediamine (DPPD) supplemented diet up to 18 months of age. Lipofuscin concentrations were measured by a quantitative method which is based on fluorescence spectroscopy. Of all tissues measured (uterus, lung, spleen, kidney, liver, heart and brain), only the liver responded and showed lower pigment concentrations due to vitamin E treatment. In addition, in the liver, up to 12 months of age, vitamin E supplementation resulted in gradually decreasing pigment concentrations, but by 18 months of age, pigment concentrations were increased by 5 to 10 times in all diet groups. The effect of DPPD was similar to vitamin E. Tissue lipofuscin pigment concentrations in 18-month-old mice were lowest in the uterus and highest in the heart. The data indicate the possibility of a turnover of the organic solvent soluble lipofuscin pigments in the liver.