Chronic Vitamin E Deficiency Dysregulates Purine, Phospholipid, and Amino Acid Metabolism in Aging Zebrafish Skeletal Muscle

• Main Authors: Trent D. Henderson (Author), Jaewoo Choi (Author), Scott W. Leonard (Author), Brian Head (Author), Robyn L. Tanguay (Author), Carrie L. Barton (Author), Maret G. Traber (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: MDPI AG, 2023-05-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 10.3390/antiox12061160; 2076-3921
• Keywords: α-tocopherol; sarcopenia; lipid peroxidation; metabolomics; <i>Danio rerio</i>; Therapeutics. Pharmacology; RM1-950
• Source: Antioxidants, Vol 12, Iss 6, p 1160 (2023)

Muscle wasting occurs with aging and may be a result of oxidative stress damage and potentially inadequate protection by lipophilic antioxidants, such as vitamin E. Previous studies have shown muscular abnormalities and behavioral defects in vitamin E-deficient adult zebrafish. To test the hypothesis that there is an interaction between muscle degeneration caused by aging and oxidative damage caused by vitamin E deficiency, we evaluated long-term vitamin E deficiency in the skeletal muscle of aging zebrafish using metabolomics. Zebrafish (55 days old) were fed E+ and E− diets for 12 or 18 months. Then, skeletal muscle samples were analyzed using UPLC-MS/MS. Data were analyzed to highlight metabolite and pathway changes seen with either aging or vitamin E status or both. We found that aging altered purines, various amino acids, and DHA-containing phospholipids. Vitamin E deficiency at 18 months was associated with changes in amino acid metabolism, specifically tryptophan pathways, systemic changes in the regulation of purine metabolism, and DHA-containing phospholipids. In sum, while both aging and induced vitamin E deficiency did have some overlap in altered and potentially dysregulated metabolic pathways, each factor also presented unique alterations, which require further study with more confirmatory approaches.