Affiliations: Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology, Department
of Physiology, University of Granada, Spain | Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine,
Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Dr. José L. Quiles, Institute of
Nutrition and Food Technology, C/ Ramón y Cajal 4, 18071 Granada, Spain.
Tel.: +34 958248324; Fax: +34 958248326; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: Life-long low-dosage supplementation of coenzyme
Q_{10} (CoQ_{10}) is studied in relation
to the antioxidant status and DNA damage. Thirty-two male rats were assigned
into two experimental groups differing in the supplementation or not with 0.7
mg/kg/day of CoQ_{10}. Eight rats per group were killed at 6
and 24 months. Plasma retinol, α-tocopherol, coenzyme Q, total
antioxidant capacity and fatty acids were analysed. DNA strand breaks were
studied in peripheral blood lymphocytes. Aging and supplementation led to
significantly higher values for CoQ homologues, retinol and α-tocopherol.
No difference in total antioxidant capacity was detected at 6 months but
significantly lower values were found in aged control animals. Similar DNA
strand breaks levels were found at 6 months. Aging led to significantly higher
DNA strand breaks levels in both groups but animals supplemented with
CoQ_{10} led to a significantly lower increase in that
marker. Aged rats showed significantly higher polyunsaturated fatty acids. This
study demonstrates that lifelong intake of a low dosage of
CoQ_{10} enhances plasma levels of
CoQ_{9}, CoQ_{10}, α-tocopherol and
retinol. In addition, CoQ_{10} supplementation attenuates
the age-related fall in total antioxidant capacity of plasma and the increase
in DNA damage in peripheral blood lymphocytes.
Keywords: Comet assay, DNA strand breaks, ubiquinone, coenzyme Q[TeX:] _{9}, α-tocopherol, retinol, fatty acids, total antioxidant capacity
Journal: BioFactors, vol. 25, no. 1-4, pp. 73-86, 2005
