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http://dx.doi.org/10.4110/in.2012.12.1.18

The Analysis of Vitamin C Concentration in Organs of $Gulo^{-/-}$ Mice Upon Vitamin C Withdrawal  

Kim, Hye-Min (Department of Anatomy, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University)
Bae, Se-Yeon (Department of Anatomy, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University)
Yu, Yeon-Sil (Department of Anatomy, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University)
Kim, Ye-Jin (Department of Anatomy, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University)
Kim, Hang-Rae (Department of Anatomy, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University)
Hwang, Young-Il (Department of Anatomy, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University)
Kang, Jae-Seung (Department of Anatomy, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University)
Lee, Wang-Jae (Department of Anatomy, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University)
Publication Information
IMMUNE NETWORK / v.12, no.1, 2012 , pp. 18-26 More about this Journal
Abstract
Background: Vitamin C is an essential nutrient for maintaining human life. Vitamin C insufficiency in the plasma is closely related with the development of scurvy. However, in vivo kinetics of vitamin C regarding its storage and consumption is still largely unknown. Methods: We used $Gulo^{-/-}$ mice, which cannot synthesize vitamin C like human. Vitamin C level in plasma and organs from $Gulo^{-/-}$ mice was examined, and it compared with the level of wild-type mice during 5 weeks. Results: The significant weight loss of $Gulo^{-/-}$ mice was shown at 3 weeks after vitamin C withdrawal. However, there was no differences between wild-type and vitamin C-supplemented $Gulo^{-/-}$ mice (3.3 g/L in drinking water). The concentration of vitamin C in plasma and organs was significantly decreased at 1 week after vitamin C withdrawal. Vitamin C is preferentially deposited in adrenal gland, lymph node, lung, and brain. There were no significant changes in the numbers and CD4/CD8 ratio of splenocytes in $Gulo^{-/-}$ mice with vitamin C withdrawal for 4 weeks. And the architecture of spleen in $Gulo^{-/-}$ mice was disrupted at 5 weeks after vitamin C withdrawal. Conclusion: The vitamin C level of $Gulo^{-/-}$ mice was considerably decreased from 1 week after vitamin C withdrawal. Vitamin C is preferentially stored in some organs such as brain, adrenal gland and lung.
Keywords
Vitamin C insufficiency; $Gulo^{-/-}$ mice; In vivo kinetics;
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