Self-assembled α-Tocopherol Transfer Protein Nanoparticles Promote Vitamin E Delivery Across an Endothelial Barrier

Vitamin E also known as α-tocopherol (α-Tol) is a natural antioxidant protecting unsaturated fatty acids in eukaryotic cell membranes from lipid peroxidation. The hepatic α-tocopherol transfer protein (α-TTP) exclusively sequesters α-Tol out of the eight naturally occurring vitamin E isomers. The supply mechanism of vitamin E through the cardiovascular system to peripheral tissues is yet not fully understood, but it is believed to occur through lipoproteins (VLDL). However, the central nervous system (CNS) is shielded from the blood stream by an endothelial cell layer called “blood brain barrier” (BBB) and forced to maintain its own set of lipoproteins. Failure of vitamin E homeostasis in the CNS cause a neurodegenerative disease called Ataxia with vitamin E deficiency (AVED). Usually, AVED is caused by inherited defects in the α-TTP gene. In this work we investigated by which means vitamin E is transported to the CNS