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

ABSTRACT: Vitamin E is one of the most important natural antioxidants, protecting polyunsaturated fatty acids in the membranes of cells. Among different chemical isoforms assimilated from dietary regimes, RRR-α-tocopherol is the only one retained in higher animals. This is possible thanks to α-Tocopherol Transfer Protein (α-TTP), which extracts α-tocopherol from endosomal compartments in liver cells, facilitating its distribution into the body. Here we show that, upon binding to its substrate, α-TTP acquires tendency to aggregation into thermodynamically stable high molecular weight oligomers. Determination of the structure of such aggregates by X-ray crystallography revealed a spheroidal particle formed by 24 protein monomers. Oligomerization is triggered by refolding of the N-terminus. Experiments

SUBMITTER: Aeschimann W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5504013 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature