The free radical theory of aging postulates that free radicals are the underlying cause of aging. One of the well-established age-associated disorders is the decrease in the insulin-stimulated glucose transport through the cell membrane which was reported to be a major mechanism underlying insulin resistance in old rats. The present study investigates the protective capacity of two known antioxidants, vitamin C and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), against age-associated free radical damage, which could be the reason behind the decreased insulin-stimulated glucose transport in old animals. Maximum insulin-stimulated glucose transport has been estimated in adipocytes isolated from adult 6-month-old Fischer rats and from senile 24-month-old control rats as well as from 24-month-old rats that were fed either vitamin C or BHT for 18 months. A significant increase in maximum insulin-stimulated glucose transport was observed in the BHT (p = 0.015) and the vitamin C groups (p = 0.039) compared with the control group of the same age. Significant stimulations with insulin over basal activities were also observed in the BHT group (p = 0.0001) as well as the vitamin C group (p = 0.009), while a nonsignificant stimulation (p = 0.097) was observed in the old control group. This study suggests a protective role that BHT (fat soluble) may have on the lipid moiety of the cell membrane and vitamin C (water soluble) on one or more of the intracellular cytoplasmic constituents concerned with glucose transport.

Keywords:
Aging, Antioxidants, Fischer rats, Glucose transport
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© 1995 S. Karger AG, Basel
1995
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