Vitamin E uptake into the brain and 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine toxicity.

The brain uptake index for vitamin E has not been reported previously. This study examined the possible involvement of altered brain vitamin E uptake as an explanation of alterations in vitamin E levels in the brain following 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) administration. The brain uptake index of vitamin E was evaluated in control mice and at 1 and 24 h after toxin treatment. Control mice had a brain uptake index of 6.1 +/- 1.2. The toxin induced more than a twofold increase in the vitamin E brain uptake index to 15.2 +/- 6.8 at 1 h after treatment, which returned to control values at 24 h. The dramatic increase in the brain uptake index of vitamin E may explain the increases in vitamin E levels found in some brain regions following MPTP administration.