Pioneer study on the protective effect of ascorbic acid on barrier function of gastrointestinal tract

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In ODS rats with a hereditary defect of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) biosynthesis, wehave demonstrated that ascorbic acid deficiency stimulate the hepatic expressions of acute phase protein genes, that were seen in inflammation. We hypothesized that the intestinal disorder provoked by ascorbic acid deficiency causes the inflow of endotoxin from gastrointesinal tract into portal vein, leading to the inflammatory responses in liver. By the analysis in this study, the endotoxin concentration in portal vein was significantly higher in the ascorbic acid-deficient group than that in the control group. Subsequetly, we confirmed whether the hepatic inflammatory responses occur or do not in ascorbic acid-deficient ODS rats treated with antibiotics. As a result, the hepatic inflammatory response was observed. From these results, we speculate that the inflow of endotoxin into the portal vein and the other unknown disorder by ascorbic acid deficiency cause the inflammatory responses in liver. However, this study demonstrated for the first time that ascorbic acid deficiency induce the disfunction of gastrointestinal tract and endotoxemia in ODS rats.