Comparative study of the effect of alpha-tocopherol, its synthetic metabolite and ionol on dexamethasone-induced apoptosis in rat thymocytes

alpha-Tocopherol was found to decrease the level of rat thymocytes DNA fragmentation and to increase the viability of these cells under apoptosis induction by dexamethazone. So the antiapoptotic role of this vitamin is suggested. In contrast to alpha-tocopherol synthetic antioxidant ionol and alpha-tocopherylacetate, contained only 6 carbon atoms in its isoprenoid side chain caused the cell death from necrosis. This process preceded the apoptosis stimulated by dexamethazone.