TitleVitamin C Activates the Folate-Mediated One-Carbon Cycle in C2C12 Myoblasts.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2020
AuthorsMagana AAlcazar, Reed RL, Koluda R, Miranda CL, Maier CS, Stevens JF
JournalAntioxidants (Basel)
Volume9
Issue3
Date Published2020 Mar 05
ISSN2076-3921
Abstract

Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid, AA) is an essential cellular antioxidant and cofactor for several α-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenases. As an antioxidant, AA interacts with vitamin E to control oxidative stress. While several reports suggest an interaction of AA with folate (vitamin B9) in animals and humans, little is known about the nature of the interaction and the underlying molecular mechanisms at the cellular level. We used an untargeted metabolomics approach to study the impact of AA on the metabolome of C2C12 myoblast cells. Compared to untreated cells, treatment of C2C12 cells with AA at 100 µM resulted in enhanced concentrations of folic acid (2.5-fold) and 5-methyl-tetrahydrofolate (5-methyl-THF, 10-fold increase) whereas the relative concentrations of 10-formyl-tetrahydrofolate decreased by >90% upon AA pretreatment, indicative of increased utilization for the biosynthesis of active THF metabolites. The impact of AA on the folate-mediated one-carbon cycle further manifested itself as an increase in the levels of methionine, whose formation from homocysteine is 5-methyl-THF dependent, and an increase in thymidine, whose formation from deoxyuridine monophosphate (dUMP) is dependent on 5,10-methylene-THF. These findings shed new light on the interaction of AA with the folate-mediated one-carbon cycle and partially explain clinical findings that AA supplementation enhances erythrocyte folate status and that it may decrease serum levels of homocysteine, which is considered as a biomarker of cardiovascular disease risk.

DOI10.3390/antiox9030217
PubMed ID32150984
PubMed Central IDPMC7139526
Grant ListS10RR027878 / NH / NIH HHS / United States
Buhler-Wang Research Fund / / OSU Foundation Buhler-Wang Research Fund /