Knowledge on vitamin E absorption, intracellular trafficking, and interorgan distribution is still fragmentary, which markedly impedes our
understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which vitamin E status
is regulated. It is now generally accepted that all forms of vitamin E are
first taken up with micelles without discrimination in the intestine and
then released from enterocytes with chylomicrons into the circulation.
In the plasma, triglycerides in chylomicrons are cleaved by the endothelial cell-bound lipoprotein lipase resulting in chylomicron remnant formation. After chylomicron remnant-bound vitamin E enters the
liver cells, a special protein calledα-tocopherol transfer protein (α-TTP)
bind sα-tocopherol with high affinity and selectivity and then releases
it into the plasma to maintainα-tocopherol levels in the peripheral circulation (Brigelius-Flohe, 2009).