Probucol-induced Plasma α-Tocopherol Deficiency in Mice

Plasma α-tocopherol deficiency was induced by treatment with probucol (Wako; Tokyo, Japan) in the diet. Six-week-old C57BL/6J mice were treated with 1% w/w probucol in the diet for 2 weeks. The control group was designated as C57BL/6J mice fed with a standard diet (75 mg/kg of α-tocopherol). After probucol treatment for 2 weeks, a subgroup of the treated mice was fed with a standard diet for 2 weeks. Blood samples were obtained under anesthesia with diethyl ether (Wako; Tokyo, Japan) by cardiac puncture using sodium citrate (Wako; Tokyo, Japan) as an anticoagulant, and then blood samples were centrifuged at 5000 rpm for 5 min at 4°C to remove the plasma and buffy coat [22 (link)].