Β-Carotene and its physiological metabolites: Effects on oxidative status regulation and genotoxicity in in vitro models. (July 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ribeiro, Daniela; Sousa, Adelaide; Nicola, Pedro; Ferreira de Oliveira, José Miguel P.; Rufino, Ana T.; Silva, Marta; Freitas, Marisa; Carvalho, Félix; Fernandes, Eduarda
• Is Part Of: Food and chemical toxicology. Volume 141(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-07
• Subjects: β-Carotene -- trans-β-Apo-8′-carotenal -- β-Ionone -- Reactive species -- Lipid peroxidation -- Genotoxicity; Toxicology -- Periodicals; Food poisoning -- Periodicals; Food Poisoning -- Periodicals; Toxicology -- Periodicals; Toxicologie -- Périodiques; Intoxications alimentaires -- Périodiques; Food poisoning; Toxicology; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 615.9
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2020.111392
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0278-6915

Abstract

Abstract: Carotenoids are ubiquitously distributed in nature, β-carotene being the most frequently found carotenoid in the human diet. In the human body, β-carotene is absorbed, distributed and metabolized by enzymatic and/or non-enzymatic oxidant cleavage into several metabolites. Despite the broadly accepted biological value of β-carotene, it has also been considered a double-edged sword, mainly due to its potential antioxidant versus pro-oxidant behaviour. In this sense, the aim of this work was to scrutinize the antioxidant or pro-oxidant potential of β-carotene and its metabolites, namely trans- β-apo-8′-carotenal and β-ionone. Several parameters were evaluated in this study, viz. their effects on reactive species production, both in human whole blood and neutrophils; their effects on lipid peroxidation, in the absence and presence of peroxynitrite anion (ONOO − ) or hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ), using a synaptosomal model; and finally, their putative genotoxic effects in the human hepatic HepG2 cell line. In general, depending on the cellular model and conditions tested, β-carotene and its metabolites revealed antioxidant effects to varying degrees without significant pro-oxidant or genotoxic effects. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: trans-β-Apo-8′-carotenal scavenges H2 O2 in activated human neutrophils. β-Carotene inhibits ONOO − - induced lipid peroxidation, in rat brain synaptosomes. β-Ionone inhibits H2 O2 - induced lipid peroxidation, in rat brain synaptosomes. β-Carotene and its metabolites are not genotoxic in the HepG2 cell model.