Lycopene protects primary mouse cerebrocortical neurons against t-BHP-induced damage in vitro

AIM: To investigate the protective effect of lycopene on primary mouse cerebrocortical neurons exposed to tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP) and its mechanisms of in vitro.METHODS: Primary cerebrocortical neurons of newborn C57 mice were extracted and divided into normal group, t-BHP group, lycopene+t-BHP group and lycopene group. The neuronal damage was induced by t-BHP exposure for 24 h, and the cell viability was examined by MTT assay. ROS content was measured by flow cytometry, and the protein levels of Bax, Bcl-2, caspase-3, cleaved caspase-3 and cytochrome C were examined by Western blot.RESULTS: The primary mouse cortical neurons expressed MAP-2 protein. Lycopene at concentration of 4 μmol/L reversed the decrease in cell viability. Flow cytometry revealed that lycopene treatment attenuated ROS content under the condition of t-BHP exposure. In addition, the protein level of Bcl-2 was increased, and the expression of Bax, cleaved caspase-3 and cytochrome-C was suppressed in lycopene+t-BHP group.CONCLUSION: The protective effect of lycopene on cortical neurons with t-BHP-induced injury may be involved in the mechanism of neuronal antioxidative response by down-regulating caspase-3 and Bax/Bcl-2 through the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway.     

不同西瓜类型果实茄红素含量的比较研究

采用分光光度法对33个西瓜材料进行茄红素含量的测定,材料涉及不同的瓤色和倍性。结果表明:在白瓤、橙黄瓤、金黄瓤、粉红瓤、红瓤和深红瓤的西瓜材料之间,白瓤西瓜茄红素含量最低,深红瓤西瓜含量最高,茄红素的含量与瓤色大致成正相关。其中深红瓤二倍体西瓜材料中S292、VS8-44的茄红素含量比较高,分别为6.372 mg/100g鲜重和6.350 mg/100g鲜重,三倍体材料中最高的是VS6-19,茄红素含量为6.684 mg/100g鲜重。同瓤色的不同材料之间茄红素的含量与倍性无关,与材料的基因型相关。     

小型西瓜果实中番茄红素含量的比较研究

用含2%二氯甲烷的石油醚有机溶剂提取小型西瓜果实中的番茄红素,通过分光光度法在503 nm波长下测定其吸收值,分析比较了不同品种(系)小型西瓜果实中番茄红素含量的差异.研究结果表明,红瓤和粉红瓤小西瓜果实中番茄红素主要在果实发育的后期合成,授粉后第18～24 d是西瓜果实番茄红素合成的关键时期,橙、黄瓤西瓜中番茄红素含量的变化不明显;西瓜果实中番茄红素含量因品种、瓤色差异显著,红瓤品种>粉红瓤品种>橙瓤品种>黄瓤品种,所测红瓤小型西瓜番茄红素含量为56.6～75.2μg/g.     

Processing tomato quality as affected by irrigation scheduling

In Southern Italy the paucity of water is a very important problem and due to the fundamental importance of the water for the processing tomato, in this study the influence of irrigation on processing tomato quality was investigated in the years 2002 and 2003. A hybrid processing tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L. Mill cv. Ability) was treated with different water regimes obtained combining amount of water and irrigation interval. The effects of the trials were evaluated taking into account the physical and chemical characteristics of the fruits, as well as the content in antioxidants moieties. Furthermore, the relationship among all the quality parameters and the seasonal amount of irrigation water was evaluated.The results, comparing different water regimes obtained combining amount of water and irrigation interval, gave useful indications on the possibility to improve nutritional tomato quality by reducing irrigation water during tomato cropping. In particular, relatively to the Mediterranean areas of tomato cultivation and to the texture of the soil considered in this study, the best compromise between quality and quantity of the processing tomato fruit was achieved both with the extension of the irrigation interval (L40 or L60) and with the limitation of irrigation volume for the second part of the tomato crop cycle (thesis 100-50). Extending the irrigation interval and limiting irrigation volume for the second part of the tomato crop cycle, appeared to be the best management strategy to optimize the yield and nutritional quality of processing tomato.     

番茄红素研究概况

番茄红素是开链式的类胡萝卜素,具有清除活性氧自由基、促进细胞间隙连接通讯、防癌抗癌等多种生理功能。作为一种功能性天然色素,番茄红素被广泛地用于多种功能性食品。文章主要介绍了番茄红素的研究历史、理化性质及生理功能,对番茄红素的应用前景进行了展望。     

Chemopreventive efficacy of lycopene on 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-induced hamster buccal pouch carcinogenesis

The chemopreventive efficacy of lycopene on 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced hamster buccal pouch (HBP) carcinogenesis was examined using lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and glutathione reductase (GR) as biomarkers of chemoprevention. Twenty four male Syrian hamsters were divided into four groups of six animals each. The right buccal pouches of the animals in group 1 were painted with a 0.5% solution of DMBA in liquid paraffin three times a week. The animals in group 2 were painted with DMBA as in group 1 and in addition received 2.5 mg/kg body weight lycopene orally three times a week on days alternate to DMBA application. Group 3 animals received lycopene as in group 2. Animals in group 4 received neither DMBA nor lycopene and served as control. The hamsters were killed after an experimental period of 14 weeks. Biochemical measurements were carried out in tumour and normal tissues. All hamsters painted with DMBA alone for 14 weeks developed well-differentiated squamous cell carcinomas. Diminished lipid peroxidation in the oral tumour tissue was accompanied by a significant increase in the levels of GSH, GPx, GST and GR. Administration of lycopene significantly suppressed DMBA-induced oral carcinogenesis as revealed by the absence of carcinomas. The results of the present study suggest that lycopene may exert its chemopreventive effects by modulating lipid peroxidation and enhancing the activities of the enzymes in the glutathione redox cycle.     

红酵母系统发育及番茄红素的测定

[目的]介绍了红酵母分离纯化的方法,菌株系统发育分析及发酵产物番茄红素的测定。[方法]从土壤及落花样品中分离纯化出7株红酵母,对其进行18S rDNA序列分析,并用高效液相色谱法对7株野生菌株的胞内色素产物进行了初步分析鉴定。[结果]18SrDNA序列分析可初步鉴定这7株菌分别属于红冬孢酵母菌属和红酵母属。用高效液相色谱测定7株菌种胞内抽提物中的番茄红素含量,发现仅有菌株06944的胞内抽提物中含有番茄红素。将菌株06944发酵产番茄红素的HPLC图谱与番茄红素标准品的对比,可初步鉴定所筛出的菌株06944产番茄红素,产量为2.96μg/ml。[结论]菌株06944为红冬孢酵母属,无致病性,可直接作为工业生产菌种。     

番茄红素油树脂混合环糊精包合研究

[目的]研究混合环糊精(β-环糊精、羟丙基-β-环糊精)对番茄红素油树脂的包合性能并验证其实用性。[方法]紫外法测定番茄红素与β-环糊精、羟丙基-β-环糊精、混合环糊精的包合常数;采用研磨法制备包合物并测定溶解度,考察其稳定性。[结果]番茄红素油树脂与混合环糊精包合常数为758~1 247 L/mol,大于与β-环糊精的416~608 L/mol;高性价比混合环糊精的包合物,其溶解度提高近70倍且稳定性提高。[结论]番茄红素油树脂/混合环糊精包合物实用性大大增强。     

Expression of lycopene cyclase genes and their regulation on downstream carotenoids during fruit maturation of Guoqing No. 1 Satsuma mandarin and Cara Cara navel orange

Lycopene β-cyclase (LCYb) and lycopene ?-cyclase (LCYe) are believed to be crucial genes to lycopene cyclization and downstream carotenoid accumulation. To illuminate the gene expression profiles and their regulation on downstream carotenoids, expression profiles of these two genes and contents of several corresponding carotenoids were determined by real-time PCR and HPLC, respectively, in relative shorter intervals during breaker and maturation stage of Guoqing No. 1 satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu Marcow) and Cara Cara navel orange (Citrus sinensis Osbeck). Data showed that the expression profiles of these two cyclase genes and their relative expression levels between the peels and the pulps at the same stage all varied with cultivars. But in general, accumulation of lutein and β-carotene experienced a similar tendency in both cultivars and were up-regulated by expression of LCYb and LCYe in spite of poor correlation in the pulps. Meanwhile, lycopene abundance was negatively correlated with the expression of LCYe as expected, but hardly correlated with LCYb in the pulps of Cara Cara navel orange, indicating that LCYe might exert a more prominent influence on lycopene cyclization and downstream carotenoids formation. Results of carotenoids accumulation suggest that the biosynthetic process of carotenoids would shift from upstream β, ?- or β, β-carotenoids such as lutein and β-carotene to downstream β, β-carotenoids during fruit development.     

6种溶剂浸提番茄红素的比较研究

采用不同浸提时间、固液比和温度3个影响因子对番茄粉末中番茄红素进行了浸提试验,结果表明:从浸提收率看,用氯仿和苯最高;从浸提时间看,5h前番茄红素收率上升,之后下降;从固液比看,番茄红素收率随固液比上升而上升,上升最快的是氯仿和苯;从萃取过程稳定性上看,在时间因素和固液比上正己烷均表现为较强的波动;在实际操作中因温度的不同,部分溶剂有较强挥发,故测得数据缺乏准确性。