No abstract available.
alpha-Tocopherol* ; beta Carotene* ; Humans ; Retinoids*

No abstract available.
Anti-Bacterial Agents* ; Ascorbic Acid* ; beta Carotene* ; Tretinoin*

PURPOSE: To investigate whether combined beta-carotene with X-irradiation has more enhanced radition response than X-irradiation or not, we performed a experiment about in vitro cytotoxicity of beta-carotene and/or X-irradiation in the fibrosarcoma cells, tumor growth delay of combined beta-caroten with/or X-irradiation in the mouse fibrosarcoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 2% emulsion of beta-carotene was serially diluted and used. X-irradiation was given by 6 MeV linear accelerator. The cytotoxicity of beta-carotene in vitro was evaluated from clonogenic assay. To compare the cytotoxicity between combined beta-carotene with X-irradiation and X-irradiation group, 2 mg/ml of beta-carotene was contacted to fibrosarcoma (FSaII) cells for 1 hour before X-irradiation. For the tumor growth delay, single 20 Gy was given to FSaII tumor bearing C3H/N mice whic was classified as beta-crotene with X-irradiation group (n=6) and X-irradiation alone group (n=5). 0.2 ml of 20 mg/kg of beta-carotene were i.p. injected to mice 30 minute before X-irradiation in the beta-crotene with X-irradiation group. The tumor growth delay defined as the time which reach to 1,000 mm3 of tumor volume. RESULT: (1) Cytotoxicity in vitro; 1) survival fraction at beta-carotene concentration of 0.002, 0.02, 0.2 and 2 mg/ml were 0.69+/-0.07, 0.59+/-0.08, 0.08+/-0.008 and 0.02+/-0.006, respectively. 2) each survival fraction at 2, 4, 6 and 8 Gy in the 2 mg/ml of beta-carotene + X-irradiation group were 0.13+/-0.05, 0.03+/-0.005, 0.01+/-0.002 and 0.009+/-0.0008, respectively. But each survival fraction at same irradiation dose in the X- irradiation group were 0.66+/-0.05, 0.40+/-0.04, 0.11+/-0.01 and 0.03+/-0.006, respectively( p<0.05). (2) The time which reach to 1,000 mm3 of tumor volume of beta-carotene + X-irradiation group and X-irradiation alone group were 18, 19 days, respectively( p>0.05). CONCLUSION: The contact of beta-caroten to FSaII cells showed mild cytotoxicity which was increased according to concentration. The cytotoxicity of combined beta-carotene with X-irradiation more increased than that of X-irradiation, additionaly. And there was significant difference of cytotoxicity between two groups. But there were no significant difference of the growth delay of fibrosarcoma between two groups.
Animals ; beta Carotene* ; Fibrosarcoma* ; Mice* ; Particle Accelerators ; Tumor Burden

Isoprenoids are all derived from two five-carbon building blocks called isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) and dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP), which are synthesized either by the mevalonate (MVA) pathway or 2-C-methyld-D-erythritol-4-phosphate (MEP) pathway. In this study, the MVA pathway genes were integrated into the chromosome of LYC101, in which the expression of key genes in the MEP synthesis pathway and lycopene synthesis pathway were optimized by artificial regulatory parts, to further improve the production of isoprenoids in Escherichia coli. The plasmids pALV23 and pALV145 were screened from a plasmid library that constructed by using the RBS library to link the genes of the MVA pathway, which greatly increased the production of β-carotene. The effects of plasmids pALV23 and pALV145 on the lycopene production in low and high lycopene production strain, LYC001 and LYC101, were compared, respectively. The production of lycopene was increased by plasmids pALV23 and pALV145 in both strains. In high lycopene production strain LYC101, pALV23 produced more lycopene than pALV145. Then, the MVA gene together of promoter of pALV23 was integrated into the chromosome of LYC101 at poxB site using method of homologous recombination helped by CRISPR-Cas9 system, resulted in genetically stable strain, LYC102. The yield of lycopene of LYC102 was 40.9 mg/g DCW, 1.19-folds higher than that of LYC101, and 20% more than that of LYC101 with pALV23. Simultaneous expression of MVA pathway and MEP pathway in recombinant E. coli can effectively increase the yield of terpenoids. In this study, a plasmid-free, genetically stable, high-yielding lycopene strain was constructed, which could be used for industrialization. Also, the platform strain can be used for the synthesis of other terpenoids.
Chromosomes, Bacterial ; Escherichia coli ; Lycopene ; Mevalonic Acid ; beta Carotene

Plasma carotenoid levels were compared among 64 healthy male subjects (control) and 38 patients of ischemic heart disease(IHD) and 20 ones of cerebral infarction(CI) all of whom were over 50years of age. Another 98 healthy male subjects aged 23 to 58 were selected to compare their plasma carotenoid levels by age groups, Levels of lutein, zeaxanthin and crpytoxanthin were lower in IHD(34+/-2, 13+/-1 and 62+/-7 microgram/dl)and CI(36+/-3, 12+/-2 and 41+/-6 microgram/dl)patient groups than in control group (84+/-5, 16+/-2 and 69+/-3 microgram/dl) while those of lycopene, alpha-and beta-carotene varied little among the three groups. The sum of the six carotenoid levels were levels were, therefore,highest(205+/-14 microgram/dl) in the control group followed by IHD(155+/-15 microgram/dl) and CI(128+/-17 microgram/dl) patient groups, Among the 98 healthy male subject for the age group study, levels of the three major carotenoids increased with age from the twenties to the fifities ; lutein, from 64+/-6 to 89+/-8 microgram/dl, cryptoxanthin, 57+/-8 to 73+/-4 microgram/dl and beta-carotene were more significantly correlated(r=0.30 to 0.61, p<0.01), whereas levels of lycopene and alpha-caroteme were significantly(r=0.21 - 0.23, p<0.05) correlated.
beta Carotene ; Cardiovascular Diseases* ; Carotenoids ; Cerebral Infarction ; Daegu* ; Heart ; Humans ; Lutein ; Male ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Plasma*

OBJECTIVETo measure lutein, zeaxanthin and &beta;-carotene level in foods commonly consumed in Beijing, and compare the content difference between raw and cooked food.

METHODSForty-six commonly consumed foods of 8 classes were collected in Haidian district of Beijing from September to October in 2009. A high performance liquid chromatography method was used to determine the content of lutein, zeaxanthin and &beta;-carotene in both raw and cooked samples.

RESULTSLutein was abundant in cucurbitaceous and solanaceous, allium and nuts, especially in Chinese chive (18 226.9 µg/100 g) and pumpkin (13 265.2 µg/100 g). Major sources of zeaxanthin included round pumpkin, green garlic shoot, corn and eggs, whose level of zeaxanthin were 444.6, 283.5, 279.7, 118.6 - 377.9 µg/100 g, respectively. Zeaxanthin level of those cooked foods changed to 483.9, 239.3, 279.1, 149.5 - 594.7 µg/100 g, respectively. The zeaxanthin level of cooked Chinese chive reached 1081.2 µg/100 g, while we did not detect any zeaxanthin in raw Chinese chive. &beta;-carotene was present in a wide variety of vegetables and fruits. Carrot (17 234.3 µg/100 g) was a good source of &beta;-carotene, while its level in cooked carrot was 17 013.5 µg/100 g.

CONCLUSIONConsuming the proper kinds of foods and changing the method of food processing were beneficial to increase the intake of lutein, zeaxanthin and &beta;-carotene.

China ; Cooking ; Food ; Food Analysis ; Lutein ; analysis ; Xanthophylls ; analysis ; Zeaxanthins ; beta Carotene ; analysis

&beta;-carotene belongs to carotenoids family, widely applied in pharmaceuticals, neutraceuticals, cosmetics and food industries. In this study, three key genes (dxs, idi, and crt operon) within &beta;-carotene synthetic pathway in recombinant Escherichia coli strain CAR005 were modulated with RBS Library to improve &beta;-carotene production. There were 7%, 11% and 17% increase of &beta;-carotene yield respectively after modulating dxs, idi and crt operon genes with RBS Library, demonstrating that modulating gene expression with regulatory parts libraries would have more opportunities to obtain optimal production of target compound. Combined modulation of crt operon, dxs and idi genes led to 35% increase of &beta;-carotene yield compared to parent strain CAR005. The optimal gene expression strength identified in single gene modulation would not be the optimal strength when used in combined modulation. Our study provides a new strategy for improving production of target compound through modulation of gene expression.
Escherichia coli ; metabolism ; Gene Expression ; Gene Library ; Operon ; beta Carotene ; biosynthesis

BACKGROUND: The mordern people live in excessive stress This stress seems to be related to various diseases. The increase of daily stressful life also seems to relate closely to serum lipids and antioxidants. This study attempted to show how much daily life stress affects serum lipids and antioxidants. METHODS: sixty one healthy people who visited health screening center of a university hospital were enrolled for this study from October to November, 1998. In the survey of daily life stress, the Holmes and Rahe's Readjustment Rating Scale, which was modified by Hong and Jung were used. The subjects were interviewed about the life stress during the past one year. The levels of retinol, beta-carotene, vitamin C, tocopherol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, total cholesterol, triglyceride were measured. The subjects were divided into three groups by the stress scores. Kruskal-Wallis test was used for analysis. Dependent variables were antioxidants in each group. RESULTS: There as no significant meaning in the comparison between each stress groups and the level of serum lipids, and between each stress group and the level of antioxidants. CONCLUSION: The level of antioxidants was not related to stress. More studies are needed for further evaluation of the results.
Antioxidants ; Ascorbic Acid ; beta Carotene ; Cholesterol ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Stress, Psychological ; Tocopherols ; Triglycerides ; Vitamin A

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the antioxidant level, serum cholesterol and skin beta-carotene, of female elderly who had been living more then 10 months in institutions which offered either vegetarian or nonvegetarian diet. METHODS: Total of 110 female elderly, 56 from institution serving vegetarian diet and 54 from nonvegetarian diet, were recruited from institutions located in S and N city in Korea. beta-carotene level was measured on their palm using Pharmanex Biophotonic Scanner and annual health evaluation data was utilized for the analysis of serum cholesterol. RESULTS: The subjects on a vegetarian diet had a significantly higher level of phosphorus, carotene, and folic acid. The elderly who were living in an institution offering a vegetarian diet had a lower level of serum cholesterol and higher level of skin beta-carotene, compared to those living in an institution offering a non-vegetarian diet. CONCLUSION: This study reveals that a vegetarian diet is beneficial in increasing skin beta-carotene level, decreasing serum total cholesterol level. The skin beta-carotene measurement appear valuable as a bio-marker of antioxidant intake. Further study on antioxidant food and effective serving strategy for elderly are recommended.
Aged ; beta Carotene ; Carotenoids ; Cholesterol ; Diet ; Diet, Vegetarian ; Female ; Folic Acid ; Humans ; Korea ; Phosphorus ; Skin

A derivative ratio spectrophotometric method was used for the simultaneous determination of beta-carotene and astaxanthin produced from Phaffia rhodozyma. Absorbencies of a series of the standard carotenoids in the range of 441 nm to 490 nm demonstrated that their absorptive spectra accorded with Beer's law and that the additivity when the concentrations of beta-carotene and astaxanthin and their mixture were within the range of 0 to 5 microg/ml, 0 to 6 microg/ml, and 0 to 6 microg/ml, respectively. When the wavelength interval (lambda) at 2 nm was selected to calculate the first derivative ratio spectra values, the first derivative amplitudes at 461 nm and 466 nm were suitable for quantitatively determining beta-carotene and astaxanthin, respectively. Effect of divisor on derivative ratio spectra could be neglected; any concentration used as divisor in range of 1.0 to 4.0 microg/ml is ideal for calculating the derivative ratio spectra values of the two carotenoids. Calibration graphs were established for beta-carotene within 0-6.0 microg/ml and for astaxanthin within 0-5.0 microg/ml with their corresponding regressive equations in: y=-0.0082x-0.0002 and y=0.0146x-0.0006, respectively. R-square values in excess of 0.999 indicated the good linearity of the calibration graphs. Sample recovery rates were found satisfactory (>99%) with relative standard deviations (RSD) of less than 5%. This method was successfully applied to simultaneous determination of beta-carotene and astaxanthin in the laboratory-prepared mixtures and the extract from the Phaffia rhodozyma culture.
Algorithms ; Basidiomycota ; metabolism ; Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet ; methods ; Xanthophylls ; beta Carotene ; analogs & derivatives ; analysis ; chemistry