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

High consumption of fruits and vegetables has been suggested to provide some protection to smokers who are exposed to an increased risk of numerous cancers and other degenerative diseases. Carrot is the most important source of dietary beta-carotene. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate whether carrot juice supplementation to smokers can protect against lymphocyte DNA damage and to compare the effect of supplementation of capsules containing purified beta-carotene or a placebo (simple lactose). The study was conducted in a randomized and placebo-controlled design. After a depletion period of 14 days, 48 smokers were supplemented with either carrot juice (n = 18), purified beta-carotene (n = 16) or placebo (n = 14). Each group was supplemented for 8 weeks with approximately 20.49 mg of beta-carotene/day and 1.2 mg of vitamin C/day, as carrot juice (300 ml/day) or purified beta-carotene (20.49 mg of beta-carotene, 1 capsule/day). Lymphocyte DNA damage was determined using the COMET assay under alkaline conditions and damage was quantified by measuring tail moment (TM), tail length (TL), and% DNA in the tail. Lymphocyte DNA damage was significantly decreased in the carrot juice group in all three measurements. The group that received purified beta-carotene also showed a significant decrease in lymphocyte DNA damage in all three measurements. However, no significant changes in DNA damage was observed for the placebo group except TM (P = 0.016). Erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme was not significantly changed after supplementation. Similarly plasma lipid profiles were not different after carrot juice, beta-carotene and placebo supplementation. These results suggest that while the placebo group failed to show any protective effect, carrot juice containing beta-carotene or purified beta-carotene itself had great antioxidative potential in preventing damage to lymphocyte DNA in smokers.
beta Carotene ; Capsules ; Comet Assay ; Daucus carota ; DNA ; DNA Damage ; Erythrocytes ; Fruit ; Lymphocytes ; Plasma ; Vegetables ; Vitamins

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

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

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*

Dietary intakes and plasma concentrations of retinol and carotenoids were estimated in assessing the vitamin A status of Korean adults living in Seoul and the metropolitan area. Three consecutive 24-h food recalls were collected from 106 healthy subjects (33 males and 73 females) aged 20-59 years. Fasting blood samples of the subjects were obtained and plasma retinol and carotenoids were analyzed. The daily vitamin A intakes (mean +/- SD) were 887.77 +/- 401.35 microg retinol equivalents or 531.84 +/- 226.42 microg retinol activity equivalents. There were no significant differences in vitamin A intakes among age groups. The retinol intake of subjects was 175.92 +/- 129.87 microg/day. The retinol intake of the subjects in their 50's was significantly lower than those in their 20's and 30's (P < 0.05). Provitamin A carotenoid intakes were 3,828.37 +/- 2,196.29 microg/day beta-carotene, 472.57 +/- 316.68 microg/day alpha-carotene, and 412.83 +/- 306.46 microg/day beta-cryptoxanthin. Approximately 17% of the subjects consumed vitamin A less than the Korean Estimated Average Requirements for vitamin A. The plasma retinol concentration was 1.22 +/- 0.34 micromol/L. There was no significant difference in plasma retinol concentrations among age groups. However, the concentrations of beta-carotene, lycopene, and lutein of subjects in their 50's were significantly higher than those of in their 20's. Only one subject had a plasma retinol concentration < 0.70 micromol/L indicating marginal vitamin A status. Plasma retinol concentration in 30% of the subjects was 0.70- < 1.05 micromol/L, which is interpreted as the concentration possibly responsive to greater intake of vitamin A. In conclusion, dietary intakes and status of vitamin A were generally adequate in Korean adults examined in this study.
Adult ; Aged ; beta Carotene ; Carotenoids ; Fasting ; Humans ; Korea ; Lutein ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Plasma ; Vitamin A ; Vitamins ; Xanthophylls

Strong promoters might not be optimal to obtain maximum metabolic flux towards desired products, whereas modulating gene expression with multiple regulatory parts is an option to obtain optimal expression strength. Therefore, we assessed the difference of impact on beta-carotene production between modulating isoprenoid gene expression with multiple regulatory parts and strong promoter, to improve beta-carotene production through combined modulation of essential isoprenoid genes. Eight isoprenoid genes were modulated with six artificial regulatory parts having a wide range of strengths to assess their effects on beta-carotene production. Optimal strength for each isoprenoid gene expression was identified, leading to 1.2 to 3.5-fold increase in beta-carotene production. In contrast to previous reports, our work suggests that modulating dxr, ispG and ispH genes with appropriate strengths increase beta-carotene production. Beta-carotene yield reached 17.59 mg/g after combined modulation of dxs and idi genes, 8-fold higher than that of the parent strain. Modulating gene expression with multiple regulatory parts was better than strong promoter, providing a new gene modulation strategy for targeted biosynthesis.
Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Terpenes ; metabolism ; beta Carotene ; biosynthesis