Nutrition
Volume 17, Issue 10 , Pages 818-822 , October 2001

The evolving role of carotenoids in human biochemistry

  • Garry J. Handelman, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Health and Clinical Science, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, Massachusetts, USA
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorrespondence to: Garry J. Handelman, PhD, Department of Health and Clinical Science, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA 01854, USA

,Accepted 1 June 2001.

References 

  1. Handelman GJ, Dratz EA. The role of antioxidants in the retina and retinal pigment epithelium and the nature of prooxidant-induced damage. Adv Free Radic Biol Med. 1986;2:1
  2. Handelman GJ, Machlin LJ, Fitch K, Weiter JJ, Dratz EA. Oral α-tocopherol supplements decrease plasma γ-tocopherol levels in humans. J Nutr. 1985;115:807
  3. Baker H, Handelman GJ, Short S, et al.  Comparison of plasma alpha and gamma tocopherol levels following chronic oral administration of either all-rac-a-tocopheryl-acetate or RRR-a-tocopheryl-acetate. Am J Clin Nutr. 1986;43:382
  4. Handelman GJ, Epstein WL, Peerson J, et al.  Human adipose alpha-tocopherol and gamma-tocopherol kinetics during and after 1 y of alpha-tocopherol supplementation. Am J Clin Nutr. 1994;59:1025
  5. Mayne ST. Beta-carotene, carotenoids, and disease prevention in humans. FASEB J. 1996;10:690
  6. Tswett M. Adsorptionanalyse and chromatographische Method: Anwendung auf die Chemie des Chlorophylls. Berl Dtsch Bot Gest. 1906;24:384
  7. Tswett M. Uber den makro- und mikrochemischen Nachweis der Carotins. Berl Dtsch Bot Gest. 1911;29:630
  8. Goodwin TW. The biochemistry of the carotenoids, Vol 2, animals. London: Chapman & Hall; 1984;
  9. Wald G. The nature of the yellow pigment of the macula of the retina. Nature. 1947;114:62
  10. Olson JA, Hayaishi O. The enzymatic cleavage of β-carotene into vitamin A by soluble enzymes of rat liver and intestine. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 1965;54:1364
  11. Olson JA. Vitamin A. In: Present knowledge of nutrition. 1996:204
  12. Bendich A. The safety of beta-carotene. Nutr Cancer. 1988;11:207
  13. Castenmiller JJM, West CE. Bioavailability and bioconversion of carotenoids. Annu Rev Nutr. 1998;18:19
  14. Bendich A, Langseth L. Safety of vitamin A. Am J Clin Nutr. 1989;49:358
  15. de Pee S, West CE, Muhilal, Karyadi D, Hautvast JG. Lack of improvement in vitamin A status with increased consumption of dark-green leafy vegetables. Lancet 1995;346:75
  16. Handelman GJ, Nightingale ZD, Lichtenstein A, Schaefer EJ, Blumberg JB. Plasma lutein and zeaxanthin after dietary egg yolk supplementation. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999;70:247
  17. Furr HC, Amedee-Manseme O, Clifford AJ, et al.  Vitamin A concentrations in liver determined by isotope dilution assay with tetra-deuterated vitamin A and by biopsy in generally healthy adults. Am J Clin Nutr. 1989;49:713
  18. Handelman GJ, Haskell MJ, Jones AD, Clifford AJ. An improved protocol for determining ratios of retinol-d4 to retinol isolated from human plasma. Anal Chem. 1993;65:2024
  19. Haskell MJ, Handelman GJ, Peerson JM, et al.  Assessment of vitamin A status by the deuterated retinol dilution technique and comparison with hepatic vitamin A concentration in Bangladeshi surgical patients. Am J Clin Nutr. 1997;66:67
  20. Ribaya-Mercado JD, Mazariegos M, Tang G, et al.  Assessment of total body stores of vitamin A in Guatemalan elderly by the deuterated-retinol-dilution method. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999;69:278
  21. Barua AB, Olson JA. Reversed-phase gradient high-performance liquid chromatographic procedure for simultaneous analysis of very polar to nonpolar retinoids, carotenoids and tocopherols in animal and plant samples. J Chromatogr B Biomed Sci Appl. 1998;707:69
  22. Griffiths M, Sistrom WR, Cohen-Bazire G, Stanier RY. Carotenoid photoprotection. Nature. 1955;176:1211
  23. Fujimori E, Livingston R. Interactions of chlorophyll in its triplet state with oxyen, carotene, etc. Nature. 1957;180:1036
  24. Lim B, Nagao A, Terao J, et al.  Antioxidant activity of xanthophylls on peroxyl radical-mediated phospholipid peroxidation. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1992;1126:1787
  25. Handelman GJ. Carotenoids as scavengers of active oxygen species. In:  Cadenas E,  Packer L editor. Handbook of antioxidants. New York: Marcel Dekker; 1995;p. 259
  26. Mayne ST, Parker RS. Antioxidant activity of dietary canthaxanthin. Nutr Cancer. 1989;12:225
  27. Klein R, Klein BE, Jensen SC, Meuer SM. The five-year incidence and progression of age-related maculopathy (the Beaver Dam Eye Study). Ophthalmology. 1997;104:7
  28. Bone RA, Landrum JT, Tarsis SL. Preliminary identification of the human macular pigment. Vis Res. 1985;25:1531
  29. Bone RA, Landrum JT, Fernandez L, Tarsis SL. Analysis of the macular pigment by HPLC (retinal distribution and age study). Invest Opthalmol Vis Sci. 1988;29:843
  30. Handelman GJ, Dratz EA, Reay CC, van Kuijk FJGM. Carotenoids in the human macula and whole retina. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1988;29:850
  31. Handelman G, Snodderly D, Adler A, Russett M, Dratz E. Measurement of carotenoids in human and monkey retinas. Methods Enzymol. 1992;213:220
  32. Handelman GJ, Snodderly DM, Krinsky NI, Russett MD, Adler AJ. Biological control of primate macular pigment. Biochemical and densitometric studies. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1991;32:257
  33. Snodderly DM, Handelman GJ, Adler AJ. Distribution of individual macular pigment carotenoids in central retina of macaque and squirrel monkeys. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1991;32:268
  34. Haegerstrom-Portnoy G. Short-wavelength-sensitive-cone sensitivity loss with aging (a protective role for macular pigment?). J Opt Soc Am. 1988;5:140
  35. Schalch W. Carotenoids in the retina—a review of their possible role in preventing or limiting damage caused by light and oxygen. EXS. 1992;62:280
  36. Landrum JT, Bone RA, Kilburn MD. The macular pigment (a possible role in protection from age-related macular degeneration). Adv Pharmacol. 1997;38:537
  37. Sperling HG, Johnson C, Harwerth RS. Differential spectral photic damage to primate cones. Vis Res. 1980;20:1117
  38. Sperling HG, Johnson C, Harwerth RS. Differential spectral damage to primate cones. Vis Res. 1980;20:1117
  39. Reading VM, Weale RA. Macular pigment and chromatic aberration. J Opt Soc Am. 1974;64:231
  40. Pease PL, Adams AJ, Nuccio E. Optical density of human macular pigment. Vis Res. 1987;27:705
  41. Hammond BR, Curran-Celentano J, Judd S, et al.  Sex differences in macular pigment optical density (relation to plasma carotenoid concentrations and dietary patterns). Vis Res. 1996;36:2001
  42. Johnson EJ, Hammond BR, Yeum KJ, et al.  Relation among serum and tissue concentrations of lutein and zeaxanthin and macular pigment density. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000;71:1555
  43. Wooten BR, Hammond BRJ, Land RI, Snodderly DM. A practical method for measuring macular pigment optical density. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1999;40:2481
  44. Landrum JT, Bone R. Increase in macular pigment density after consumption of a purified zeaxanthin supplement (abstract). Invest Opthalmol Vis Sci 1998
  45. Bone RA, Landrum JT, Friedes LM, et al.  Distribution of lutein and zeaxanthin stereoisomers in the human retina. Exp Eye Res. 1997;64:211
  46. Bernstein PS, Balashov NA, Tsong ED, Rando RR. Retinal tubulin binds macular carotenoids. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1997;38:167
  47. Seddon JM, Ajani UA, Sperduto R, et al.  Dietary carotenoids, vitamins A, C, and E, and advanced age-related macular degeneration. Eye Disease Case-Control Study Group. JAMA. 1994;272:1413
  48. Hammond BR, Wooten BR, Snodderly DM. Preservation of visual sensitivity of older subjects (association with macular pigment density). Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1998;39:397
  49. Mares-Perlman JA, Fisher AI, Klein R, et al.  Lutein and zeaxanthin in the diet and serum and their relation to age- related maculopathy in the third national health and nutrition examination survey. Am J Epidemiol. 2001;153:424
  50. Handelman GJ, Shen B, Krinsky NI. High-resolution analysis of carotenoids in human plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography. Methods Enzymol. 1991;213:336
  51. Greenberg ER, Baron JA, Karagas MR, et al.  Mortality associated with low plasma concentration of beta carotene and the effect of oral supplementation. JAMA. 1996;275:699
  52. Omenn GA, Goodman GE, Thornquist MD, et al.  The effects of a combination of beta carotene and vitamin A on lung cancer and cardiovascular disease. N Engl J Med. 1996;334:1150
  53. Hennekens CH, Buring JE, Manson JE, et al.  Lack of effect of long-term supplementation with beta carotene on the incidence of malignant neoplasms and cardiovascular disease. N Engl J Med. 1996;334:1145
  54. Albanes D, Heinonen OP, Huttunen JK, et al.  Effects of alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene supplements on cancer incidence in the Alpha-Tocopherol Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 1995;62:1427S
  55. Handelman GJ, Packer L, Cross CE. Destruction of tocopherols, carotenoids and retinol human plasma by cigarette smoke. Am J Clin Nutr. 1996;63:559
  56. Mayne ST, Handelman GJ, Beecher G. Beta-carotene and lung cancer promotion in heavy smokers—a plausible relationship?. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1996;88:1513
  57. Baker DL, Krol ES, Jacobsen N, Liebler DC. Reactions of beta-carotene with cigarette smoke oxidants. Identification of carotenoid oxidation products and evaluation of the prooxidant/antioxidant effect. Chem Res Toxicol. 1999;12:535
  58. Wang XD, Liu C, Bronson RT, et al.  Retinoid signaling and activator protein-1 expression in ferrets given beta-carotene supplements and exposed to tobacco smoke. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1999;91:60
  59. Ziegler RG, Mason TJ, Stemhagen A, et al.  Carotenoid intake, vegetables, and the risk of lung cancer among white men in New Jersey. Am J Epidemiol. 1986;123:1080
  60. Ziegler RG. A review of epidemiologic evidence that carotenoids reduce the risk of cancer. J Nutr. 1989;119:116
  61. Giovannucci E, Clinton SK. Tomatoes, lycopene, and prostate cancer. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1998;218:129
  62. Gann PH, Ma J, Giovannucci E, et al.  Lower prostate cancer risk in men with elevated plasma lycopene levels (results of a prospective analysis). Cancer Res. 1999;59:1225
  63. Norrish AE, Jackson RT, Sharpe SJ, Skeaff CM. Prostate cancer and dietary carotenoids. Am J Epidemiol. 2000;151:119
  64. Sporn MB, Roberts AB. Biological methods for analysis and assay of retinoids—relationships between structure and activity. In:  Sporn MB,  Roberts AB,  Goodman DS editor. The retinoids. Orlando: Academic Press; 1984;p. 235
  65. Handelman GJ, van Kuijk FJGM, Chatterjee A, Krinsky NI. Characterization of products formed during the autoxidation of β-carotene. Free Radic Biol Med. 1991;10:427
  66. Teicher VB, Kucharski N, Martin HD, et al.  Biological activities of Apo-canthaxanthinoic acids related to gap junctional communication. Arch Biochem Biophys. 1999;365:150

PII: S0899-9007(01)00640-2

Nutrition
Volume 17, Issue 10 , Pages 818-822 , October 2001