Production and utilization of phytoene, phytofluene, and lycopene tracers for bioavailability and biodistribution studies
type: CreativeWork
description: Tomato product consumption is epidemiologically associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease as well as several cancers, and is most strongly associated with decreased prostate cancer risk. Tomatoes contain a complex milieu of nutrients and bioactive compounds including the carotenoids lycopene (LYC), phytoene (PE), and phytofluene (PF). Much emphasis has been placed on the bioactivity of LYC, but emerging research suggests that the colorless carotenoids, PE and PF, are bioactive and significantly accumulate in human and animal model tissues. To elucidate the absorption and metabolism of these tomato carotenoids, an in vitro plant cell culture system for production of isotopically labeled carotenoids was developed, and absorption and biodistribution studies were performed in a relevant animal model, the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus). To enhance 14C-carotenoid production from tomato (Solanum lycopersicum cv. VFNT cherry) in vitro cell suspension cultures were treated with two bleaching herbicides during the culture incubation, 2-(4-chlorophenyl-thio) triethylamine and norflurazon separately or in combination, to produce varying ratios of PE, PF, and LYC (CPTA, 1:2:18; norflurazon, 11:5:1; combination, 6:1:4, respectively). Treatment with both herbicides resulted in optimal production of all three carotenoids (1.24 mg LYC/L, 1.74 mg PE/L, and 0.31 mg PF/L). Subsequently, cultures were incubated in [14C]-sucrose-containing media to produce labeled LYC, PE, and PF. The impact of the timing of14C-sucrose addition was evaluated in norflurazon-treated cultures, and adding [14C]-sucrose on day 1 of the 14-d culture incubation cycle to led to a small increase in labeling efficiency compared to adding it on day 7. In short, for optimal label incorporation, cultures should be grown with labeled carbohydrate for the duration of the growth cycle. Further, if primarily PE and PF are needed, norflurazon treatment should be used, for LYC accumulation CPTA s…
abstract: Tomato product consumption is epidemiologically associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease as well as several cancers, and is most strongly associated with decreased prostate cancer risk. Tomatoes contain a complex milieu of nutrients and bioactive compounds including the carotenoids lycopene (LYC), phytoene (PE), and phytofluene (PF). Much emphasis has been placed on the bioactivity of LYC, but emerging research suggests that the colorless carotenoids, PE and PF, are bioactive and significantly accumulate in human and animal model tissues. To elucidate the absorption and metabolism of these tomato carotenoids, an in vitro plant cell culture system for production of isotopically labeled carotenoids was developed, and absorption and biodistribution studies were performed in a relevant animal model, the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus). To enhance 14C-carotenoid production from tomato (Solanum lycopersicum cv. VFNT cherry) in vitro cell suspension cultures were treated with two bleaching herbicides during the culture incubation, 2-(4-chlorophenyl-thio) triethylamine and norflurazon separately or in combination, to produce varying ratios of PE, PF, and LYC (CPTA, 1:2:18; norflurazon, 11:5:1; combination, 6:1:4, respectively). Treatment with both herbicides resulted in optimal production of all three carotenoids (1.24 mg LYC/L, 1.74 mg PE/L, and 0.31 mg PF/L). Subsequently, cultures were incubated in [14C]-sucrose-containing media to produce labeled LYC, PE, and PF. The impact of the timing of14C-sucrose addition was evaluated in norflurazon-treated cultures, and adding [14C]-sucrose on day 1 of the 14-d culture incubation cycle to led to a small increase in labeling efficiency compared to adding it on day 7. In short, for optimal label incorporation, cultures should be grown with labeled carbohydrate for the duration of the growth cycle. Further, if primarily PE and PF are needed, norflurazon treatment should be used, for LYC accumulation CPTA s…
author: Engelmann, Nancy J.
language: en
keywords: Carotenoids, Phytoene, Phytofluene, lycopene, Tracers, Plant cell culture, Bioavailability, Absorption, Meriones unguiculatus
date published: 2011-01-21T22:44:33Z
date modified: 2026-07-22T22:25:11Z
provider: University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: http://hdl.handle.net/2142/18528