Lycopene Inhibits LPS‐Induced Proinflammatory Mediator Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase in Mouse Macrophage Cells

Abstract

Lycopene is a fat-soluble red-orange carotenoid found primarily in tomatoes and tomato-derived products, including tomato sauce, tomato paste, and ketchup, and other dietary sources, including dried apricots, guava, watermelon, papaya, and pink grapefruit. In this study, we have demonstrated the molecular mechanism underlying the anti-inflammatory properties of lycopene using a mouse macrophage cell line (RAW 264.7). Treatment with lycopene (10 microM) inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated nitric oxide (NO) production (40% compared with the control). Western blotting and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis showed that lycopene treatment decreased LPS-induced inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) protein and mRNA expression in RAW 264.7 cells, respectively. These results suggest that lycopene has anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting iNOS proteins and mRNA expressions in mouse macrophage cell lines. Furthermore, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) protein and mRNA expression were not affected by treatment with lycopene.

Effect of lycopene on the blood-spinal cord barrier after spinal cord injury in mice

“…Lycopene reduces proinflammatory cytokine and chemokineexpressing macrophages (10), it protects cultured hippocampal neurons against Aβ and glutamate toxicity (11), it protects against microglial activation in focal cerebral ischemia in rats (7), and it attenuates cognition impairment in the elderly (12). Lycopene is an agent that may prove useful in managing neurodegenerative disorders because of its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) (13) and its strong antioxidant properties (14). Furthermore, lycopene has been shown to reverse neurobehavioral deficits in rats (15).…”

Barrier protective effects of lycopene in human endothelial cells

“…Earlier epidemiological studies showed that dietary intakes of tomatoes and tomato-based products containing lycopene have been associated with a reduced incidence of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular and cancer diseases in numerous studies [8][9][10][11]. Recent studies of lycopene have focused on its antioxidant properties, and its beneficial health effects on chronic diseases are due to these properties [12][13][14][15]. Furthermore, accumulating evidence suggests that other mechanisms such as modulation of intracellular gap junction communication, metabolic pathways and the immune system may also be involved in the antioxidant effects of lycopene [16][17][18].…”

Influence of Heirloom Tomato Polyphenol Extracts on Expression of Inflammation Genes in Bovine

“…Dietary factors play a significant role in the initiation of innate immunity and cytokine secretion. Tomato derived compounds prevent degenerative disease by lessening the production of inflammatory mediators such as TNF-α (Riso et al, 2006) and Cox-2 catalyzes prostaglandin (Shen et al, 2007;Rafi et al, 2007;Liang et al, 1999). Neutrophil gene expression and the response to modulation with polyphenols has been described as a therapeutic approach for the treatment of chronic diseases and Cox-2 is an important target for polyphenolic agents derived from the diet (Plummer et al, 2001).…”

“…The effect of post harvest technologies when the plants are processed and/or cooked at optimal conditions for bioavailability of bioactive compounds require further study (Gahler et al, 2003;Shen et al, 2007;Basu and Imrhan, 2007;Rafi et al, 2007). Post harvest heat treatment of tomatoes affects fruit ripening and decay (Falik, 1993).…”