Resonance Raman spectroscopic evaluation of skin carotenoids as a biomarker of carotenoid status for human studies

Abstract

Resonance Raman Spectroscopy (RRS) is a non-invasive method that has been developed to assess carotenoid status in human tissues including human skin in vivo. Skin carotenoid status has been suggested as a promising biomarker for human studies. This manuscript describes research done relevant to the development of this biomarker, including its reproducibility, validity, feasibility for use in field settings, and factors that affect the biomarker such as diet, smoking, and adiposity. Recent studies have evaluated the response of the biomarker to controlled carotenoid interventions, both supplement-based and dietary [e.g., provision of a high-carotenoid fruit and vegetable (F/V)-enriched diet], demonstrating consistent response to intervention. The totality of evidence supports the use of skin carotenoid status as an objective biomarker of F/V intake, although in the cross-sectional setting, diet explains only some of the variation in this biomarker. However, this limitation is also a strength in that skin carotenoids may effectively serve as an integrated biomarker of health, with higher status reflecting greater F/V intake, lack of smoking, and lack of adiposity. Thus, this biomarker holds promise as both a health biomarker and an objective indicator of F/V intake, supporting its further development and utilization for medical and public health purposes.

Skin and plasma carotenoid response to a provided intervention diet high in vegetables and fruit: uptake and depletion kinetics , , ,

“…This may be explained by several factors that influence carotenoid status in addition to diet. We investigated potential determinants of observed skin carotenoid concentrations and discussed the existing literature in a recent review (19). Briefly, we found that season can affect skin carotenoid status.…”

“…The blood carotenoid concentration is considered to be the best biological marker of V/F intake (18) but is invasive and expensive. Skin carotenoid status assessed by resonance Raman spectroscopy (RRS) has emerged as a promising new biomarker of V/F intake in both children and adults and was recently reviewed by Mayne et al (19). We have shown a wide distribution of skin carotenoid concentrations (20)(21)(22), high reproducibility over 6 mo in the absence of intervention (21,23), and validity compared with blood concentrations (21,24), skin biopsy (21,25), and reported V/F intake (20,21)-all necessary characteristics for a biomarker of nutritional status and food intake.…”

Raman Spectroscopy Technology to Monitor the Carotenoids in Skin of Thalassemia Patients: A Novel Non-Invasive Tool Relating Oxidative Stress with Iron Burden

“…[24][25][26][27] A novel non-invasive RRS has recently been developed to measure the level of skin carotenoids. [7][8][9][10] This has been validated as a biomarker of the carotenoid status and a reliable probe of the redox balance of healthy humans, 9 and applied in dietetic studies to monitor body's antioxidant status to eventually suggest dietary interventions. 28 In this work for the first time the level of dermal carotenoids, measured by Raman spectroscopy and expressed as SCS, has been assessed in patients with a transfusion-dependent thalassemia, and the use of this methodologic approach has been even in this pathology characterized by a remarkable individual oxidative stress.…”

“…Intracardiac and liver iron, and liver fibrosis, have been monitored in transfusiondependent thalassemia patients by magnetic resonance imaging based T2* multislice measurements, 6 and by hepatic transient elastography (FibroScan ® ) examinations. These measurements have been matched with a non-invasive, and yet unexplored in clinical practice, evaluation of body's oxidative stress through measurement of antioxidant carotenoids in skin, [7][8][9][10] by a spectroscopic method based on Raman technology.…”

“…8,9,17,18 The use of RRS for detection and quantitation of skin carotenoids has been validated by matching with extraction and conventional high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) measurements of carotenoids in skin specimens and in blood. The assessment of skin carotenoid status by RRS is now considered valid, feasible and reproducible, 10 and correlated with the blood carotenoid level. [19][20][21] The global body's antioxidant status results from a balance between the level of antioxidants in cells and body fluids, including blood, and pro-oxidant species endogenously produced or coming from external sources.…”