Development of a cellular model to evaluate the hypothesis that dietary carotenoids are antioxidants
- UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Keith R. Martin (Creator)
- Institution
- The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
- Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
- Advisor
- Mark L. Failla
Abstract: Numerous epidemiologic studies support an inverse association between consumption of carotenoid-rich fruits and vegetables and the incidence of some degenerative diseases in humans. One proposed mechanism centers on the role of carotenoids as antioxidants independent of their role as retinoid precursors. Antioxidants prevent the formation and quench the propagation of free radicals, the species that are generally considered as the etiologic basis for many diseases. The HepG2 liver and Caco-2 intestinal human cell lines were selected as potential models for investigating the role of carotenoids as antioxidants. Caco-2 cells spontaneously differentiate into polarized, enterocyte-like cells. HepG2 cells exhibit many of the activities of normal human liver parenchymal cells and secrete lipoproteins and numerous plasma proteins. Initially, the susceptibility of HepG2 and Caco-2 cells to several commonly used free radical generating pro-oxidants was examined. Both structural and functional parameters, e.g., plasma membrane permeability and amino acid and glucose transport, were adversely altered in HepG2 ceils exposed to the pro-oxidants. In contrast, Caco-2 cells were relatively resistant to the damaging effects of the pro-oxidants. These data supported the usefulness of the HepG2 human cell line as an appropriate model for investigation of potential cytoprotection conferred by carotenoids against free radical-mediated damage.
Development of a cellular model to evaluate the hypothesis that dietary carotenoids are antioxidants
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Created on 1/1/1996
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Dissertation
- Language: English
- Date: 1996
- Subjects
- Carotenoids $x Physiological effect
- Antioxidants