TY - JOUR
T1 - Carotenoids and apocarotenoids in cellular signaling related to cancer
T2 - A review
AU - Sharoni, Yoav
AU - Linnewiel-Hermoni, Karin
AU - Khanin, Marina
AU - Salman, Hagar
AU - Veprik, Anna
AU - Danilenko, Michael
AU - Levy, Joseph
PY - 2012/2/1
Y1 - 2012/2/1
N2 - The basis for the vivid color of carotenoids and their antioxidant activity is the multiple conjugated double bonds, which are characteristic for these phytonutrients. Moreover, the cleavage of these oxidation-prone double bonds leads to the formation of apocarotenoids. A large number of carbonyl-containing oxidation products are expected to be produced as a result of carotenoid oxidation and these can be further metabolized into the corresponding acids and alcohols. As discussed in this review, many, but not all, of these potential products have been detected and identified in plants as well as in human and animal plasma and tissues. Some of these compounds were found to be biologically active as anticancer agents. In addition to the inhibition of cancer cell proliferation, several carotenoid metabolites were shown to modulate the activity of various transcription systems. These include ligand-activated nuclear receptors, such as the retinoic acid receptor, retinoid X receptor, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor and estrogen receptor, as well as other transcription systems that have an important role in cancer, such as the electrophile/antioxidant response element pathway and nuclear factor-κB. Therefore, apocarotenoids can be considered as natural compounds with multifunctional, rather than monofunctional, activity and, thus, can be useful in the prevention of cancer and other degenerative diseases.
AB - The basis for the vivid color of carotenoids and their antioxidant activity is the multiple conjugated double bonds, which are characteristic for these phytonutrients. Moreover, the cleavage of these oxidation-prone double bonds leads to the formation of apocarotenoids. A large number of carbonyl-containing oxidation products are expected to be produced as a result of carotenoid oxidation and these can be further metabolized into the corresponding acids and alcohols. As discussed in this review, many, but not all, of these potential products have been detected and identified in plants as well as in human and animal plasma and tissues. Some of these compounds were found to be biologically active as anticancer agents. In addition to the inhibition of cancer cell proliferation, several carotenoid metabolites were shown to modulate the activity of various transcription systems. These include ligand-activated nuclear receptors, such as the retinoic acid receptor, retinoid X receptor, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor and estrogen receptor, as well as other transcription systems that have an important role in cancer, such as the electrophile/antioxidant response element pathway and nuclear factor-κB. Therefore, apocarotenoids can be considered as natural compounds with multifunctional, rather than monofunctional, activity and, thus, can be useful in the prevention of cancer and other degenerative diseases.
KW - Antioxidants
KW - EpRE/ARE
KW - Lycopene
KW - Transcription
KW - β-Carotene
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84858323665&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/mnfr.201100311
DO - 10.1002/mnfr.201100311
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:84858323665
SN - 1613-4125
VL - 56
SP - 259
EP - 269
JO - Molecular Nutrition and Food Research
JF - Molecular Nutrition and Food Research
IS - 2
ER -