Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2024 Dec;154(12):3639-3651.
doi: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2024.10.012. Epub 2024 Oct 10.

Relative Uptake of Tomato Carotenoids by In Vitro Intestinal and Prostate Cancer Cells

Nancy E Moran  1 , Brianna Alexander  2 , Shivi Garg  2 , Nathan Marchant  3 , Noor A Hason  2
Affiliations

Relative Uptake of Tomato Carotenoids by In Vitro Intestinal and Prostate Cancer Cells

Nancy E Moran et al. J Nutr. 2024 Dec.

Abstract

Background: Consumption of tomatoes and tomato carotenoids is associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer. Prostate tissue accumulates tomato carotenoids, including lycopene, β-carotene, and phytoene. Phytoene accumulation is relatively greater in the prostate than that of lycopene, but the metabolic determinants of tissue carotenoid profiles are poorly understood.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine if differences in stability, cellular uptake, and clearance of phytoene compared with lycopene or β-carotene by prostate and intestinal cells may explain differences in observed tissue carotenoid profiles.

Methods: Gene and protein expression for carotenoid metabolism in prostate cell lines were analyzed by qRT-PCR and Western blot, respectively. Uptake, efflux, and clearance of phytoene, lycopene, or β-carotene by prostate cell [LNCaP (Lymph Node Carcinoma of the Prostate cell line), RWPE-1 (a human prostate epithelial cell line), and PC-3 (aprostate cancer cell line)] and absorptive enterocyte (Caco-2) cultures were compared. The effect of scavenger receptor class B member 1 (SCARB1) inhibition on carotenoid uptake by LNCaP, RWPE-1, and Caco-2 cells was tested.

Results: SCARB1 was expressed across prostate cell lines. Lycopene, phytoene, and β-carotene uptakes were similar in LNCaP and PC-3 cells, whereas RWPE-1 cells absorbed a smaller portion of the phytoene dose than lycopene or β-carotene doses. The clearance rates of carotenoids from LNCaP cells did not differ. Intestinal cell uptake of phytoene was greatest, followed by β-carotene and lycopene. SCARBI inhibitor treatment did not significantly reduce the uptake or efflux of carotenoids by LNCaP or Caco-2 cells at the dose concentration provided.

Conclusions: Overall, this study suggests that greater bioavailability at the point of the intestine and greater stability of phytoene are determinants of the relative enrichment of phytoene in prostate tissue.

Keywords: Caco-2; SCARB1; lycopene; phytoene; β-carotene.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest The authors report no conflicts of interest.

References

    1. Key T.J., Appleby P.N., Travis R.C., Albanes D., Alberg A.J., Barricarte A., et al. Carotenoids, retinol, tocopherols, and prostate cancer risk: pooled analysis of 15 studies. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2015;102:1142–1157. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Pannellini T., Iezzi M., Liberatore M., Sabatini F., Iacobelli S., Rossi C., et al. A dietary tomato supplement prevents prostate cancer in TRAMP mice. Cancer Prev. Res. (Phila). 2010;3:1284–1291. - PubMed
    1. Tan H.-L., Thomas-Ahner J.M., Moran N.E., Cooperstone J.L., Erdman J.W., Young G.S., et al. β-carotene 9′,10′ oxygenase modulates the anticancer activity of dietary tomato or lycopene on prostate carcinogenesis in the TRAMP model. Cancer Prev. Res. (Phila). 2017;10:161–169. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Zuniga K.E., Clinton S.K., Erdman J.W. The interactions of dietary tomato powder and soy germ on prostate carcinogenesis in the TRAMP model. Cancer Prev. Res. (Phila). 2013;6:548–557. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Moran N.E., Thomas-Ahner J.M., Wan L., Zuniga K.E., Erdman J.W., Jr., Clinton S.K. Tomatoes, lycopene, and prostate cancer: what have we learned from experimental models? J. Nutr. 2022;152(6):1381–1403. - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources