Astaxanthin Abstract Book 2013 - Cyanotech

Phytother Res. 2010 Jan;24(1):54-9.
Cytoprotective role of astaxanthin against glycated
protein/iron chelate-induced toxicity in human
umbilical vein endothelial cells.
Nishigaki I, Rajendran P, Venugopal R, Ekambaram G, Sakthisekaran D, Nishigaki Y.
NPO International Laboratory of Biochemistry, 1-166 Uchide, Nakagawa-ku Nagoya
454-0926, Japan. nishigaki@se.starcat.ne.jp
Abstract
Astaxanthin (ASX), a red carotenoid pigment with no pro-vitamin A activity, is a
biological antioxidant that occurs naturally in a wide variety of plants, algae and
seafoods. This study investigated whether ASX could inhibit glycated protein/iron
chelate-induced toxicity in human umbilical-vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) by
interfering with ROS generation in these cells. Glycated fetal bovine serum (GFBS) was
prepared by incubating fetal bovine serum (FBS) with high-concentration glucose.
Stimulation of cultured HUVECs with 50 mm 1 mL of GFBS significantly enhanced
lipid peroxidation and decreased antioxidant enzyme activities and levels of phase II
enzymes. However, preincubation of the cultures with ASX resulted in a marked decrease
in the level of lipid peroxide (LPO) and an increase in the levels of antioxidant enzymes
in an ASX concentration-dependent manner. These results demonstrate that ASX could
inhibit LPO formation and enhance the antioxidant enzyme status in GFBS/iron chelateexposed
endothelial cells by suppressing ROS generation, thereby limiting the effects of
the AGE-RAGE interaction. The results indicate that ASX could have a beneficial role
against glycated protein/iron chelate-induced toxicity by preventing lipid and protein
oxidation and increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes.
PMID: 19548280 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Antioxidant
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