The Protective Anticancer Effect of Natural Lycopene Supercritical CO 2 Watermelon Extracts in Adenocarcinoma Lung Cancer Cells.

Di Sano, Caterina; Lazzara, Valentina; Durante, Miriana; D'Anna, Claudia; Bonura, Angela; Dino, Paola; Uasuf, Carina Gabriela; Pace, Elisabetta; Lenucci, Marcello Salvatore; Bruno, Andreina

Carotenoids may have different effects on cancer and its progression. The safety of carotenoid supplements was evaluated in vitro on human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) adenocarcinoma A549 cells by the administration of three different oleoresins containing lycopene and other lipophilic phytochemicals, such as tocochromanols. The oleoresins, obtained by the supercritical CO2 green extraction technology from watermelon (Lyc W), gấc(Lyc G) and tomato (Lyc T) and chlatrated in α-cyclodextrins, were tested in comparison to synthetic lycopene (Lyc S), by cell cycle, Annexin V-FITC/PI, clonogenic test, Mytosox, intracellular ROS, Western Blot for NF-kB and RT-PCR and ELISA for IL-8. The extracts administered at the same lycopene concentration (10 µM) showed conflicting behaviors: Lyc W, with the highest lycopene/tocochromanols ratio, significantly increased cell apoptosis, mitochondrial stress, intracellular ROS, NF-kB and IL-8 expression and significantly decreased cell proliferation, whereas Lyc G and Lyc T significantly increased only cell proliferation. Lyc S treatment was ineffective. The highest amount of lycopene in Lyc W was able to counteract and revert the cell survival effect of tocochromanols supporting the importance of evaluating the lycopene bio-availability and the real effect of antioxidant tocochromanols' supplementation which may not only have no anticancer benefits but may even increase cancer aggressivity.

LYCOPENE; WATERMELONS; LUNG cancer; NON-small-cell lung carcinoma; CANCER cells; CARBON dioxide; ANTINEOPLASTIC agents

Antioxidants, 2022, Vol 11, Issue 6, p1150

2076-3921

Academic Journal

10.3390/antiox11061150