title: Preventive action of carotenoids on the development of lymphadenopathy and proteinuria in MRL-lpr/lpr mice.
abstract: The chemopreventive action of carotenoids on proteinuria and lymphadenopathy were examined in autoimmune-prone MRL-lpr/lpr (MRL/l) mice. They were fed a synthetic full-fed diet (16-18 kcal/mouse/day) with supplementation of beta-carotene or astaxanthin (0.19 mumoles/mouse, 3 times a week), and the development of lymphadenopathy and proteinuria were examined. MRL/l mice fed a full-fed diet without the supplementation of carotenoids or those fed a calorie-restricted (CR) diet (10-11 kcal/mouse/day, 60% calorie intake of full-fed mice) were employed as controls. CR dramatically delayed the development of proteinuria and lymphadenopathy, as reported previously. Carotenoids also significantly delayed the onset of these symptoms in MRL/l mice fed a full-fed diet. Carotenoids were half as effective as CR and astaxanthin, a carotenoid without provitamin A activity, which appeared to exert more significant preventive actions than beta-carotene in delaying the development of these symptoms. Similar chemopreventive actions of carotenoids were also demonstrated in MRL/l mice fed a regular diet (Lab Chow). CR has been shown to augment IL-2 production and to decrease serum prolactin levels in this strain, which may be related to its dramatic preventive action of autoimmunity. However, carotenoids did not affect IL-2 production nor prolactin levels in full-fed MRL/l mice. The chemopreventive actions of carotenoids observed in autoimmune-prone MRL/l mice may be attributed to yet unknown mechanisms, apart from their provitamin A activity or oxygen-quenching activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Kurume University, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tomita
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jyonouchi
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Engelman
authors.forename: N K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Day
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Good
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004038:Diet, Reducing; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D005527:Food, Fortified; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008232:Lymphoproliferative Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains / Q000276:immunology*; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D024341:Xanthophylls; D019207:beta Carotene
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D024341:Xanthophylls; D019207:beta Carotene; D002338:Carotenoids; C005948:astaxanthine; D011388:Prolactin