title: Lycopene in association with alpha-tocopherol or tomato lipophilic extracts enhances acyl-platelet-activating factor biosynthesis in endothelial cells during oxidative stress.
abstract: Lipophilic compounds contained in tomato can prevent cardiovascular diseases by modulating the atherogenic processes in vascular endothelium mediated by oxidized low-density lipoproteins (LDLs). We investigated the effects of lycopene on the metabolism of platelet-activating factor (PAF) and its much less biologically active acyl analog, acyl-PAF, known to prevent LDL oxidation. Lycopene, or lycopene in association with alpha-tocopherol, or whole tomato lipophilic extracts (containing more than 80% lycopene) were used in experiments in which endothelial cells (ECs) are known to synthesize PAF following H(2)O(2)-induced oxidative stress. The results indicated that in each case H(2)O(2)-stimulated PAF biosynthesis in ECs, which is catalyzed by acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase (AT), appeared strongly inhibited. However, acyl-PAF biosynthesis, which also occurs through the PAF-dependent transacetylase (TA), was significantly increased by lycopene only when it was in association with alpha-tocopherol or with the minor compounds present in the whole lipophilic tomato extract. These findings suggest that alpha-tocopherol or lipophilic compounds present in tomato juice potentiate the effects of lycopene on the modulation of PAF and acyl-PAF biosynthesis in ECs during oxidative stress.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Second University of Naples, Italy. mluisa.balestrieri@unina2.it
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Balestrieri
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Prisco
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nicolaus
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pari
authors.forename: V Schiano
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Moriello
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Strazzullo
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Iorio
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Servillo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Balestrieri
mesh_terms: D000101:Acetyl-CoA C-Acetyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D000123:Acetyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002417:Cattle; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000473:pathology; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D007249:Inflammation; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000378:metabolism; D000077276:Lycopene; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000378:metabolism*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010972:Platelet Activating Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010972:Platelet Activating Factor; D002338:Carotenoids; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D000123:Acetyltransferases; C046035:1-alkylglycerophosphocholine acetyltransferase; D000101:Acetyl-CoA C-Acetyltransferase; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol; D010100:Oxygen; D000077276:Lycopene