title: Beta-carotene modulates the immunological function of RAW264, a murine macrophage cell line, by enhancing the level of intracellular glutathione.
abstract: The activities of beta-carotene on redox status and the immune functions of RAW264 cells, a murine macrophage cell line, were investigated. Supplementation with beta-carotene for RAW264 cells resulted in apparently inconsistent redox indices: lipid peroxidation was enhanced but intracellular oxidation was moderately attenuated. Attenuated intracellular oxidation was endorsed by an increase in glutathione accompanied by up-regulated transcription of a subunit of gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase, the rate-limiting enzyme for glutathione synthesis. alpha-Tocopherol, which can quench lipid peroxidation by free radical, neither inhibited that by beta-carotene nor influenced the intracellular redox status. Lipopolysaccharide-stimulated transcriptions of IL-1beta and IL-12 p40 in RAW264 were inhibited by beta-carotene but not by alpha-tocopherol. These results indicate that beta-carotene, which can modulate the intracellular redox status of macrophages by enhancing the level of intracellular glutathione, is related to the immune functions of macrophages.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, Graduate School of Nutrition and Biosciences, The University of Tokushima, Tokushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomomi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Imamura
authors.forename: Noriko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bando
authors.forename: Rintaro
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yamanishi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005721:Glutamate-Cysteine Ligase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005978:Glutathione / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D019803:Glutathione Disulfide / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D053762:Interleukin-12 Subunit p40 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D008054:Lipid Peroxides / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction / Q000187:drug effects; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000378:metabolism; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D053762:Interleukin-12 Subunit p40; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D008054:Lipid Peroxides; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D019207:beta Carotene; D005721:Glutamate-Cysteine Ligase; D005978:Glutathione; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol; D019803:Glutathione Disulfide