title: Independent inverse relationship between serum lycopene concentration and arterial stiffness.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Emerging evidence suggests a role of lycopene in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. This study aimed to investigate the association of serum lycopene concentration with brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), a marker of arterial stiffness and markers of oxidative stress and inflammation.
  
  
  METHODS
  healthy women (n=264, 31-75 yrs) were classified into tertiles according to serum lycopene concentration. Multivariate linear regression analyses were used to assess the relationship between serum lycopene and baPWV.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subjects in middle tertile (T2) and upper tertile (T3) had lower baPWV (1263+/-23 and 1265+/-14 cm/s vs. 1338+/-21 cm/s; p=0.009) and lower oxidized LDL (oxLDL) (53+/-3 and 55+/-3 U/L vs. 66+/-3 U/L; p<0.001) than those in lower tertile (T1). Subjects in T3 showed higher LDL particle size (24.3+/-0.08 nm vs. 24.0+/-0.07 nm, p=0.005) and lower C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (0.80+/-0.25mg/dL vs. 1.27+/-0.24 mg/dL, p=0.015), compared with those in T1. Logistic regression analysis showed that baPWV decreased with the increment of lycopene concentration; log baPWV decreased by 0.21 cm/s (95% CI -0.168;-0.045, p=0.001) per unit change in lycopene. After adjustment for age, BMI, smoking, drinking, menopause and blood pressure, the estimated effect was attenuated by 35%, but remained statistically significant [-0.13 cm/s (95% CI -0.112;-0.018, p=0.006)]. Further adjustment for beta-carotene, alpha-tocopherol, oxLDL, LDL particle size, and hs-CRP increased the strength of the association [beta=-0.221 (95% CI -0.215;-0.012, p=0.029)].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study supports the presence of an independent inverse relationship between circulating lycopene and baPWV. Additionally, reduced oxidative modification of LDL may be one of mediators on the mechanisms how lycopene reduces arterial stiffness.
authors.affiliation: National Research Laboratory for Clinical Nutrigenetics/Nutrigenomics, Department of Food and Nutrition, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Oh Yoen
authors.initials: OY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hyun Yang
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Yoe
authors.forename: Hyae Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ju Yeon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Ji Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sang-Hak
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jin Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kang Pyo
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yangsoo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Jong Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001158:Arteries / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000378:metabolism; D000077276:Lycopene; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry; D012044:Regression Analysis; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000378:metabolism; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D019207:beta Carotene; D002338:Carotenoids; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol; D010100:Oxygen; D000077276:Lycopene