title: Lycopene inhibits regulator of calcineurin 1-mediated apoptosis by reducing oxidative stress and down-regulating Nucling in neuronal cells.
abstract: Regulator of calcineurin 1 (RCAN1) is located on the Down syndrome critical region (DSCR) locus in human chromosome 21. Oxidative stress and overexpression of RCAN1 are implicated in neuronal impairment in Down's syndrome (DS) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Serum level of lycopene, an antioxidant pigment, is low in DS and AD patients, which may be related to neuronal damage. The present study is to investigate whether lycopene inhibits apoptosis by reducing ROS levels, NF-κB activation, expression of the apoptosis regulator Nucling, cell viability, and indices of apoptosis (cytochrome c release, caspase-3 activation) in RCAN1-overexpressing neuronal cells.
  
  
  
  Cells transfected with either pcDNA or RCAN1 were treated with or without lycopene. Lycopene decreased intracellular and mitochondrial ROS levels, NF-κB activity, and Nucling expression while it reversed decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential, mitochondrial respiration, and glycolytic function in RCAN1-overexpressing cells. Lycopene inhibited cell death, DNA fragmentation, caspase-3 activation, and cytochrome c release in RCAN1-overexpressing cells.
  
  
  
  Lycopene inhibits RCAN1-mediated apoptosis by reducing ROS levels and by inhibiting NF-κB activation, Nucling induction, and the increase in apoptotic indices in neuronal cells. Consumption of lycopene-rich foods may prevent oxidative stress-associated neuronal damage in some pathologic conditions such as DS or AD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutrition, Brian Korea 21 PLUS Project, College of Human Ecology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seiyoung
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutrition, Brian Korea 21 PLUS Project, College of Human Ecology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sinwoo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: New Drug Development Center, Daegu-Gyeongbuk Medical Innovation Foundation, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutrition, Brian Korea 21 PLUS Project, College of Human Ecology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Joo Weon
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutrition, Brian Korea 21 PLUS Project, College of Human Ecology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyeyoung
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000187:drug effects; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D015536:Down-Regulation; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000077276:Lycopene; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000187:drug effects; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001324:Autoantigens; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D016328:NF-kappa B; C108612:RCAN1 protein, human; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; C422446:UACA antigen; D002338:Carotenoids; D045304:Cytochromes c; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; D000077276:Lycopene
keywords: Apoptosis; Lycopene; Neuronal cells; Nucling; Regulator of calcineurin 1