The Combined Effects of Extracts Containing Carotenoids and Vitamins E and C on Growth and Pigmentation of Cultured Human Melanocytes

Abstract

In the present study, we investigated the effects of tomato extract (TE) containing lycopene and palm fruit extract (PE) rich in carotenoids on the growth and pigmentation of melanocyte cultures of Caucasian origin. The extracts were tested at different concentrations and in combination with vitamins E and C. Melanocytes with basic and increased (tyrosine-induced) pigmentation were treated in short-term and long-term experiments. Prevention of UVA-induced DNA damage was studied by using the comet assay. Melanocytes with stimulated melanin production showed reduced growth. Incubation of the cells with TE/PE (20/4 µg/ml) in combination with 35 µM vitamin E and 100 µM vitamin C (COMB 20/4) reduced this growth inhibition, especially in the long-term cultures. Increased production of melanin pigment was obtained when the cells were treated with 2.5 × and 10 × higher concentrations of the TE/PE and the same concentration of vitamins E and C (COMB 50/10 and 200/40). Reduced DNA damage was found after UVA irradiation in cells preincubated with COMB 50/10. The results indicate that the presence of carotenoids from TE and PE in combination with vitamins E and C may influence growth and pigmentation in melanocyte monocultures. Depending on the concentration of the carotenoid mixtures, their presence may provide some protection against the melanogenic intermediates and/or exogenous DNA damage.

Cell Viability of Normal Human Skin Fibroblast and Fibroblasts Derived from Granulation Tissue: Effects of Nutraceuticals

“…In immortalized RAT-1 fibroblasts exposed to cigarette smoke condensate, lycopene addition (0.5-2.0 M) inhibited cell growth by arresting cell cycle progression and by promoting apoptosis. 36 Smit et al, 37 however, reported that tomato extract reduced growth inhibition induced by melanin and increased melanin pigment in melanocyte cultures obtained from Caucasians. In the present study, lycopene supplementation resulted in a lower NHSF and GTF viability than 5 mL/L THF supplementation (Fig.…”

Reflectance characteristics are correlated with male condition in a population of threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) that has lost the species typical nuptial signal

“…The first operates in a similar fashion to the foraging mechanism for carotenoid pigments. Melanin requires as its precursor one of two essential amino acids, phenylalanine or tyrosine (Haffter et al 1996;Anderson et al 2002;Smit et al 2003;van Nieuwpoort et al 2004). If these amino acids are scarce in the diet, then males in better condition would also have higher amounts of these essential amino acids and produce a better melanin based signal than males in poorer condition (Stoehr 2006).…”

Supplementation with a complex of active nutrients improved dermal and epidermal characteristics in skin equivalents generated from fibroblasts from young or aged donors

“…Several in vitro studies have shown effects of the Imedeen ingredients on cellular level (Bouez et al 2003;Smit et al 2004;Vičanová et al 2006). In vivo human studies have also demonstrated clinically visible and objectively measurable effects on ageing skin (Kieffer et al 1998;Sigler and Rasmussen 2003).…”