Lycopene uptake and sub-cellular localization in prostate cancer cells

摘要

Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in men and the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality in men in the Western world. In 2005, there were 232,090 new cases of prostate cancer diagnosed in the United States and 30,350 cancer deaths1. Epidemiological studies in humans, in vitro studies, in vivo animal studies4, and controlled clinical trials5 indicate that lycopene intake is associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer. Despite this evidence, the mechanism(s) by which lycopene exerts its protective effect remain uncertain. Lycopene ((psi),(psi)-carotene) is an acyclic hydrocarbon carotenoid responsible for the red color of tomatoes, which contains 11 conjugated and 2 un-conjugated double bonds arranged linearly in the all-trans configuration. Our previous clinical studies indicate that supplementation with 30 mg lycopene per day increases lycopene levels 2-fold in serum but 3-fold in prostate tissue6.