PMID: 

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2018 Aug ;25(24):24041-24051. Epub 2018 Jun 8. PMID: 29948678

Abstract Title: 

Lycopene reduces in utero bisphenol A exposure-induced mortality, benefits hormones, and development of reproductive organs in offspring mice.

Abstract: 

This study was conducted to investigate the protective effect of lycopene on reproductive toxicity induced by in utero exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) in offspring mice. Pregnant mice in the BPA model group were given orally 500 mg/kg/day BPA from pregnant day (PD)8 to PD14. Mice of lycopene group were gavaged with 20 mg/kg/day lycopene from PD1 to PD7 and then given 500 mg/kg/day BPA from PD8 to PD14. Results showed that lycopene reduced the elevated mortality in offspring mice of the mother exposed to BPA. BPA loweredthe levels of testosterone, luteinizing hormone, and follicle-stimulating hormone while lycopene treatment increased the levels significantly. BPA elevated estradiol while lycopene lowered estradiol in the offspring. BPA caused testicular damage as shown by less Leydig cells and ovarian injury as shown by less corpus granules in adult offspring, while lycopene decreased the damages. Maternal exposure to BPA increased Bax and decreased Bcl-2 in testicular and ovary tissues in the offspring mice. Lycopene decreased Bax in testis and ovary and increased Bcl-2 in ovary tissues in the offspring mice. These findings suggest lycopene has protective effects on in utero BPA exposure-induced reproductive toxicity in offspring mice.

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PMID: 

Cancer Med. 2018 08 ;7(8):4087-4097. Epub 2018 Jul 2. PMID: 29968964

Abstract Title: 

Renal cell carcinoma risk associated with lower intake of micronutrients.

Abstract: 

Kidney cancer incidence in African Americans (AA) is higher than among European Americans (EA); reasons for this disparity are not fully known. Dietary micronutrients may have a protective effect on renal cell carcinoma (RCC) development by inhibiting oxidative DNA damage and tumor growth. We evaluated whether any micronutrient associations differed by race in the US Kidney Cancer Study. 1142 EA and AA RCC cases and 1154 frequency-matched controls were enrolled in a population-based case-control study between 2002 and 2007. Dietary micronutrient intake was derived from an interviewer-administered diet history questionnaire. RCC risk associated with micronutrient intake was estimated using adjusted odds ratios from logistic regression comparing lower to highest quartiles of intake and sample weighting. Inverse associations with RCC risk were observed forα-carotene, β-carotene, lutein zeaxanthin, lycopene, vitamin A, folate, thiamin, vitamin C, α-tocopherol, β-tocopherol, γ-tocopherol, and selenium. A trend for β-cryptoxanthin was suggested among EA but not AA or the total sample (P-interaction = .04). Otherwise, findings did not differ by race, gender, age, or smoking status. The increase in RCC risk associated with lower micronutrient intake is similar within AA and EA populations. A diet rich in sources of micronutrients found in fruits, vegetables, and nuts may help to reduce the overall risk of RCC.

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PMID: 

Pharmazie. 2018 07 1 ;73(7):393-395. PMID: 30001773

Abstract Title: 

The hepatoprotective effect of lycopene on Con A-induced liver injury in mice.

Abstract: 

Lycopene, the main fat-soluble pigment responsible for the red color of ripe tomatoes, is a symmetrical tetraterpene comprising eight isoprene units. In vitro and in vivo studies have shown that lycopene acts as a potent antioxidant; it is 100 times more effective than vitamin E and 125 times more effective than glutathione as an antioxidant. Here, we divided BALB/c male mice into three equal groups: control, Concanavalin A (Con A), and Con A and lycopene. The control group mice received only vehicle by intraperitoneal injection, the Con A group mice were given Con A, and the Con A and lycopene group mice received Con A and lycopene. The results showed that Con A administration increased histopathological damage, and the levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), interleukin (IL)-6, interferon (IFN)-γ and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α were increased in serum samples whereas the levels of these compounds were significantly decreased in the Con A and lycopene group compared to the Con A group. Furthermore, we observed that lycopene led to an increase in cell viability and cell growth. The results of this study revealed that lycopene might be a useful hepatoprotective agent for reducing increased proinflammatory cytokine levels, and for increasing cell viability and cell growth.

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PMID: 

Res Vet Sci. 2018 Aug ;119:268-275. Epub 2018 Jul 23. PMID: 30059796

Abstract Title: 

Aflatoxin Binduced renal and cardiac damage in rats: Protective effect of lycopene.

Abstract: 

This study was conducted to investigate the protective effects of lycopene against the toxic effects of Aflatoxin B(AFB) exposure in kidney and heart of rat by evaluating antioxidant defense systems and lipid peroxidation (LPO). Forty-two healthy three-month-old male Wistar-Albino rats were used in this study. The animals were randomly divided into six experimental groups including 7 rats in each. These groups were arranged as follows: control group, lycopene (5 mg/kg/day, orally for 15 days) group, AFB(0.5 mg/kg/day, orally for 7 days) group, AFB(1.5 mg/kg/day, orally for 3 days) group, AFB(0.5 mg/kg/day, orally for 7 days) + lycopene (5 mg/kg/day, orally for 15 days) group and AFB(1.5 mg/kg/day, orally for 3 days) + lycopene (5 mg/kg/day, orally for 15 days) group. The animals were sacrificed at the end of applications. In this study, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels significantly increased; while reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase (G6PD) activities decreased in kidney and heart tissues. The significant reduction in the activities of antioxidant enzymes and non-enzymatic antioxidant system in AF treated rats as compared to the control group could be responsible for increased MDA levels observed during AF induced kidney and heart damage. The results showed increased urea, creatinine levels, as well as reduction sodium concentrations in plasma of AFBtreated rats. There was lycopene showed protection against AF induced nephrotoxicity and cardiotoxicity.

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PMID: 

Cancer Prev Res (Phila). 2018 12 ;11(12):797-810. Epub 2018 Nov 16. PMID: 30446518

Abstract Title: 

Dietary Tomato Powder Inhibits High-Fat Diet-Promoted Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Alteration of Gut Microbiota in Mice Lacking Carotenoid Cleavage Enzymes.

Abstract: 

Both incidence and death rate due to liver cancer have increased in the United States. Higher consumption of lycopene-rich tomato and tomato products is associated with a decreased risk of cancers.β-Carotene-15, 15'-oxygenase (BCO1), and β-carotene-9', 10'-oxygenase (BCO2) cleave lycopene to produce bioactive apo-lycopenoids. Although BCO1/BCO2 polymorphisms affect human and animal lycopene levels, whether dietary tomato consumption can inhibit high-fat diet (HFD)-promoted hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development and affect gut microbiota in the absence of BCO1/BCO2 is unclear. BCO1/BCO2 double knockout mice were initiated with a hepatic carcinogen (diethylnitrosamine) at 2 weeks of age. At 6 weeks of age, the mice were randomly assigned to an HFD (60% of energy as fat) with or without tomato powder (TP) feeding for 24 weeks. Results showed that TP feeding significantly decreased HCC development (67%, 83%, and 95% reduction in incidence, multiplicity, and tumor volume, respectively,

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PMID: 

Cutan Ocul Toxicol. 2019 Mar ;38(1):88-92. Epub 2018 Nov 23. PMID: 30277087

Abstract Title: 

The effects of lycopene on alloxan induced diabetic optic neuropathy.

Abstract: 

AIM: To determine the effects of lycopene treatment in prevention of diabetes associated inflammatory response and oxidative stress in an experimental model. With this aim we investigated the levels of oxidative stress markers including Malondialdehyde (MDA), and total oxidative status (TOS)together with inflammatory markers including nuclear factor- kappa B (NFKB) and tumor necrosis factorα (TNF-α) and antioxidants including total glutathione (TGSH), total oxidative status (TOS) and total anti-oxidative status (TAS) levels on eye tissue.MATERIAL AND METHODS: Totally 18 albino Wistar male rats (250-280 grams) assigned into three groups, with six rats in each group as follows: healthy group (HG), control group (CG), and lycopene group (LG). The diabetes was induced with alloxan administration in rats of CG and LG. Lycopene (4 mg/kg) was administered to the rats in LG once a day for 3 months. At the end of this period, the animals were sacrificed and their eyes were enucleated for histopathological evaluations. From the tissues, MDA, GSH, TOS, TAS, TNF-α and NF-κB levels were analyzed.RESULTS: MDA, TOS, OSI, NFKB and TNF-α levels were significantly higher, while TGSH and TAS levels were significantly lower in CG compared with HG (p 

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PMID: 

Biofactors. 2019 Jan ;45(1):5-23. Epub 2018 Oct 19. PMID: 30339717

Abstract Title: 

Protective effect of lycopene against chemical and natural toxins: A review.

Abstract: 

People are exposed to a number of environmental, occupational, and therapeutic toxic agents which may be natural or man made. These hazardous substances may manifest as direct side effects on the function of organs or indirectly induced alteration of gene expression, cancer-associated metabolic pathways, and/or alter homeostasis. Lycopene, as a one of the most potent antioxidant, is found in fruits and vegetables. High-intake of lycopene has been shown to be effective in decreasing the risk of both natural toxins including mycotoxins, bacterial toxins, and chemical toxins including heavy metals, pesticides as well as herbicides. Recently, there is growing attention in understanding the mechanisms of the phytochemicals and carotenoids as antioxidative, antiapoptotic, radical scavenging, and chelating agents and their roles in the modulation of inflammatory pathways. This review summarizes available data from several recent studies about lycopene and its role against chemical and natural toxicants.© 2018 BioFactors, 45(1):5-23, 2019.

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PMID: 

Nucl Med Mol Imaging. 2016 Dec ;50(4):358-361. Epub 2015 Dec 9. PMID: 27994693

Abstract Title: 

Systemic Immune Response to Vaccination on FDG-PET/CT.

Abstract: 

A patient with newly diagnosed right lung cancer had transientF-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-avid left axillary lymph nodes and intense splenic FDG uptake on positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT). History revealed that the patient received a left-sided influenza vaccine 2-3 days before the examination. Although inflammatory FDG uptake in ipsilateral axillary nodes is reported, to our knowledge, this is the first report of visualization of the systemic immune response in the spleen related to the influenza vaccination on FDG-PET/CT. The history, splenic uptake and time course on serial FDG-PET/CT helped to avoid a false-positive interpretation for progressing lung cancer and alteration of the radiation therapy plan.

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PMID: 

Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2016 11 ;12(11):2772-2776. Epub 2016 Jul 19. PMID: 27435523

Abstract Title: 

Two infants with tuberculid associated with Kawasaki disease.

Abstract: 

Bacille de Calmette et Guerin (BCG) is the only licensed tuberculosis vaccine to prevent severe tuberculosis. The adverse events of BCG vaccination, including local reactions, lymphadenitis, osteomyelitis, tuberculid, and disseminated infection, have been reported. Two infants presented erythema at the inoculation site of BCG after the resolution of Kawasaki disease (K). They received BCG vaccination 1 week and 6 weeks before the Konset, respectively. Intravenous immunoglobulin improved the Kactivity, however the skin rash of BCG inoculation site extended to the face and extremities days 24 and 10 after the Konset, respectively. Both bacteriological study and interferon-γ release assay were negative for Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. These patients were diagnosed as having tuberculid after K. The skin lesions gradually disappeared without antibiotic therapy over 2 months. The development of tuberculid in these patients might be associated with the remnant immune activation of K.

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PMID: 

Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2015 Aug ;34(8):913. PMID: 26376188

Abstract Title: 

A Patient with Kawasaki Disease Following Influenza Vaccinations.

Abstract: 

[n/a]

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