β-Carotene: Preventive Role for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Obesity: A Review.

Gabriela Marcelino,Arnildo Pott,Iriani Rodrigues Maldonade,Camila Jordão Candido,David Johane Machate,Priscila Aiko Hiane,Rita De Cássia Avellaneda Guimarães,Karine De Cássia Freitas,Marcel Arakaki Asato

doi:10.3390/molecules25245803

Abstract

Carotenoids are vital antioxidants for plants and animals. They protect cells from oxidative events and act against the inflammatory process and carcinogenesis. Among the most abundant carotenoids in human and foods is β-carotene. This carotenoid has the highest level of provitamin A activity, as it splits into two molecules of retinol through the actions of the cytosolic enzymes: β-carotene-15,15′-monooxygenase (β-carotene-15,15′-oxygenase 1) and β-carotene-9′,10′-dioxygenase (β-carotene-9′,10′-oxygenase 2). The literature supports the idea that β-carotene acts against type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. Due to the many processes involved in β-carotene biosynthesis and metabolic function, little is known about such components, since many mechanisms have not yet been fully elucidated. Therefore, our study concisely described the relationships between the consumption of carotenoids, with emphasis on β-carotene, and obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus and its associated parameters in order to understand the preventive role of carotenoids better and encourage their consumption.

Highlights

Carotenoids are an extensive group of natural pigments present in fruits and vegetables that are responsible for light absorption and have an essential role in the photosynthetic process [1,2]
Another study revealed that overweight children receiving vitamin supplements based on fruits and vegetables showed an increase in the concentration of β-carotene available in the serum (334%), in addition to a reduced body adiposity and improved insulin resistance [54]
A study showed that di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) when present in the urine of adults was positively associated with insulin resistance

Summary

Introduction

Carotenoids are an extensive group of natural pigments present in fruits and vegetables that are responsible for light absorption and have an essential role in the photosynthetic process [1,2]. The conformation of β-carotene directly affects its conversion into vitamin A and its actions in the organism [23,24] This carotenoid presents the highest provitamin A activity, since it splits into two retinol molecules through the cytosolic enzymes β-carotene-15,150 -monooxygenase or β-carotene-15,150 -oxygenase 1. BCMO1 is a cytosolic enzyme that is involved in the production of retinol acting on the 150 ,150 bond, where it oxygenates two molecules of a retinal, a process that is considered to represent symmetric cleavage This enzyme acts only in carotenoids with provitamin A activity, such as β-carotene, which is cleaved to all-trans-retinal compounds and, later, gives rise to retinoic acid and all-trans-retinol compounds [26]. The literature reports that β-carotene is protective against the development of diseases linked to oxidative stress, as it can act against insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, weight loss, degenerative diseases, and some types of cancer, among others [10,11,35]

Obesity

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Findings

Conclusions