Abstract
Among the vast variety of plant-derived phytochemicals, the group of carotenoids has continuously been investigated in order to optimize their potential application in the area of dietary intervention and medicine. One organ which has been especially targeted in many of these studies and clinical trials is the human prostate. Without doubt, carotenoids (and their endogenous derivatives—retinoids and other apo-carotenoids) are involved in intra- and intercellular signaling, cell growth and differentiation of prostate tissue. Due to the accumulation of new data on the role of different carotenoids such as lycopene (LC) and β-carotene (BC) in prostatic physiology and pathology, the present review aims to cover the past ten years of research in this area. Data from experimental studies are presented in the first part of the review, while epidemiological studies are disclosed and discussed in the second part. The objective of this compilation is to emphasize the present state of knowledge regarding the most potent molecular targets of carotenoids and their main metabolites, as well as to propose promising carotenoid agents for the prevention and treatment of prostatic diseases.
Highlights
Our knowledge of the role of carotenoids in prostate biology and health has been exponentially growing during the last decades since the first investigations on BC about forty years ago [1]
This study suggested that different gene variants are responsible for the level of carotenes and their potential impact on the prostate and the entire human body, which may be of great importance when regarding the prevention and treatment of prostate cancer (PC) [108]
This review presents insight into the recent findings on the influence of carotenoids and retinoids on prostate physiology and pathology, with special concern given to PC
Summary
Our knowledge of the role of carotenoids in prostate biology and health has been exponentially growing during the last decades since the first investigations on BC about forty years ago [1]. Despite the increasing amount of data, we still lack recommendations for intake of these plant bioactives, and thorough insight regarding the pathways that are most implicated in the proposed health benefits of carotenoids. This is true for the development of prostate cancer (PC), the most concerning the disease of the prostate in contemporary medicine, carotenoids have been implicated in other types of cancer such as of the lung [2] and several cardiometabolic diseases [3]. To this date, carotenoids and their derivatives were found to modulate many different endocrine axes, including influences on thyroid hormones, insulin, glucocorticoids, progesterone, estrogens as well as androgens, which is most interesting regarding PC. A possible explanation for this inconsistency is offered by other studies, showing that the genetic status of BCO1—the enzyme implicated in carotenoid central cleavage—may affect their interaction with testosterone levels in mice [21,22]
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