Plasma Carotenoid Concentrations Research Articles

Proximate mechanisms of colour variation in the frillneck lizard: geographical differences in pigment contents of an ornament

Animal coloration has evolved in contexts such as communication, camouflage, and thermoregulation. Most studies of animal coloration focus on its adaptive benefits, whereas its underlying mechanisms have received less attention despite their potential influence on adaptive benefits. In fish and reptiles, for example, colour variation from yellow to red can be produced by carotenoid and/or pteridine pigments, which differ dramatically in the way they are obtained (carotenoids through diet and pteridines synthesized de novo). Hence, potential adaptive benefits could differ greatly depending on the relative contribution to coloration of different pigments. In the present study, we investigate the mechanisms underlying colour variation in the frill of the Australian frillneck lizard (Sauropsida: Chlamydosaurus kingii). Frill colour varies between populations across the species’ range (red, orange, yellow or white). We argue that this geographical variation results from different concentrations of carotenoids and pteridines in the frill. Frill carotenoid concentrations were lower in eastern populations (yellow and white forms), and pteridines were present only in the red and orange forms, thereby explaining their redder hues. The observed geographical variation in frill carotenoids suggests variation in carotenoid availability across the species’ range, which is backed up by the finding that plasma carotenoid concentrations were higher in the red (western) compared to the yellow (eastern) form. Although no correlations were found between individual colour measurements, frill pigments and plasma carotenoids, our results suggest that selective pressures vary across the species’ range and we speculate that predation pressures and/or intrasexual signalling context differ between forms. © 2015 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2015, 00, 000–000. ADDITIONAL KEYWORDS: carotenoids ‐ gradient ‐ honest signalling ‐ productionproximate mechanism ‐ pteridines.

PP20 - Plasma carotenoids, tocopherols, and retinol: Associations with age and demographic characteristics in the age-stratified general population of the European MARK-AGE study

Dietary patterns as well as plasma concentrations of carotenoids, tocopherols, and retinol may differ between age groups and therefore may be associated with aging. For the MARK-AGE Project, a European multicentre study aimed to identify biomarkers of human aging, randomly recruited women and men from an age-stratified general population (35 - 75 years), as well as subjects from long-living families were recruited. Within this study we analyzed plasma micronutrients (six carotenoids, α- and γ-tocopherol, and retinol) among 2,118 participants. Plasma lycopene and α-/β-carotene were inversely correlated with age whereas β-cryptoxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin, α-/γ-tocopherol and retinol were positively associated. The strong inverse association of lycopene and α-carotene with age and the positive association of α-tocopherol and β-cryptoxanthin with age were confirmed in multiple- and cholesterol-adjusted regression models. Age, country, season, and cholesterol were the main predictors for plasma concentrations of lycopene, α-tocopherol, β-cryptoxanthin, and α-carotene and were significantly affected by gender, smoking status, BMI, and dietary pattern. The decrease of lycopene with age remained after adjustment for significant co-factors and covariates, whereas the increase in α-tocopherol with age was less pronounced if all covariates including cholesterol and servings of vitamin supplements were assessed. The results of the MARK-AGE study suggest age as an independent predictor of plasma lycopene, α-tocopherol, and α-carotene. These micronutrients, together with other markers, may contribute to a set of biomarkers of human aging.

Outcome of a public consultation on the Draft Scientific Opinion of the EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) on Dietary Reference Values for vitamin E as ɑ‐tocopherol

Outcome of a public consultation on the Draft Scientific Opinion of the EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) on Dietary Reference Values for vitamin E as ɑ‐tocopherol

Evaluating the relationship between plasma and skin carotenoids and reported dietary intake in elementary school children to assess fruit and vegetable intake

Accurate assessment of dietary intake of children can be challenging due to the limited reliability of current dietary assessment methods. Plasma carotenoid concentration has been used to assess fruit and vegetable intake, but this testing is rarely conducted in school settings in children. Resonance Raman spectroscopy (RRS) is emerging as a useful method to objectively assess fruit and vegetable intake. This methodology has been validated in adults, but limited work has been done in children, particularly in the school setting. The purpose of this research is to further validate the RRS methodology in children. Children (9–12year) participating in a school-based intervention were recruited. Plasma carotenoids were quantified using HPLC, skin carotenoid status was measured using RRS, and dietary intake of carotenoids was measured with the Block Food Frequency Questionnaire Ages 8–17. Total plasma carotenoid concentrations and skin carotenoid intensities were strongly correlated (r=0.62, p<0.001, n=38). Reported total carotenoid intake correlated with skin carotenoids (r=0.40, p<0.0001, n=128). Skin carotenoid status as measured by RRS can be a strong predictor of plasma carotenoid status and dietary intake of carotenoids in children. RRS may be used as a valid, non-invasive, and useful method to assess fruit and vegetable intakes in this population.

What is the value of a yellow patch? Assessing the signalling role of yellow colouration in the European serin

Sexual selection promotes the evolution of signals, many of which can reliably indicate condition, health or good genes of individuals. In order to be evolutionarily stable, indicator signals must be costly to produce. Carotenoid colouration evolved in many species by sexual selection. Carotenoids besides acting as pigments have been implicated in immune defence and antioxidation which makes them likely candidates for honest signalling. A trade-off for carotenoid availability was proposed as the basis for signal honesty. Alternatively, it was suggested that carotenoid colouration is not advertising the presence of the pigment per se, but the quality of antioxidant resources which then affect carotenoid concentration. One possibility is that carotenoid-based colouration could signal colourless antioxidant mechanisms, which are partially regulated by vitamins. β-Carotene is one of the most common precursors of vitamin A and, although present in bird diet, is not available for feather colouration. If an indirect association exists between carotenoid signal and condition, then manipulation of β-carotene concentration could reveal that this link is indirect. We tested this by conditioning the availability of β-carotene in the diet of a cardueline finch with yellow carotenoid colouration during moult. β-Carotene-supplemented males had higher plasma carotenoid concentration and higher response to a cellular immunity challenge (phytohaemagglutinin (PHA)) than control males. β-Carotene-supplemented males also had more saturated plumage colouration and were preferred by females in a mate choice test. Our results support the possibility of an indirect role for yellow carotenoid colouration.

OC38: Introduction of plasma vitamin C and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power into a combined biomarker with plasma carotenoids increases the association with fruit and vegetable intake

Monitoring of fruit and vegetable (FV r = 0.417, P 0.05). Either plasma carotenoid concentration or the integrated biomarker could be used to distinguish high and low F&V consumers.

Is oxidative status influenced by dietary carotenoid and physical activity after moult in the great tit (Parus major)?

In the context of sexual and natural selection, an allocation trade-off for carotenoid pigments may exist because of their obligate dietary origin and their role both in the antioxidant and immune systems and in the production of coloured signals in various taxa, particularly birds. When birds have expended large amounts of carotenoids to feather growth such as after autumn moult, bird health and oxidative status might be more constrained. We tested this hypothesis in a bird species with carotenoid-based plumage colour, by manipulating dietary carotenoids and physical activity, which can decrease antioxidant capacity and increase reactive oxygen metabolite (ROM) concentration. Great tits were captured after moult and kept in aviaries, under three treatments: physical handicap and dietary supplementation with carotenoids, physical handicap and control diet, and no handicap and control diet. We measured plasma composition (antioxidant capacity, ROM concentration, and vitamin A, vitamin E and total carotenoid concentrations), immune system activation (blood sedimentation) and stress response (heterophil/lymphocyte ratio) and predicted that handicap treatment should influence these negatively and carotenoid supplementation positively. Coloration of yellow feathers was also measured. Carotenoid supplementation increased total plasma carotenoid concentration, decreased feather carotenoid chroma and marginally increased ROM concentration. Handicap increased blood sedimentation only in males but had no clear influence on oxidative stress, which contradicted previous studies. Further studies are needed to investigate how physical activity and carotenoid availability might interact and influence oxidative stress outside the moult period, and their combined potential influence on attractiveness and reproductive investment later during the breeding season.

Plasma carotenoid levels in passerines are related to infection by (some) parasites

Plumage coloration plays an important role in intra and inter-sexual competition in birds. Many of the yellow, orange or red colours present in birds are carotenoid dependent. Carotenoids can not be synthetized de novo by birds and consequently should be obtained through their diet, and access to carotenoids may differ between individuals and species. In addition to ornamentation, carotenoids are important for bird physiology and it has been proposed that a trade-off in their allocation to these two functions occurs. Under this scenario parasites may play a central role in maintaining the honesty of plumage as a signaling system by increasing the demands for carotenoids for infection or damage control and/or by reducing carotenoid absorption in the intestines. We analyzed the relationship between (1) carotenoid concentrations in plasma and (2) blood and intestinal parasite richness and abundance in 22 species of passerines sampled in spring. Loads of different groups of parasites were unrelated so conclusions drawn from examining a particular group of parasites cannot be extrapolated to the whole community of pathogens and parasites inhabiting a host. At intraspecific level plasma carotenoid concentration was negatively related to the richness of intestinal parasites and the abundance of some groups of intestinal parasites, at interspecific level plasma carotenoid concentration was negatively related with the abundance of intestinal parasites. No relationship at intra- nor interpecific level was found between carotenoids and blood parasites. The results suggest that intestinal parasites play an important role in the evolution and maintenance of carotenoid-derived sexually selected ornamentations probably through a negative impact on the uptake of carotenoids at the gut.

Lutein Supplementation Increases Breast Milk and Plasma Lutein Concentrations in Lactating Women and Infant Plasma Concentrations but Does Not Affect Other Carotenoids

Lutein is a carotenoid that varies in breast milk depending on maternal intake. Data are lacking with regard to the effect of dietary lutein supplementation on breast milk lutein concentration during lactation and subsequent plasma lutein concentration in breast-fed infants. This study was conducted to determine the impact of lutein supplementation in the breast milk and plasma of lactating women and in the plasma of breast-fed infants 2–3 mo postpartum. Lutein is the dominant carotenoid in the infant brain and the major carotenoid found in the retina of the eye. Eighty-nine lactating women 4–6 wk postpartum were randomly assigned to be administered either 0 mg/d of lutein (placebo), 6 mg/d of lutein (low-dose), or 12 mg/d of lutein (high-dose). The supplements were consumed for 6 wk while mothers followed their usual diets. Breast milk carotenoids were measured weekly by HPLC, and maternal plasma carotenoid concentrations were measured at the beginning and end of the study. Infant plasma carotenoid concentrations were assessed at the end of the study. No significant differences were found between dietary lutein + zeaxanthin intake and carotenoid concentrations in breast milk and plasma or body mass index at baseline. Total lutein + zeaxanthin concentrations were greater in the low- and high-dose–supplemented groups than in the placebo group in breast milk (140% and 250%, respectively; P < 0.0001), maternal plasma (170% and 250%, respectively; P < 0.0001), and infant plasma (180% and 330%, respectively; P < 0.05). Lutein supplementation did not affect other carotenoids in lactating women or their infants. Lactating women are highly responsive to lutein supplementation, which affects plasma lutein concentrations in the infant. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01747668.

Cerebrospinal fluid levels of inflammation, oxidative stress and NAD+ are linked to differences in plasma carotenoid concentrations.

BackgroundThe consumption of foods rich in carotenoids that possess significant antioxidant and inflammatory modulating properties has been linked to reduced risk of neuropathology. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between plasma carotenoid concentrations and plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) markers of inflammation, oxidative stress and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) in an essentially healthy human cohort.MethodsThirty-eight matched CSF and plasma samples were collected from consenting participants who required a spinal tap for the administration of anaesthetic. Plasma concentrations of carotenoids and both plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of NAD(H) and markers of inflammation (IL-6, TNF-α) and oxidative stress (F2-isoprostanes, 8-OHdG and total antioxidant capacity) were quantified.ResultsThe average age of participants was 53 years (SD = 20, interquartile range = 38). Both α-carotene (P = 0.01) and β-carotene (P < 0.001) correlated positively with plasma total antioxidant capacity. A positive correlation was observed between α-carotene and CSF TNF-α levels (P = 0.02). β-cryptoxanthin (P = 0.04) and lycopene (P = 0.02) inversely correlated with CSF and plasma IL-6 respectively. A positive correlation was also observed between lycopene and both plasma (P < 0.001) and CSF (P < 0.01) [NAD(H)]. Surprisingly no statistically significant associations were found between the most abundant carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin and either plasma or CSF markers of oxidative stress.ConclusionTogether these findings suggest that consumption of carotenoids may modulate inflammation and enhance antioxidant defences within both the central nervous system (CNS) and systemic circulation. Increased levels of lycopene also appear to moderate decline in the essential pyridine nucleotide [NAD(H)] in both the plasma and the CSF.

Plasma and dietary carotenoids and vitamins A, C and E and risk of colon and rectal cancer in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition.

Carotenoids and vitamins A, C and E are possibly associated with a reduced colorectal cancer (CRC) risk through antioxidative properties. The association of prediagnostic plasma concentrations and dietary consumption of carotenoids and vitamins A, C and E with the risk of colon and rectal cancer was examined in this case-control study, nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition study. Plasma concentrations of carotenoids (α- and β-carotene, canthaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin, lutein, lycopene, zeaxanthin) and vitamins A (retinol), C and E (α-, β- and γ- and δ-tocopherol) and dietary consumption of β-carotene and vitamins A, C and E were determined in 898 colon cancer cases, 501 rectal cancer cases and 1,399 matched controls. Multivariable conditional logistic regression models were performed to estimate incidence rate ratios (IRR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). An association was observed between higher prediagnostic plasma retinol concentration and a lower risk of colon cancer (IRR for highest quartile = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.46, 0.87, p for trend = 0.01), most notably proximal colon cancer (IRR for highest quartile = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.27, 0.77, p for trend = 0.01). Additionally, inverse associations for dietary β-carotene and dietary vitamins C and E with (distal) colon cancer were observed. Although other associations were suggested, there seems little evidence for a role of these selected compounds in preventing CRC through their antioxidative properties.

Assessment of nutritional status in subjects of MonaVie product users and non‐users ő a cross sectional study (1044.18)

BACKGROUND: Phytonutrient intake is directly related to the risk of various diseases. Carotenoid levels in both serum and skin are well correlated with fruit and vegetable intake. Various non invasive techniques, including Reflectance Spectroscopy, are able to accurately detect skin carotenoid levels, and MonaVie's View scanner has been tested for a noninvasive method of assessing antioxidant levels. OBJECTIVE: Across‐sectional study by using MonaVie View Scanner to noninvasively measure skin carotenoid levels in subjects of MonaVie product users and non users. METHODS: Total 68 subjects were enrolled. 31 subjects were MonaVie product users and 37 subjects were non MonaVie product users. All subjects had the reflectance score measurements and blood draw. The plasma concentration of carotenoids were extracted and assayed by HPLC method. RESULTS: The carotenoid skin levels measured by View scanner are well correlated with the β‐carotene plasma concentration (r2 = 0.63). A logarithm values of plasma concentration have further confirmed the correlations between skin levels of carotenoids and plasma concentration of carotenoids (r2 = 0.64). CONCLUSION: Skin carotenoid levels are well correlated with plasma carotenoid concentration. Obviously, the users had higher skin carotenoid levels as well as plasma carotenoid concentration than non users. The noninvasive View scanner is feasible to evaluate the carotenoid plasma profiles.

Assessment of nutritional status in subjects of non‐MonaVie product users, before and after supplementation ő a longitudinal study (1044.20)

BACKGROUND: An antioxidant is a molecule that inhibits the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation reactions can produce free radicals that cause various diseases. Antioxidants can inhibit the oxidation reactions and increase the body's immune system. To boost antioxidant levels, the human body relies on a healthy diet. However, very few people eat enough fruits and vegetables to provide their bodies with sufficient levels of antioxidants. To fill in the nutritional gaps of modern diets, many people turn to supplementation. OBJECTIVE: This is a continuation study in non users from the cross sectional study; we evaluated the improvement on skin and plasma levels of carotenoids in subjects of non MonaVie product users after 8‐week MonaVie juice consumption. METHODS: Total 33 non users from the cross sectional study were enrolled; 18 subjects having MonaVie juice formulated with proprietary carotenoid powder blend; 15 subject having MonaVie juice formulated with commercial carotenoid granules. All subjects had the weekly reflectance score measurements. and blood draw was taken at t=0 and 8 weeks. The plasma concentration of carotenoids were extracted and assayed by validated extraction and HPLC methods. RESULTS: The group having juice with proprietary carotenoid blend showed a good correlation between reflectance scores as well as the plasma beta carotene concentration (before r2 = 0.44 vs. after r2 = 0.44); while the group having juice with commercial carotenoids showed no correlation between reflectance scores and plasma beta carotene concentration (before r2 = 0.37 vs. after r2 = 0.095). CONCLUSION: The results show that both skin carotenoid levels and plasma carotenoid concentration were increased significantly after 8 week consumption of MonaVie juices; The juice with the proprietary carotenoid blend showed a good correlation between skin levels and plasma concentrations, suggesting a consistent and stable absorption rate and good bioavailability.

Pharmacodynamic evaluation of a reference and a generic toltrazuril preparation in broilers experimentally infected with Eimeria tenella or E. acervulina

1. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects on pigmentation, faecal oocyst output, immune responsiveness and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation following treatment with either the reference toltrazuril (Baycox) or a generic preparation (gen-TTZ), during an experimental Eimeria tenella (Et) or E. acervulina (Ea) infection of 210 Ross broiler chickens.2. Results showed a significant difference on the anticoccidial efficacy 6 d after treating infected animals with Baycox (Et: 99.69% and Ea: 99.52%) or gen-TTZ (Et:85.71% and Ea 81.81%).3. Gen-TTZ-treated animals were less strongly carotenoid-pigmented than Baycox-treated broilers. Mean plasma carotenoid concentrations were significantly higher in groups treated with Baycox than in broilers given gen-TTZ.4. Treatment of animals with Baycox led to a significant decrease in ability of the peripheral blood mononuclear cells to produce ROS in contrast to gen-TTZ-treated groups. Baycox, but not generic toltrazuril, increased IL-10 and decreased tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) concentrations in chickens infected with E. tenella and E. acervulina.5. It is suggested that differences in anticoccidial efficacy may be observed when using a generic toltrazuril product. Hence, in addition to plasma profiles of drugs, standardised clinical control tests may be necessary for generic formulations, particularly if other parameters are important to achieve a better control of coccidiosis.

Foraging for carotenoids: do colorful male hihi target carotenoid-rich foods in the wild?

Dietary access to carotenoids is expected to determine the strength of carotenoid-based signal expression and potentially to maintain signal honesty. Species that display carotenoid-based yellow, orange, or red plumage are therefore expected to forage selectively for carotenoid-rich foods when they are depositing these pigments during molt, but whether they actually do so is unknown. We set out to address this in the hihi (Notiomystis cincta), a New Zealand passerine where males, but not females, display yellow carotenoid-based plumage. We measured circulating carotenoid concentrations in male and female hihi during breeding and molt, determined the nutritional content of common foods in the hihi diet, and conducted feeding observations of male and female hihi during molt. We found that although male and female hihi do not differ significantly in plasma carotenoid concentration, male hihi have a greater proportion of carotenoid-rich foods in their diet than do females. This is a consequence of a greater fruit and lower invertebrate intake than females and an avoidance of low-carotenoid content fruit. By combining behavioral observations with quantification of circulating carotenoids, we present evidence that colorful birds forage to maximize carotenoid intake, a conclusion we would not have drawn had we examined plasma carotenoids alone.

The effects of daily consumption of β-cryptoxanthin–rich tangerines and β-carotene–rich sweet potatoes on vitamin A and carotenoid concentrations in plasma and breast milk of Bangladeshi women with low vitamin A status in a randomized controlled trial

The potential of β-cryptoxanthin (CX)-rich foods to form vitamin A (VA) in humans in not well understood. We measured the effects of consuming CX- and β-carotene (BC)-rich foods on plasma and breast milk VA and carotenoids in lactating women with low VA status. Participants were randomly assigned to 4 groups (n = 34, 34, 34, and 33, respectively) receiving orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (OFSPs) (12 mg BC/d), tangerines (5.3 mg CX/d), white-fleshed sweet potatoes (WFSPs) with a VA supplement (0.5 mg/d), or WFSPs 2 times/d, 6 d/wk for 3 wk. All except the VA group received placebo capsules identical in appearance to VA supplements. Changes in plasma and breast milk VA, BC, and CX were measured. Plasma retinol increased in the VA group. Plasma BC in the OFSP group and CX in the tangerine group increased 250% and 830%, respectively; apparent relative absorption in the CX group, considering the amounts consumed, was 4 times that in the BC group. Mean (±SEM) changes in milk VA in the OFSP (0.028 ± 0.074 μmol/L) and tangerine (0.067 ± 0.091 μmol/L) groups did not differ from those in the control (-0.077 ± 0.068 μmol/L) or VA (0.277 ± 0.094 μmol/L) group. Milk CX increased in the tangerine group. VA capsules increased plasma and milk VA concentrations. The greater change in CX concentrations in the tangerine group than in BC concentrations in the OFSP group suggests that CX in tangerines was better absorbed, but both foods failed to increase milk VA concentrations. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01420406.

Seasonal variation of circulating plasma carotenoids in Mediterranean Great Tit males Parus major

Capsule Mediterranean Great Tits showed a marked increase in levels of circulating carotenoids during moult and autumn.Aims To study seasonal variation in plasma carotenoid content during a whole annual cycle for Great Tits Parus major inhabiting a Mediterranean woodland.Methods We used a sample of 71 adult male Great Tits captured in NE Spain during a whole year. Data were organized into four seasons (winter, breeding, moult and autumn). We sampled blood to extract plasma. Carotenoid plasma concentrations were analysed by High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).Results Lutein and zeaxanthin content varied seasonally, with a marked increase in levels during moult and autumn. Within the moulting period, levels increased gradually as the season progressed. This pattern differed significantly from that previously described in northern European populations, where high values appear mainly in the breeding season. Carotenoid concentrations (lutein: 1.2 ± 0.25, zeaxanthin: 0.07 ± 0.03 µg mL−1) were also lower than in northern Europe.Conclusion Mediterranean Great Tits show a very different pattern of circulating carotenoids and lower levels than northern European populations. The increasing pattern of carotenoid availability found within the moulting period raises the need to control for the effect of sampling date when analysing data on carotenoid concentrations at different times of year.

Carotenoid-rich dietary patterns during midlife and subsequent cognitive function

Carotenoids may help to prevent the ageing of the brain. Previous findings regarding β-carotene alone are not consistent. In the present study, we evaluated the cross-time association between a carotenoid-rich dietary pattern (CDP) and subsequent cognitive performance using a sample of 2983 middle-aged adults participating in the SU.VI.MAX (Supplémentation en Vitamines et Minéraux Antioxydants) study. Cognitive performance was assessed in 2007-9 using six neuropsychological tests, and a composite cognitive score was computed. The cognitive data were related to dietary data obtained by repeated 24 h dietary records (1994-6) and to measurements of baseline plasma concentrations of carotenoids (lutein, zeaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, α-carotene, trans-β-carotene and cis-β-carotene). DP were extracted using the reduced rank regression method for 381 participants and then extrapolated to the whole sample using plasma carotenoid concentrations as response variables. Associations between a CDP and cognitive function measured 13 years later were estimated with ANCOVA providing mean difference values and 95 % CI across the tertiles of CDP. A correlation between CDP and consumption of orange- and green-coloured fruits and vegetables, vegetable oils and soup was observed. CDP was found to be associated with a higher composite cognitive score (mean difference 1·04, 95 % CI 0·20, 1·87, P for trend 0·02), after adjustment for sociodemographic, lifestyle and health factors. Similar findings were obtained for scores obtained in the cued recall task, backward digit span task, trail making test and semantic fluency task (all P for trend < 0·05). Further studies ought to confirm whether a diet providing sufficient quantity and variety of coloured fruits and vegetables may contribute to the preservation of cognitive function during ageing.

A randomized pilot trial of dietary modification for the chemoprevention of noninvasive bladder cancer: the dietary intervention in bladder cancer study.

Epidemiological data suggest robust associations of high vegetable intake with decreased risks of bladder cancer incidence and mortality, but translational prevention studies have yet to be conducted. We designed and tested a novel intervention to increase vegetable intake in patients with noninvasive bladder cancer. We randomized 48 patients aged 50 to 80 years with biopsy-proven noninvasive (Ta, T1, or carcinoma in situ) urothelial cell carcinoma to telephone- and Skype-based dietary counseling or a control condition that provided print materials only. The intervention behavioral goals promoted seven daily vegetable servings, with at least two of these as cruciferous vegetables. Outcome variables were self-reported diet and plasma carotenoid and 24-hour urinary isothiocyanate (ITC) concentrations. We used two-sample t tests to assess between-group differences at 6-month follow-up. After 6 months, intervention patients had higher daily intakes of vegetable juice (P = 0.02), total vegetables (P = 0.02), and cruciferous vegetables (P = 0.07); lower daily intakes of energy (P = 0.007), fat (P = 0.002) and energy from fat (P = 0.06); and higher plasma α-carotene concentrations (P = 0.03). Self-reported cruciferous vegetable intake correlated with urinary ITC concentrations at baseline (P < 0.001) and at 6 months (P = 0.03). Although urinary ITC concentrations increased in the intervention group and decreased in the control group, these changes did not attain between-group significance (P = 0.32). In patients with noninvasive bladder cancer, our novel intervention induced diet changes associated with protective effects against bladder cancer. These data show the feasibility of implementing therapeutic dietary modifications to prevent recurrent and progressive bladder cancer.

Quantitative data on the magnitude of the systemic inflammatory response and its effect on carotenoids status based on plasma measurements

Summary Background & aim Plasma concentrations of carotenoids are decreased in association with the systemic inflammatory response and as a result do not necessarily indicates deficiency. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the magnitude of systemic inflammatory response effect on plasma carotenoids concentration in a large cohort and to provide guidance on the interpretation of routine clinical results. Methods Between December 2005 and December 2010, the results (1665 blood samples from 1074 patients) of a carotenoid screen (lutein, lycopene, α-carotene and β-carotene), cholesterol and CRP concentrations, a marker of the severity of systemic inflammation, were extracted from a laboratory database. Plasma carotenoid concentrations were categorised according to an incremental increase in CRP concentrations. Result In 1074 patient samples, with the exception of α-carotene (that had median concentrations at the limit of detection), all carotenoids showed a significant trend of decreasing plasma concentrations as CRP concentrations increased. For lutein, lycopene and β-carotene, the decrease was significant when CRP concentrations were modestly elevated (between 20 and 40 mg/L). CRP concentrations of >80 mg/L were associated with the largest decrease in plasma carotenoid concentrations ( p Conclusion The clinical interpretation of plasma carotenoids requires knowledge of the magnitude of the systemic inflammatory response even after adjustment for cholesterol. A reliable clinical interpretation can be made only for plasma lutein, lycopene and β-carotene if the CRP is less than 20 mg/L. Where CRP is greater than 20 mg/L low plasma values are difficult to interpret and may be the first warning sign of carotenoid insufficiency.