Enhanced Antioxidant and Protective Activities on Retinal Ganglion Cells of Carotenoids-Overexpressing Transgenic Carrot

Kee   Dong   Yoon; Suk-Nam      Kang; Ji-Yeong      Bae; Haeng-Soon      Lee; Sang-Soo      Kwak; Insurk      Jang; Il-Suk      Kim; Cheol   Ho   Lee; Jung   Myung   Bae; Shin   Woo   Lee; Mi-Jeong      Ahn

Abstract

Carotenoids are considered to act as antioxidants and protect humans from serious disorders such as skin degeneration and ageing, cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer, and age-related diseases of the eye. In this study, these chemopreventive activities of a carotenoids-overexpressing transgenic carrot were evaluated. The results of DPPH, hydroxyl, and superoxide radical scavenging tests demonstrate that the acetone extract obtained from the taproots of the carrot plants exhibits significant antioxidant activity. A higher activity was detected in the transgenic carrot extract compared with the wild-type extract. A chemopreventive activity test for degenerative diseases of the eye revealed that pretreatment with the carrot extract reduced cell death in a retinal ganglion cell line, RGC-5 cells exposed to 1-buthionine- (R,S)-sulfoximine and L-glutamic acid.

Keywords: Carotenoids, transgenic carrot, antioxidant activity, RGC-5 cells.

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