Anti-Oxidative, Anti-Tumor-Promoting, and<em> </em>Anti-Carcinogensis Activities of Nitroastaxanthin and Nitrolutein, the Reaction Products of Astaxanthin and Lutein with Peroxynitrite

Abstract

Astaxanthin captured peroxynitrite to form nitroastaxanthins. 15-Nitroastaxanthin was a major reaction product of astaxanthin with peroxynitrite. Here, the anti-oxidative, anti-tumor-promoting, and anti-carcinogensis activities of 15-nitroastaxanthin were investigated. In addition to astaxanthin, 15-nitroastaxanthin showed excellent singlet oxygen quenching activity. Furthermore, 15-nitroastaxanthin showed inhibitory effects of <em>in vitro</em> Epstein-Barr virus early antigen activation and two-stage carcinogensis on mouse skin papillomas. These activities were slightly higher than those of astaxanthin. Similar results were obtained for the 15-nitrolutein, a major reaction product of lutein with peroxynitrite.

Keywords

• carotenoid
• 15-nitroastaxanthin
• 15-nitrolutein
• anti-carcinogensis activity
• anti-oxidative activity