The Plasma Proteome Fingerprint Associated with Circulating Carotenoids and Retinol in Older Adults

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Abstract

Background

Although diets rich in carotenoids are associated with reduced risks of cardiovascular disease, age-related macular degeneration, disability, and other adverse aging outcomes, the underlying biological mechanisms are not fully elucidated.

Objectives

To characterize the plasma proteome fingerprint associated with circulating carotenoid and retinol concentrations in older adults.

Methods

In 728 adults ≥65 y participating in the Invecchiare in Chianti (InCHIANTI) Study, plasma α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin, and lycopene were measured using HPLC. The SOMAscan assay was used to measure 1301 plasma proteins. Multivariable linear regression models were used to examine the relationship of individual carotenoids and retinol with plasma proteins. A false discovery rate approach was used to deal with multiple comparisons using a q-value < 0.05.

Results

Plasma β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin, and lycopene were associated with 85, 39, 4, 2, and 5 plasma proteins, respectively, in multivariable linear regression models adjusting for potential confounders (q < 0.05). No proteins were associated with α-carotene or retinol. Two or more carotenoids were positively associated with ferritin, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (decarboxylating), hepcidin, thrombospondin-2, and choline/ethanolamine kinase. The proteins associated with circulating carotenoids were related to energy metabolism, sirtuin signaling, inflammation and oxidative stress, iron metabolism, proteostasis, innate immunity, and longevity.

Conclusions

The plasma proteomic fingerprint associated with elevated circulating carotenoids in older adults provides insight into the mechanisms underlying the protective role of carotenoids on health.

Key words

carotene
carotenoid
cryptoxanthin
lutein
lycopene
protein
proteomics
zeaxanthin
retinol

Abbreviations

ACY1
aminoacylase-1
CCNB1
G2/mitotic-specific cyclin-B1
CDK1
cyclin-dependent kinase 1
CHI
Center for Human Immunology, Autoimmunity, and Inflammation
CLU
clusterin
CNDP1
beta Ala-His dipeptidase
CRP
C-reactive protein
CTSV
cathepsin L2
FTH1
ferritin heavy chain
FTL
ferritin light chain
HAMP
hepcidin
IL1RAP
interleukin-1 receptor accessory protein
InCHIANTI
Invecchiare in Chianti
MMSE
Mini-Mental State Examination
NAD+
nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide
NAMPT
nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase
NRF2
nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2
SIRT3
Sirtuin3
SOD2
superoxide dismutase [Mn], mitochondrial
TGFB2
transforming growth factor beta-2 proprotein
THBS2
thrombospondin-2

Cited by (0)

The Invecchiare in Chianti study baseline (1998–2000) was supported as a “targeted project” (ICS110.1/RF97.71) by the Italian Ministry of Health and in part by the US National Institute on Aging (contracts 263 MD 9164 and 263 MD 821336) and was supported in part by the Intramural Research Program of the National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD. This study was also supported by the National Institutes of Health R01 AG057723.

Author disclosure: The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Supplemental Figure 1 and Supplemental Tables 1–3 are available from the “Supplementary data” link in the online posting of the article and from the same link in the online table of contents at https://academic.oup.com/jn/.