DSM Scientists Find Lycopene Benefits Prostate Health

DSM Scientists Find Lycopene Benefits Prostate Health

HEERLEN, NetherlandsEpidemiologicalevidence links consumption of lycopene to reduced prostate cancer risk,according to a study published online in the Nov. 15, 2004, issue of the FASEBJournal (www.fasebj.org).

DSM Nutritional Products scientists investigated the effect oflycopene in normal prostate tissue to gain insight into the mechanisms by whichlycopene can contribute to primary prostate cancer prevention. Rats weresupplemented with 200 ppm (parts per milliliter) lycopene for up to eight weeks.Researchers measured the uptake into individual prostate lobes and analyzedlycopene-induced gene regulations in dorsal and lateral lobes after theeight-week supplementation. Lycopene accumulated in all four prostate lobes overtime, with all-trans lycopenebeing the predominant isoform. In addition, the lateral lobe showed asignificantly higher total lycopene content than other prostate lobes.

Transcriptomics analysis revealed that lycopene treatmentmildly, but significantly, reduced gene expression of androgen-metabolizingenzymes and androgen targets. Moreover, local expression of IGF-I was decreasedin the lateral lobe. Lycopene also consistently reduced transcript levels ofproinflammatory cytokines, immunoglobulins, and immunoglobulin receptors in thelateral lobe.This indicates that lycopene reduced inflammatory signals in thelateral prostate lobe.

The researchers concluded lycopene reduced local prostaticandrogen signaling, IGF-I expression, and basal inflammatory signals in normalprostate tissue. All of these mechanisms can contribute to the epidemiologicallyobserved prostate cancer risk reduction by lycopene.