Preventive effects of marine carotenoids on life-style-related diseases based on anti-inflammatory effects as molecular targets

虾青素对葡聚糖硫酸钠诱导的小鼠结肠炎和炎症相关结肠癌的发生具有抑制作用。在喂食虾青素的小鼠结肠中，通过抑制NF-κB活化来抑制炎性细胞因子如TNF-α和IL-1β的mRNA表达水平。饲喂20周后，含200 ppm虾青素的饲料可抑制结肠粘膜溃疡、异型增生隐窝和结肠腺癌。此外，从海洋生物中分离出的虾青素、梳替诺龙、别黄质和硅藻黄质可减弱脂多糖激活的巨噬细胞中炎症细胞因子以及考克斯-2和诱导型一氧化氮合酶的过度mRNA表达。另一方面，0.2%岩藻黄质显著抑制炎症细胞因子如TNF-α和IL-6的mRNA表达，从而诱导胰岛素抵抗，并通过抑制MCP-1 mRNA表达来抑制白色脂肪组织中的巨噬细胞浸润。此外，岩藻黄素代谢产物之一岩藻黄素醇也通过棕榈酸和TNF-α调节脂肪细胞和巨噬细胞的串扰。这些结果表明，抗炎作用是岩藻黄质抗肥胖和抗糖尿病作用的分子机制。

Astaxanthin exhibited inhibitory effects on dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis and inflammatory-related colon carcinogenesis in mice. In colon of the mice fed astaxanthin, mRNA expression levels of inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α and IL-1β were suppressed through inhibition of NF-κB activation. After feeding for 20 weeks, colonic mucosal ulcers, dysplastic crypts and colonic adenocarcinoma were inhibited by 200 ppm astaxanthin-containing diet. In addition, astaxanthin, pectenolone, alloxanthin and diatoxanthin isolated from marine organisms attenuated excessive mRNA expression of inflammatory cytokines and COX-2 and iNOS in macrophages activated by LPS. On the other hand, dietary 0.2% fucoxanthin markedly suppressed mRNA expression of inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α and IL-6 to induce insulin resistance and inhibited macrophage infiltration in white adipose tissue through suppression of MCP-1 mRNA expression after 4 weeks feeding. Further, fucoxanthinol, which is one of fucoxanthin metabolites, also regulated cross talk of adipocytes and macrophages via palmitic acid and TNF-α. These results suggest that anti-inflammatory effects are molecular mechanism for anti-obesity and anti-diabetic effects of fucoxanthin.