Department of Molecular and Structural Biochemistry, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA; Plants for Human Health Institute, North Carolina Research Campus, North Carolina State University, Kannapolis, NC, USA.
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, College of Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
Adv Nutr. 2023 Mar;14(2):238-255. doi: 10.1016/j.advnut.2022.10.007. Epub 2022 Dec 16.
Carotenoids have been related to a number of health benefits. Their dietary intake and circulating levels have been associated with a reduced incidence of obesity, diabetes, certain types of cancer, and even lower total mortality. Their potential interaction with the gut microbiota (GM) has been generally overlooked but may be of relevance, as carotenoids largely bypass absorption in the small intestine and are passed on to the colon, where they appear to be in part degraded into unknown metabolites. These may include apo-carotenoids that may have biological effects because of higher aqueous solubility and higher electrophilicity that could better target transcription factors, i.e., NF-κB, PPARγ, and RAR/RXRs. If absorbed in the colon, they could have both local and systemic effects. Certain microbes that may be supplemented were also reported to produce carotenoids in the colon. Although some bactericidal aspects of carotenoids have been shown in vitro, a few studies have also demonstrated a prebiotic-like effect, resulting in bacterial shifts with health-associated properties. Also, stimulation of IgA could play a role in this respect. Carotenoids may further contribute to mucosal and gut barrier health, such as stabilizing tight junctions. This review highlights potential gut-related health-beneficial effects of carotenoids and emphasizes the current research gaps regarding carotenoid-GM interactions.
类胡萝卜素与许多健康益处有关。它们的膳食摄入量和循环水平与肥胖、糖尿病、某些类型的癌症，甚至更低的总死亡率的发病率降低有关。它们与肠道微生物群（GM）的潜在相互作用通常被忽视，但可能很重要，因为类胡萝卜素在很大程度上绕过小肠吸收，并传递到结肠，在那里它们似乎部分降解为未知代谢物。这些可能包括由于更高的水溶性和更高的亲电性而可能具有生物学效应的无载脂蛋白类胡萝卜素，这可能更好地靶向转录因子，即 NF-κB、PPARγ 和 RAR/RXRs。如果在结肠中被吸收，它们可能具有局部和全身作用。还报道了某些可能被补充的微生物在结肠中产生类胡萝卜素。尽管已经在体外显示出类胡萝卜素的一些杀菌方面，但一些研究也表明了类似益生元的作用，导致与健康相关的特性的细菌转移。此外，IgA 的刺激也可能在这方面发挥作用。类胡萝卜素可能进一步有助于粘膜和肠道屏障的健康，例如稳定紧密连接。本综述强调了类胡萝卜素与肠道相关的潜在健康有益作用，并强调了目前关于类胡萝卜素与 GM 相互作用的研究差距。
