Snodderly D M, Shen B, Land R I, Krinsky N I
Schepens Eye Research Institute, Macular Disease Research Center, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
J Nutr. 1997 Jan;127(1):122-9. doi: 10.1093/jn/127.1.122.
Primate retinas accumulate the dihydroxy xanthophylls, lutein and zeaxanthin, from the diet via the plasma. Control of plasma concentrations of these carotenoids may be useful for prevention of retinal disease by manipulating carotenoid content of the retina. We have measured the plasma response of male squirrel monkeys to changes in the carotenoid content of a nonpurified diet. We have also supplemented the diet with zeaxanthin and beta-carotene. Plasma responses to dietary changes were rapid. Within one week, most of the change in plasma concentrations had already occurred. Within two weeks of increasing zeaxanthin intake, plasma zeaxanthin concentrations were at a new, relatively stable level. beta-carotene concentrations in the plasma were low while the monkeys were consuming a standard laboratory diet, and were only slightly increased by supplementation. Plasma lutein concentrations were unaffected by zeaxanthin supplementation. Our results suggest that it should be possible to manipulate plasma concentrations of each of the retinal carotenoids with little impact on the plasma concentrations of the other. This will facilitate exploration of the rates of accumulation of lutein and zeaxanthin in the retina, as well as exploration of the possibility of bioconversion from one xanthophyll to another.
灵长类动物的视网膜通过血浆从饮食中积累二羟基叶黄素、叶黄素和玉米黄质。通过控制视网膜中类胡萝卜素的含量来控制这些类胡萝卜素的血浆浓度，可能有助于预防视网膜疾病。我们测量了雄性松鼠猴对非纯化饮食中类胡萝卜素含量变化的血浆反应。我们还在饮食中添加了玉米黄质和β-胡萝卜素。血浆对饮食变化的反应很快。在一周内，血浆浓度的大部分变化已经发生。在增加玉米黄质摄入量的两周内，血浆玉米黄质浓度达到一个新的、相对稳定的水平。当猴子食用标准实验室饮食时，血浆中的β-胡萝卜素浓度较低，补充后仅略有增加。补充玉米黄质对血浆叶黄素浓度没有影响。我们的结果表明，应该可以分别控制视网膜类胡萝卜素的血浆浓度，而对其他类胡萝卜素的血浆浓度影响很小。这将有助于探索叶黄素和玉米黄质在视网膜中的积累速率，以及探索一种叶黄素向另一种叶黄素生物转化的可能性。
