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Site-specific concentrations of carotenoids in adipose tissue: relations with dietary and serum carotenoid concentrations in healthy adults^1,2,3,4

¹ From Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea (H-YC); the Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu, UNESP, Botucatu, Brazil (ALAF and SARP); the Jean Mayer US Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, MA (SE and EJJ); and Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA (CC-S).

² The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the US Department of Agriculture, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products of organizations imply endorsement by the US Government.

³ Supported in part by a grant from the US Department of Agriculture (agreement no. 58-1950-9-001) and by a grant from "Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo," FAPESP, Sao Paolo, SP, Brazil (contract no. 97/2502-9).

⁴ Address correspondence to EJ Johnson, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111. E-mail: elizabeth.johnson{at}tufts.edu.

Background: Dietary carotenoids are related to a decreased risk of certain diseases. Serum and adipose tissue carotenoid concentrations are used as biomarkers of intake.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to evaluate site-specific concentrations of carotenoids in adipose tissue and to examine relations between carotenoid concentrations in the diet, serum, and adipose tissue.

Design: Healthy adults (12 women and 13 men) participated in this cross-sectional study. Dietary carotenoids over the past year were assessed with a food-frequency questionnaire. Serum and adipose tissue biopsy samples were collected from the abdomen, buttock, and inner thigh for the measurement of carotenoids by HPLC.

Results: Many adipose carotenoids were inversely related to percentage body fat, although lycopene was the only carotenoid inversely correlated with all 3 sites. Most of the carotenoids were significantly higher in the abdominal adipose tissue than in the thigh (P < 0.05). Concentrations of -carotene, β-carotene, 5-cis-lycopene, and total carotenoids were significantly higher in the buttocks than in the thigh (P < 0.05). Concentrations of -carotene, cis-lycopene, and lutein (with or without zeaxanthin) were significantly higher in the abdomen than in the buttocks (P < 0.05). Dietary intake was significantly correlated with serum concentrations of -carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, and total carotenoids. Carotenoid intake was significantly correlated with adipose tissue concentrations of -carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, cis-lycopene, and total carotenoids (P < 0.05) but varied by site. Of all the adipose tissue sites evaluated, the abdomen showed the strongest correlation with long-term dietary carotenoid intakes and with serum (indicator of short-term intake) for most carotenoids.

Conclusions: Body fat may influence the tissue distribution of carotenoids. Abdominal adipose tissue carotenoid concentrations may be a useful indicator of carotenoid status.