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. 2010 Dec 1;504(1):34-9.
doi: 10.1016/j.abb.2010.07.004. Epub 2010 Jul 14.

Significant correlations of dermal total carotenoids and dermal lycopene with their respective plasma levels in healthy adults

Stephanie Scarmo  1 , Brenda Cartmel, Haiqun Lin, David J Leffell, Erin Welch, Prakash Bhosale, Paul S Bernstein, Susan T Mayne
Affiliations

Significant correlations of dermal total carotenoids and dermal lycopene with their respective plasma levels in healthy adults

Stephanie Scarmo et al. Arch Biochem Biophys. .

Abstract

Carotenoids in skin have been known to play a role in photoprotection against UV radiation. We performed dermal biopsies of healthy humans (N=27) and collected blood samples for pair-wise correlation analyses of total and individual carotenoid content by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The hydrocarbon carotenoids (lycopene and beta-carotene) made up the majority of carotenoids in both skin and plasma, and skin was somewhat enriched in these carotenoids relative to plasma. Beta-cryptoxanthin, a monohydroxycarotenoid, was found in similar proportions in skin as in plasma. In contrast, the dihydroxycarotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, were relatively lacking in human skin in absolute and relative levels as compared to plasma. Total carotenoids were significantly correlated in skin and plasma (r=0.53, p<0.01). Our findings suggest that human skin is relatively enriched in lycopene and beta-carotene, compared to lutein and zeaxanthin, possibly reflecting a specific function of hydrocarbon carotenoids in human skin photoprotection.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Lycopene level in plasma as assessed by HPLC analysis of blood samples vs. dermal lycopene in skin as assessed by HPLC analysis of dermal biopsy. r=0.37 (p=0.05).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Beta-carotene level in plasma as assessed by HPLC analysis of blood samples vs. dermal beta-carotene in skin as assessed by HPLC analysis of dermal biopsy. r=0.34 (p=0.09).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Beta-cryptoxanthin level in plasma as assessed by HPLC analysis of blood samples vs. dermal beta-cryptoxanthin in skin as assessed by HPLC analysis of dermal biopsy. r=0.07 (p=0.72).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Lutein level in plasma as assessed by HPLC analysis of blood samples vs. dermal lutein in skin as assessed by HPLC analysis of dermal biopsy. r=0.08 (p=0.70).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Zeaxanthin level in plasma as assessed by HPLC analysis of blood samples vs. dermal zeaxanthin in skin as assessed by HPLC analysis of dermal biopsy. r=0.25 (p=0.21).
Figure 6
Figure 6
Total carotenoid level in plasma as assessed by HPLC analysis of blood samples vs. total dermal carotenoid in skin as assessed by HPLC analysis of dermal biopsy. r=0.53 (p<0.01).
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