Identification of lutein and zeaxanthin oxidation products in human and monkey retinas

Update Item Information
Publication Type Journal Article
School or College School of Medicine
Department Ophthalmology
Creator Bernstein, Paul S.
Other Author Khachik, F.; Garland, D. L.
Title Identification of lutein and zeaxanthin oxidation products in human and monkey retinas
Date 1997
Description PURPOSE: To characterize fully all the major and minor carotenoids and their metabolites in human retina and probe for the presence of the oxidative metabolites of lutein and zeaxanthin. METHODS: Carotenoids of a composite of 58 pairs of human retinas and a monkey retina were elucidated by comparing their high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-ultraviolet/visible absorption spectrophotometry (UV/Vis)-mass spectrometry (MS) profile with those of authentic standards prepared by organic synthesis. RESULTS: In addition to lutein and zeaxanthin, several oxidation products of these compounds were present in the extracts from human retina. A major carotenoid resulting from direct oxidation of lutein was identified as 3-hydroxy-beta, epsilon-caroten-3'-one. Minor carotenoids were identified as: 3'-epilutein, epsilon,epsilon-carotene-3,3'-diol, epsilon,epsilon-carotene-3,3'-dione, 3'-hydroxy-epsilon,epsilon-caroten-3-one, and 2,6-cyclolycopene-1,5-diol. Several of the geometric isomers of lutein and zeaxanthin were also detected at low concentrations. These were as follows: 9-cis-lutein, 9'-cislutein, 13-cis-lutein, 13'-cis-lutein, 9-cis-zeaxanthin, and 13-cis-zeaxanthin. Similar results were also obtained from HPLC analysis of a freshly dissected monkey retina. CONCLUSIONS: Lutein, zeaxanthin, 3'-epilutein, and 3-hydroxy-beta,epsilon-caroten-3'-one in human retina may be interconverted through a series of oxidation-reduction reactions similar to our earlier proposed metabolic transformation of these compounds in humans. The presence of the direct oxidation product of lutein and 3'-epilutein (metabolite of lutein and zeaxanthin) in human retina suggests that lutein and zeaxanthin may act as antioxidants to protect the macula against short-wavelength visible light. The proposed oxidative-reductive pathways for lutein and zeaxanthin in human retina, may therefore play an important role in prevention of age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.
Type Text
Publisher Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
Volume 38
Issue 9
First Page 1802
Last Page 1811
Subject Mass Spectrometry; Oxidation-Reduction; Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
Subject MESH Lutein; Retina; beta Carotene
Language eng
Bibliographic Citation Khachik F, Bernstein PS, Garland DL. (1997). Identification of lutein and zeaxanthin oxidation products in human and monkey retinas. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 38(9), 1802-11
Rights Management (c) Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
Format Medium application/pdf
Identifier ir-main,1753
ARK ark:/87278/s6xw531f
Setname ir_uspace
ID 703620
Reference URL https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6xw531f