β-Carotene autoxidation: oxygen copolymerization, non-vitamin A products, and immunological activity

Carotenoids are reported to have immunological effects independent of vitamin A activity. Although antioxidant activity has been suggested as a basis of action, the ability of carotenoids to autoxidize to numerous non-vitamin A products with immunological activity is an alternative yet to be fully explored. We have undertaken a systematic study of beta-carotene autoxidation and tested the product mixture for immunological activity. Autoxidation proceeds predominantly by oxygen copolymerization, leading to a defined, reproducible product corresponding to net uptake of almost 8 molar equivalents of oxygen. The product, termed OxC-beta, empirical formula C40H60O15 versus C40H56 for beta-carotene, contains more than 30% oxygen (w/w) and 85% beta-carotene oxygen copolymers (w/w) as well as minor amounts of many C8-C18 norisoprenoid compounds. No vitamin A or higher molecular weight norisoprenoids are present. The predominance of polymeric products has not been reported previously. The polymer appears to be a less polymerized form of sporopollenin, a biopolymer found in exines of spores and pollen. Autoxidations of lycopene and canthaxanthin show a similar predominance of polymeric products. OxC-beta exhibits immunological activity in a PCR gene expression array, indicating that carotenoid oxidation produces non-vitamin A products with immunomodulatory potential.