Lycopene / GSH Cancer Research Results

Lyco, Lycopene: Click to Expand ⟱
Features:
Lycopene is a naturally occurring carotenoid found predominantly in tomatoes and other red fruits and vegetables.

Antioxidant Properties:
-Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant. It helps neutralize free radicals, which can reduce oxidative stress—a factor implicated in cancer development. Possible concern about interfering with chemotherapy and radiation therapy. However this review disagrees.
Inflammation Reduction:
-Some studies suggest that lycopene may help lower levels of inflammation, another process linked to cancer progression

At supraphysiological or extremely high concentrations, lycopene may have the potential to switch from an antioxidant to a prooxidant role
-The prooxidant effect of lycopene has been observed under conditions of high oxygen tension. In vitro studies have suggested that in environments with elevated oxygen levels, lycopene might promote rather than neutralize the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS).
-The presence of metal ions (such as iron or copper) in the environment can catalyze reactions where antioxidants, including lycopene, contribute to oxidative processes. These metals can interact with lycopene, potentially leading to the formation of radicals.

The mevalonate pathway produces cholesterol and a variety of isoprenoids, which are important for maintaining cell membrane integrity, protein prenylation, and other essential cellular functions.
-One of the primary enzymes in this pathway is HMG-CoA reductase (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase), which is the target of statin drugs used for lowering cholesterol. Some studies suggest that lycopene might downregulate the activity of HMG-CoA reductase or other enzymes in the mevalonate pathway. By doing so, lycopene could potentially reduce the synthesis of cholesterol and isoprenoids that are necessary for rapid cell proliferation—an especially relevant aspect in cancer cells.

Lycopene typically used in a 100mg/day range for cancer (inhibition of the the Melavonate Pathway)
-also has antiplatelet aggregation capability.

-Note half-life 16–20 days.
BioAv Heat processing, especially when combined with a small amount of fat, significantly enhances lycopene’s bioaccessibility and absorption. (20% under optimal conditions)
Pathways:
- ROS usually goes down, but may go up or down depending on dose and environment. Lycopene may also be modified to be a "oxdiative product" which may change the behaviour.
- Raises AntiOxidant defense in Normal Cells: ROS↓, NRF2↑, SOD↑, GSH↑">GSH↑, Catalase↑,
- lowers Inflammation : NF-kB↓, COX2↓, p38↓, Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines : NLRP3↓, IL-1β↓, TNF-α↓, IL-6↓, IL-8↓
- inhibit Growth/Metastases : EMT↓, MMPs↓, MMP9↓, IGF-1↓, uPA↓, VEGF↓, ROCK1↓, FAK↓, RhoA↓, NF-κB↓, ERK↓
- reactivate genes thereby inhibiting cancer cell growth : EZH2↓, P53↑, Sp proteins↓,
- cause Cell cycle arrest : TumCCA↑, cyclin D1↓, cyclin E↓, CDK2↓, CDK4↓,
- inhibits Migration/Invasion : TumCMig↓, TumCI↓, TNF-α↓, FAK↓, ERK↓, EMT↓,
- inhibits angiogenesis↓ : VEGF↓, HIF-1α↓, Integrins↓,
- Others: PI3K↓, AKT↓, JAK↓, STAT↓, Wnt↓, β-catenin↓, AMPK, ERK↓, JNK, - SREBP (related to cholesterol).
- Synergies: chemo-sensitization, chemoProtective, RadioSensitizer, RadioProtective, Others(review target notes), Neuroprotective, Cognitive, Renoprotection, Hepatoprotective, CardioProtective,

- Selectivity: Cancer Cells vs Normal Cells

Rank Pathway / Axis Cancer Cells Normal Cells Label Primary Interpretation Notes
1 Reactive oxygen species (ROS) ↓ ROS ↓ ROS Driver Potent antioxidant activity Lycopene is a strong singlet-oxygen quencher with antioxidant dominance
2 IGF-1 / PI3K → AKT signaling ↓ IGF-1 signaling; ↓ AKT ↔ minimal Secondary Growth factor signaling attenuation Reduced IGF-1–driven proliferation is a key cancer-relevant effect
3 Cell cycle regulation ↑ G0/G1 arrest ↔ spared Phenotypic Cytostatic growth control Cell-cycle effects reflect growth factor modulation
4 Gap junction communication (connexins) ↑ gap junction signaling ↑ gap junction signaling Secondary Normalization of cell–cell communication Enhanced gap junctions are associated with reduced tumor progression
5 NF-κB / inflammatory signaling ↓ inflammatory signaling ↓ inflammatory tone Secondary Anti-inflammatory environment Inflammation reduction contributes to chemopreventive effects


GSH, Glutathione: Click to Expand ⟱
Source:
Type:
Glutathione (GSH) is a thiol antioxidant that scavenges reactive oxygen species (ROS), resulting in the formation of oxidized glutathione (GSSG). Decreased amounts of GSH and a decreased GSH/GSSG ratio in tissues are biomarkers of oxidative stress.
Glutathione is a powerful antioxidant found in every cell of the body, composed of three amino acids: cysteine, glutamine, and glycine. It plays a crucial role in protecting cells from oxidative stress, detoxifying harmful substances, and supporting the immune system.
cancer cells can have elevated levels of glutathione, which may help them survive in the oxidative environment created by the immune response and chemotherapy. This can make cancer cells more resistant to treatment.
While glutathione can be obtained from certain foods (like fruits, vegetables, and meats), its absorption from supplements is debated. Some people take N-acetylcysteine (NAC) or other precursors to boost glutathione levels, but the effects on cancer prevention or treatment are still being studied.
Depleting glutathione (GSH) to raise reactive oxygen species (ROS) is a strategy that has been explored in cancer research and therapy.
Many cancer cells have altered redox states and may rely on GSH to survive. Increasing ROS levels can induce stress in these cells, potentially leading to cell death.
Certain drugs and compounds can deplete GSH levels. For example, agents like buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) inhibit the synthesis of GSH, leading to its depletion.
Cancer cells tend to exhibit higher levels of intracellular GSH, possibly as an adaptive response to a higher metabolism and thus higher steady-state levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS).

"...intracellular glutathione (GSH) exhibits an astounding antioxidant activity in scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS)..."
"Cancer cells have a high level of GSH compared to normal cells."
"...cancer cells are affluent with high antioxidant levels, especially with GSH, whose appearance at an elevated concentration of ∼10 mM (10 times less in normal cells) detoxifies the cancer cells." "Therefore, GSH depletion can be assumed to be the key strategy to amplify the oxidative stress in cancer cells, enhancing the destruction of cancer cells by fruitful cancer therapy."

The loss of GSH is broadly known to be directly related to the apoptosis progression.
Scientific Papers found: Click to Expand⟱
4803- Lyco,    Enhanced cytotoxic and apoptosis inducing activity of lycopene oxidation products in different cancer cell lines
- in-vitro, Pca, PC3 - in-vitro, BC, MCF-7 - in-vitro, Melanoma, A431 - in-vitro, Liver, HepG2 - in-vitro, Cerv, HeLa - in-vitro, Lung, A549
tumCV↓, GSH↓, MDA↑, ROS↑, Apoptosis↑,
3528- Lyco,    The Importance of Antioxidant Activity for the Health-Promoting Effect of Lycopene
- Review, Nor, NA - Review, AD, NA - Review, Park, NA
*antiOx↑, *ROS↓, *BioAv↝, *Half-Life↑, *BioAv↓, *BioAv↑, *cardioP↑, *neuroP↑, *H2O2↓, *VitC↑, *VitE↑, *GPx↑, *GSH↑, *MPO↓, *GSTs↓, *SOD↑, *NF-kB↓, *IL1β↓, *IL6↓, *IL10↑, *MAPK↓, *Akt↓, *COX2↓, *TNF-α↓, *TGF-β1↑, *NO↓, *GSR↑, *NRF2↑, *HO-1↑, *TAC↑, *Inflam↓, *BBB↑, *neuroP↑, *memory↑,
4794- Lyco,    Anticancer Effect of Lycopene in Gastric Carcinogenesis
- Review, GC, NA
*AntiCan↑, *ROS↓, *GSH↑, *GPx↑, *GSTs↑, TumCG↓, Apoptosis↑, ERK↓, Bcl-2↓, BAX↑, Cyt‑c↑, TumCCA↑, *DNAdam↓,
1709- Lyco,    Lycopene prevents carcinogen-induced cutaneous tumor by enhancing activation of the Nrf2 pathway through p62-triggered autophagic Keap1 degradation
- in-vitro, Nor, JB6
*antiOx↑, *NRF2↑, *GSH/GSSG↓, *Catalase↝, *GR↝, *SOD↝, *GPx↝, *GSH↑, *Keap1↓, *p62↑,
1708- Lyco,    The Anti-Cancer Activity of Lycopene: A Systematic Review of Human and Animal Studies
- Review, Var, NA
OS↑, ChemoSen↑, QoL↑, PSA∅, eff↑, AntiCan↑, AntiCan↑, angioG↓, VEGF↓, Hif1a↓, SOD↑, Catalase↑, GPx↑, GSH↑, GPx↑, GR↑, MDA↓, NRF2↑, HO-1↑, COX2↓, PGE2↓, NF-kB↓, IL4↑, IL10↑, IL6↓, TNF-α↓, PPARγ↑, TumCCA↑, FOXO3↓, Casp3↑, IGF-1↓, p27↑, STAT3↓, CDK2↓, CDK4↓, P21↑, PCNA↓, MMP7↓, MMP9↓,
3277- Lyco,    Recent trends and advances in the epidemiology, synergism, and delivery system of lycopene as an anti-cancer agent
- Review, Var, NA
antiOx↑, TumCP↓, Apoptosis↑, TumMeta↑, ChemoSen↑, BioAv↓, Dose↝, BioAv↓, BioAv↑, SOD↑, Catalase↑, GPx↑, IL2↑, IL4↑, IL1↑, TNF-α↑, GSH↑, GPx↑, GSTA1↑, GSR↑, PPARγ↑, Casp3↑, NF-kB↓, COX2↓, Bcl-2↑, BAX↓, P53↓, CHK1↓, Chk2↓, γH2AX↓, DNAdam↓, ROS↓, P21↑, PCNA↓, β-catenin/ZEB1↓, PGE2↓, ERK↓, cMyc↓, cycE/CCNE↓, JAK1↓, STAT3↓, SIRT1↑, cl‑PARP↑, cycD1/CCND1↓, TNF-α↓, IL6↓, p65↓, MMP2↓, MMP9↓, Wnt↓,
3275- Lyco,    Multifaceted Effects of Lycopene: A Boulevard to the Multitarget-Based Treatment for Cancer
- Review, Var, NA
TumCCA↑, cycD1/CCND1↓, cycE/CCNE↓, CDK2↓, CDK4↓, P21↑, P53↑, GSK‐3β↓, p27↓, Akt↓, mTOR↓, ROS↓, MMPs↓, TumCI↓, TumCMig↓, NF-kB↓, *iNOS↓, *COX2↓, lipid-P↓, GSH↑, NRF2↑,
3268- Lyco,    Lycopene as a Natural Antioxidant Used to Prevent Human Health Disorders
- Review, AD, NA
*BioAv↓, *AntiCan↑, *ROCK1↓, *Ki-67↓, *ICAM-1↓, *cardioP↑, *antiOx↑, *NQO1↑, *HO-1↑, *TNF-α↓, *IL22↓, *NRF2↑, *NF-kB↓, *MDA↓, *Catalase↑, *SOD↑, *GSH↑, *cognitive↑, *tau↓, *hepatoP↑, *MMP2↑, *AST↓, *ALAT↓, *P450↑, *DNAdam↓, *ROS↓, *neuroP↑, *memory↑, *Ca+2↓, *Dose↝, *Dose↑, *Dose↝, *toxicity∅, PGE2↓, CDK2↓, CDK4↓, STAT3↓, NOX↓, NOX4↓, ROS↓, *SREBP1↓, *FASN↓, *ACC↓,
3264- Lyco,    Pharmacological potentials of lycopene against aging and aging‐related disorders: A review
- Review, Var, NA - Review, AD, NA - Review, Stroke, NA
*antiOx↑, *ROS↓, *SOD↑, *Catalase↑, *GSH↑, *GSTs↑, *MDA↓, *lipid-P↓, *NRF2↑, *HO-1↑, *iNOS↓, *NO↓, *TAC↑, *NOX4↓, *Inflam↓, *IL1↓, *IL6↓, *IL8↓, *IL1β↓, *TNF-α↓, *TLR2↓, *TLR4↓, *VCAM-1↓, *ICAM-1↓, *STAT3↓, *NF-kB↓, *ERK↓, *BP↓, ROS↓, PGE2↓, cardioP↑, *neuroP↑, *creat↓, *RenoP↑, *CRM↑,

Showing Research Papers: 1 to 9 of 9

* indicates research on normal cells as opposed to diseased cells
Total Research Paper Matches: 9

Pathway results for Effect on Cancer / Diseased Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress ⓘ

antiOx↑, 1,   Catalase↑, 2,   GPx↑, 4,   GSH↓, 1,   GSH↑, 3,   GSR↑, 1,   GSTA1↑, 1,   HO-1↑, 1,   lipid-P↓, 1,   MDA↓, 1,   MDA↑, 1,   NOX4↓, 1,   NRF2↑, 2,   ROS↓, 4,   ROS↑, 1,   SOD↑, 2,  

Core Metabolism/Glycolysis ⓘ

cMyc↓, 1,   PPARγ↑, 2,   SIRT1↑, 1,  

Cell Death ⓘ

Akt↓, 1,   Apoptosis↑, 3,   BAX↓, 1,   BAX↑, 1,   Bcl-2↓, 1,   Bcl-2↑, 1,   Casp3↑, 2,   Chk2↓, 1,   Cyt‑c↑, 1,   p27↓, 1,   p27↑, 1,  

Transcription & Epigenetics ⓘ

tumCV↓, 1,  

DNA Damage & Repair ⓘ

CHK1↓, 1,   DNAdam↓, 1,   P53↓, 1,   P53↑, 1,   cl‑PARP↑, 1,   PCNA↓, 2,   γH2AX↓, 1,  

Cell Cycle & Senescence ⓘ

CDK2↓, 3,   CDK4↓, 3,   cycD1/CCND1↓, 2,   cycE/CCNE↓, 2,   P21↑, 3,   TumCCA↑, 3,  

Proliferation, Differentiation & Cell State ⓘ

ERK↓, 2,   FOXO3↓, 1,   GSK‐3β↓, 1,   IGF-1↓, 1,   mTOR↓, 1,   STAT3↓, 3,   TumCG↓, 1,   Wnt↓, 1,  

Migration ⓘ

MMP2↓, 1,   MMP7↓, 1,   MMP9↓, 2,   MMPs↓, 1,   TumCI↓, 1,   TumCMig↓, 1,   TumCP↓, 1,   TumMeta↑, 1,   β-catenin/ZEB1↓, 1,  

Angiogenesis & Vasculature ⓘ

angioG↓, 1,   Hif1a↓, 1,   VEGF↓, 1,  

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling ⓘ

COX2↓, 2,   IL1↑, 1,   IL10↑, 1,   IL2↑, 1,   IL4↑, 2,   IL6↓, 2,   JAK1↓, 1,   NF-kB↓, 3,   p65↓, 1,   PGE2↓, 4,   PSA∅, 1,   TNF-α↓, 2,   TNF-α↑, 1,  

Cellular Microenvironment ⓘ

NOX↓, 1,  

Hormonal & Nuclear Receptors ⓘ

GR↑, 1,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance ⓘ

BioAv↓, 2,   BioAv↑, 1,   ChemoSen↑, 2,   Dose↝, 1,   eff↑, 1,  

Clinical Biomarkers ⓘ

IL6↓, 2,   PSA∅, 1,  

Functional Outcomes ⓘ

AntiCan↑, 2,   cardioP↑, 1,   OS↑, 1,   QoL↑, 1,  
Total Targets: 90

Pathway results for Effect on Normal Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress ⓘ

antiOx↑, 4,   Catalase↑, 2,   Catalase↝, 1,   GPx↑, 2,   GPx↝, 1,   GSH↑, 5,   GSH/GSSG↓, 1,   GSR↑, 1,   GSTs↓, 1,   GSTs↑, 2,   H2O2↓, 1,   HO-1↑, 3,   Keap1↓, 1,   lipid-P↓, 1,   MDA↓, 2,   MPO↓, 1,   NOX4↓, 1,   NQO1↑, 1,   NRF2↑, 4,   ROS↓, 4,   SOD↑, 3,   SOD↝, 1,   TAC↑, 2,   VitC↑, 1,   VitE↑, 1,  

Core Metabolism/Glycolysis ⓘ

ACC↓, 1,   ALAT↓, 1,   CRM↑, 1,   FASN↓, 1,   SREBP1↓, 1,  

Cell Death ⓘ

Akt↓, 1,   iNOS↓, 2,   MAPK↓, 1,  

Autophagy & Lysosomes ⓘ

p62↑, 1,  

DNA Damage & Repair ⓘ

DNAdam↓, 2,  

Proliferation, Differentiation & Cell State ⓘ

ERK↓, 1,   STAT3↓, 1,  

Migration ⓘ

Ca+2↓, 1,   Ki-67↓, 1,   MMP2↑, 1,   ROCK1↓, 1,   TGF-β1↑, 1,   VCAM-1↓, 1,  

Angiogenesis & Vasculature ⓘ

NO↓, 2,  

Barriers & Transport ⓘ

BBB↑, 1,  

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling ⓘ

COX2↓, 2,   ICAM-1↓, 2,   IL1↓, 1,   IL10↑, 1,   IL1β↓, 2,   IL22↓, 1,   IL6↓, 2,   IL8↓, 1,   Inflam↓, 2,   NF-kB↓, 3,   TLR2↓, 1,   TLR4↓, 1,   TNF-α↓, 3,  

Synaptic & Neurotransmission ⓘ

tau↓, 1,  

Hormonal & Nuclear Receptors ⓘ

GR↝, 1,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance ⓘ

BioAv↓, 2,   BioAv↑, 1,   BioAv↝, 1,   Dose↑, 1,   Dose↝, 2,   Half-Life↑, 1,   P450↑, 1,  

Clinical Biomarkers ⓘ

ALAT↓, 1,   AST↓, 1,   BP↓, 1,   creat↓, 1,   IL6↓, 2,   Ki-67↓, 1,  

Functional Outcomes ⓘ

AntiCan↑, 2,   cardioP↑, 2,   cognitive↑, 1,   hepatoP↑, 1,   memory↑, 2,   neuroP↑, 4,   RenoP↑, 1,   toxicity∅, 1,  
Total Targets: 81

Scientific Paper Hit Count for: GSH, Glutathione
9 Lycopene
Query results interpretion may depend on "conditions" listed in the research papers.
Such Conditions may include : 
  -low or high Dose
  -format for product, such as nano of lipid formations
  -different cell line effects
  -synergies with other products 
  -if effect was for normal or cancerous cells

Filter Conditions: Pro/AntiFlg:%  IllCat:%  CanType:%  Cells:%  prod#:119  Target#:137  State#:%  Dir#:%
  wNotes=0  sortOrder:rid,rpid

 

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