Positive Health Online

Abstract

PRAKASH and colleagues, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA, pprakash-mail@yahoo.com, examined, in vitro, the effect of beta-carotene (BC) on the morphology of small cell lung cancer cells (NCI-H69) that had undergone significant (p<0.05) BC-induced growth reduction.

Background

Methodology

Cells were grown at a density of 108 cells/L and cultured in the presence or absence of BC (20 mol/L). Morphology was examined using qualitative electron microscopy and quantitative image analysis.

Results

BC-treated cells contained more vacuoles than non-BC-treated cells and showed a significantly smaller nuclear roundness factor value ; this indicated that BC-treated cells had an irregular nuclear morphology . BC-treated cells had a significantly smaller major cell diameter and minor nuclear diameter and a significantly larger nuclear perimeter . BC cells also had a significantly lower ratio of nucleus to cytoplasm, indicating less malignant growth .

Conclusion

BC treatment of small cell lung cancer cells caused cell morphological changes along with a reduction in cell proliferation . Further studies are needed to confirm a direct effect of BC or its intracellular polar metabolites on the cell morphology.

References

Prakash P et al. Beta-carotene alters the morphology of NCI-H69 small cell lung cancer cells. The Journal of Nutrition 132 (1): 121-4. Jan 2002.