Light Quality Modulates the Antioxidant Properties of "Microtom" Fruits: A Pilot Study Testing the Radioprotective...

Area of Science:

• Plant Science
• Nutritional Biochemistry
• Radiation Biology

Background:

• The cultivar 'Microtom' of *Solanum lycopersicum* (tomato) is rich in antioxidants.
• Radiotherapy (RT) for cancer can cause normal tissue damage, necessitating strategies to increase tolerance.
• Light quality influences phytochemical composition in plants, potentially affecting antioxidant properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how fluorescent white (FL) and red-blue (RB) light affect antioxidant content in tomato fruits.
• To assess the radioprotective potential of tomato extracts against radiation-induced DNA damage and oxidative stress in normal human cells.

Main Methods:

• Biochemical analysis of antioxidant compounds (polyphenols, flavonoids, carotenoids, lycopene, ascorbic acid) in tomato fruits grown under FL and RB light.
• Cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) assay to measure DNA damage in HaCaT cells treated with RB extracts post-irradiation.
• ROS detection assay and CBMN assay in MCF-10A cells treated with FL and RB extracts post-irradiation.

Main Results:

• RB light increased polyphenols, flavonoids, total carotenoids, and lycopene, while FL light boosted ascorbic acid.
• RB extracts significantly reduced radiation-induced DNA damage in HaCaT cells.
• Both FL and RB extracts provided radioprotection to MCF-10A cells, with RB showing greater suppression of micronuclei formation and oxidative stress.

Conclusions:

• Light quality modulation is a viable strategy to enhance antioxidant phytochemicals in tomatoes.
• Tomato extracts, particularly from RB-grown plants, demonstrate significant radioprotective effects.
• This approach offers a novel pathway for developing radionutraceuticals to mitigate radiotherapy side effects in patients.