Common and rare genetic variation intersects with ancestry to influence human skin and plasma carotenoid concentrations.

Carotenoids are dietary bioactive compounds with health effects that are biomarkers of fruit and vegetable intake. Here, we examine genetic associations with plasma and skin carotenoid concentrations in two rigorously phenotyped human cohorts (n=317). Analysis of genome-wide SNPs revealed heritability to vary by genetic ancestry (h=0.

A reflection-spectroscopy measured skin carotenoid score strongly correlates with plasma concentrations of all major dietary carotenoid species except for lycopene.

Skin carotenoids can be measured non-invasively using spectroscopy methods to provide a biomarker of total dietary carotenoid and carotenoid-rich fruit and vegetable intake. However, the degree to which skin carotenoid biomarkers reflect intakes of specific carotenoids must be determined for specific devices. Previously, findings were mixed regarding the correlation between reflection spectroscopy (RS)-assessed skin carotenoids and individual plasma carotenoid concentrations.

Quantitative and Kinetic Proteomics Reveal ApoE Isoform-dependent Proteostasis Adaptations in Mouse Brain.

Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) polymorphisms modify the risk of Alzheimer's disease with ApoE4 strongly increasing and ApoE2 modestly decreasing risk relative to the control ApoE3. To investigate how ApoE isoforms alter risk, we measured changes in proteome homeostasis in transgenic mice expressing a human ApoE gene (isoform 2, 3, or 4). The regulation of each protein's homeostasis is observed by measuring turnover rate and abundance for that protein.

Skin Carotenoids Measured by Reflection Spectroscopy Correlates with Vegetable Intake Frequency in Adolescents of Racial and Ethnic Minorities in Houston, Texas.

Background: Objective methods are needed to assess adolescent fruit and vegetable (F/V) intake to better evaluate interventions aimed at improving F/V intake. Skin carotenoid concentration measures provide a potential objective biomarker of F/V intake, but the plausibility and robustness must be established across adolescent populations.

Objective: The objective of this study is to evaluate the relationship between pressure-mediated reflection spectroscopy-measured skin carotenoid scores (SCSs) and self-reported F/V intake frequency among US racial and ethnic minority adolescents in Houston, TX.