Effect of long-term consumption of carotenoid enriched corn on chemosensitivity of rat granulocyte–macrophage progenitor cells

Abstract

This essay investigates whether long-term dietary consumption of lutein- and zeaxanthin-enriched corn affects the chemosensitivity of rat hematopoietic progenitor cells to doxorubicin. Using a CFU-GM colony-forming assay, dose–response relationships were analyzed after prolonged feeding, revealing that doxorubicin reduced colony formation in all groups in a concentration-dependent manner. While individual supplementation with lutein or zeaxanthin showed a trend toward decreased chemosensitivity (higher IC50 values), combined supplementation unexpectedly increased sensitivity, as reflected by a lower IC50. These findings suggest that carotenoids may modulate hematopoietic responses to cytotoxic stress, potentially through antioxidant and membrane-related mechanisms. However, substantial variability and small sample sizes limit definitive conclusions regarding their protective effects. Overall, this study highlights the complex and context-dependent interaction between dietary antioxidants and chemotherapy-induced toxicity, warranting further investigation.