DOI: 10.1111/1750-3841.71181 ISSN: 0022-1147
A Novel Strategy for Oxidative Damage: Lycopene Nanoformulations Improve Redox Homeostasis and Gut Microbiota Composition in Mice
Zhen Zuo, Dingyang Li, Changyi Nie, Jing Zhang, Yajie Gao, Yifan Qian, Tangaersi Tuoleken, Zhongxiong Fan, Jinyu LiABSTRACT
Lycopene use in water‐based foods is limited by poor dispersibility and low stability. Here, two food‐grade glyco‐carrier lycopene nanoformulations were prepared using dextran (lyc‐dextran) or
d
‐mannose (lyc‐mannose) and evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Both formed near‐spherical nanoparticles (190–252 nm) with negative
ζ
‐potentials (≈−26 to −28 mV) and predominantly noncovalent assembly; encapsulation efficiencies were 70.0% and 68.8%, respectively. Under thermal/photo stress (4–60°C; dark vs. 4000 lx), both nanoformulations increased lycopene retention; at 60°C/4000 lx, 300‐min retention was 40.78% for free lycopene versus ∼70%–72% (lyc‐dextran) and ∼62%–67% (lyc‐mannose). The nanoformulations showed strong chemical antioxidant capacity and alleviated H
2
O
2
‐induced oxidative injury in HUVECs (lower malondialdehyde [MDA], higher catalase [CAT]/superoxide dismutase [SOD]/glutathione peroxidase [GSH‐Px], with changes in Nrf2/SIRT3‐related proteins). In
d
‐galactose‐treated mice, interventions were associated with reduced hepatic MDA, elevated antioxidant enzyme activities, a lower AST/ALT ratio, and attenuated liver injury, accompanied by formulation‐associated shifts in gut microbiota structure. Overall, food‐grade glyco‐nanocarriers enhance lycopene stability and antioxidant‐related performance, supporting their potential for lycopene‐based nano‐functional foods.