Due to the unreasonable use and discharge of the aquaculture industry, over standard of the antibiotics has been frequent in different types of water environments, causing adverse effects on aquatic organisms. Lycopene (LYC) is an esculent carotenoid, which is considered to be a strong antioxidant. This study was designed to explore the therapeutic effect of LYC on antibiotic (sulfamethoxazole (SMZ)) induced intestinal injury in grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella. The 120 carps (the control, LYC, SMZ, and co-administration groups) were treated for 30 days. We found that treatment with LYC significantly suppressed SMZ-induced intestinal epithelial cell damage and tight junction protein destruction through histopathological observation, transmission electron microscopy and detection of related genes (Claudin-1/3/4, Occludin and zonula occludens (ZO)-1/2). Furthermore, LYC mitigated SMZ-induced dysregulation of oxidative stress markers, including elevated malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and consumed super oxide dimutese (SOD), catalase (CAT) activities and glutathione (GSH) content. In the same treatment, LYC reduced inflammation and apoptosis by a detectable change in pro-inflammatory factors (tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-β), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and IL-8), anti-inflammatory factors (transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) and IL-10) and pro-apoptosis related genes (p53, p53 upregulated modulator of apoptosis (PUMA), Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, caspase-3/9). In addition, activation of autophagy (as indicated by increased autophagy-related genes through AMPK/ATK/MTOR signaling pathway) under the stress of SMZ was also dropped back to the original levels by LYC co-administration. Collectively, our findings identified that LYC can serve as a protectant agent against SMZ-induced intestinal injury.

Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a widespread plasticizer that persists in the environment and can significantly contribute to serious health hazards of liver especially oxidative stress injury. Lycopene (LYC) as a carotenoid has recently gained widespread attention because of antioxidant activity. However, the potential mechanism of DEHP-induced hepatotoxicity and antagonism effect of LYC on it are still unclear. To explore the underlying mechanisms of this hypothesis, the mice were given by gavage with LYC (5 mg/kg) and DEHP (500 or 1000 mg/kg). The data suggested that DEHP caused liver enlargement, reduction of antioxidant activity markers, increase of oxidative stress indicators and disorder of cytochrome P450 enzymes system (CYP450s) homeostasis. DEHP-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) activated the NF-E2-relatedfactor2 (Nrf2) and nuclear xenobiotic receptors (NXRs) system including Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), Pregnane X receptor (PXR) and Constitutive androstane receptor (CAR). Interestingly, these disorders and injuries were prevented after LYC treatment. Taken together, DEHP administration resulted in hepatotoxicity including oxidative stress injury and disordered CYP450 system, but these alterations might be ameliorated by LYC via crosstalk between AHR–Nrf2 pathway.

The current study for the first time demonstrates the interference of a free-living, N₂-fixing, and nanoparticle (NP) tolerant Azotobacter salinestris strain ASM recovered from metal-polluted soil with tomato plant-metal oxide NPs (ZnO, CuO, Al₂O₃, and TiO₂) interactions in a sandy clay loam soil system with bulk materials as control. Tomato plants were grown till full maturity in soils amended with 20–2000 mg kg⁻¹ of each metal-oxide NP with and without seed biopriming and root-inoculation of A. salinestris. A. salinestris was found metabolically active, producing considerably high amounts of bioactive indole-3-acetic-acid, morphologically unaffected, and with low alteration of cell membrane permeability under 125–1500 μgml⁻¹ of NPs. However, ZnO-NPs slightly alter bacterial membrane permeability. Besides, A. salinestris secreted significantly higher amounts of extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) even under NP exposure, which could entrap the NPs and form metal-EPS complex as revealed and quantified by SEM-EDX. NPs were also found adsorbed on bacterial biomass. EPS stabilized the NPs and provided negative zeta potential to NPs. Following soil application, A. salinestris improved the plant performance and augmented the yield of tomato fruits and lycopene content even in NPs stressed soils. Interestingly, A. salinestris inoculation enhanced photosynthetic pigment formation, flower attributes, plant and fruit biomass, and reduced proline level. Bacterial inoculation also reduced the NP’s uptake and accumulation significantly in vegetative organs and fruits. The organ wise order of NP’s internalization was roots > shoots > fruits. Conclusively, A. salinestris inoculation could be an alternative to increase the production of tomato in metal-oxide NPs contaminated soils.

Bisphenol A (BPA) leads to ROS production that considered the core of different inflammatory and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases. As a natural antioxidant, lycopene plays a significant role in the prevention of many chronic diseases. This study aimed to investigate the possible protective role of lycopene against BPA-induced lung alterations using morphometric, histological, immunohistochemical and biochemical methods. Forty rats aged 3 months were divided into four groups (n=10): control group, lycopene group comprising rats that received lycopene by gavage (10 mg/kg /day) for 30 days, BPA group comprising rats that received BPA by gavage (50 mg/kg/day) for 30 days and lycopene + BPA group. On the 30th day, blood and lung tissue samples were collected for biochemical, histological and immunohistochemical studies. Morphometrical and statistical analyses were performed. The BPA group revealed significantly elevated IL-1B, IL-6, MDA and NO, and it showed significantly reduced IL-10, SOD, CAT and GSH when compared to the control and lycopene + BPA groups. Upon histopathological and immunohistochemical examination, lycopene supplementation improved the BPA-induced alveolar collapse, lymphocytic infiltration, extravasated RBCs and fibrosis. The lycopene + BPA group showed significantly reduced mean percentage of 8-OHdG immunopositive and mean area percentages of Bax and caspase 3 immunopositive cells and significantly reduced mean area percentage of Bcl2 immunopositive cells as compared with the BPA group. Lycopene is a protective agent against BPA-induced lung injury because of its anti-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, as confirmed by biochemical and histological studies.

UV-C exposure has become a crucial risk for living organisms due to its widespread use in sterilization. In this study, the mitigating potential of lycopene was investigated against UV-C-mediated toxicity in Allium cepa L. roots. Allium bulbs were separated into six groups which treated with tap water, 215 mg/L lycopene, 430 mg/L lycopene, 254-nm UV radiation, 215 mg/L lycopene + 254-nm UV radiation, and 430 mg/L lycopene + 254-nm UV radiation. Germination percentage, root length, weight gain, mitotic index, micronucleus frequency, and other chromosomal aberrations as well as meristematic cell damages were investigated in all groups. Malondialdehyde level and the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase enzymes were also analyzed to understand the severity of oxidative stress. UV-C radiation was revealed to negatively affect all parameters investigated, while the mitigating activities of lycopene against UV-C-mediated toxicity were dose-dependent. Therefore, the study evidently demonstrated the promising potential of lycopene in the protection against the detrimental effects of UV-C exposure in A. cepa.

The present study focused on the full valorization of the tomato by-product, also known as tomato pomace consisting mainly of tomato peels and tomato seeds, by recovering natural antioxidants and edible oil, and subsequently reutilizing the leftover solid residues for the production of low-cost biosorbent. The tomato peel extract recovered using ethanol as food-grade solvent contained high phenol and flavonoid contents (199.35 ± 0.35-mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g and 102.10 ± 0.03-mg quercetin equivalent (QE)/g, respectively). Even its lower content of lycopene (3.67 ± 0.04 mg/100 g), tomato peel extract showed potent antioxidant activity and can be therefore used as natural antioxidants either for food or cosmetic applications. High nutritional quality edible oil (17.15%) was extracted from tomato seeds and showed richness in unsaturated fatty acids (74.62%), with linoleic acid being the most abundant polyunsaturated fatty acid (49.70%). After recovery of these valuable compounds, the extraction solid leftovers were used to produce low-cost biosorbent tested for dye removal. Results showed that the highest biosorption yields were increasingly attributed to the acidic, direct, anthraquinone, then reactive dyes. Overall, the obtained results strongly support the complete utilization of tomato pomace for the recovery of valuable compounds and the sequential production of low-cost biosorbent.

Protected cultivation has a significant contribution in vegetable production. We investigated whether humic acid addition to soil and Piriformospora indica can improve the nutritional quality of greenhouse tomato. We conducted a pot experiment, in which the effects of P. indica inoculation, humic acid addition, and Cu spiking to soil (0, 120, 240, and 500 ppm Cu) were tested. Humic acid addition to soil spiked with 500 ppm Cu decreased the Cu concentration in the fruits of plants inoculated with P. indica from 0.65 to 0.40 mg 100 g Fw⁻¹, which is still above the maximum allowed limits of Cu in tomato by World Health Organization (WHO). The lycopene and ascorbic acid content of tomato fruits were consistently improved by humic acid addition and P. indica inoculation. The antioxidant enzymes’ activity changed in response to humic acid addition, Cu spiking to soil, and P. indica inoculation. With increasing Cu level up to 240 ppm, the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) increased significantly. However, with spiking more Cu to soil, the activity of antioxidant enzymes reduced and the MDA content increased significantly. Addition of humic acid to soil and/or presence of P. indica increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes when the soil spiked with 500 ppm Cu. This study indicated that addition of P. indica and humic acid to the soil can enhance the nutritional quality of greenhouse tomato by reduction of Cu toxicity as a common pollutant in the greenhouse media and increasing the antioxidant content of fruits.

In this study, toxic effects of spirodiclofen and protective role of lycopene against toxic effects were investigated by using physiological, cytogenetic, anatomical, and biochemical parameters. Allium cepa L. bulbs were used as test material. The bulbs were divided into six groups as one control and five application groups. Bulb in the control group was germinated with tap water, and in treatment groups, 20-mg L⁻¹ dose of spirodiclofen 215- and 430-mg L⁻¹ doses of lycopene were applied. Spirodiclofen application caused a decrease in physiological parameters such as germination percentage, root length, and weight increase. Spirodiclofen administration caused a decrease in the percentage of mitotic index (MI) and an increase in DNA fragmentation, micronucleus (MN), and chromosomal aberration (CA) frequency. Spirodiclofen application caused an increase in the level of the oxidant compound malondialdehyde (MDA), changes in the level of antioxidant enzymes, and disruption of the oxidant/antioxidant balance in the cell. Molecular interactions between spirodiclofen and antioxidant enzymes were determined by molecular docking analysis. In addition to physiological, biochemical, and genetic abnormalities, spirodiclofen also caused deformations in the anatomy of the A. cepa root tip meristematic cells. Lycopene treatment showed a protective effect by suppressing the toxic effects of spirodiclofen, causing a significant improvement in the values of selected physiological, cytogenetic, anatomical, and biochemical parameters. As a result, spirodiclofen insecticide caused toxic effects on various parameters in A. cepa, which is a eukaryotic model organism. In order to elucidate the toxicity mechanism, each parameter is associated with each other. Molecular docking method has revealed the effects of spirodiclofen on antioxidant enzymes. Lycopene application together with spirodiclofen resulted in the regression of all toxic effects and improvement in the root tissue. This result shows that lycopene has a strong protective property against spirodiclofen toxicity.

The quantities of residual mulch film in the soil will further increase with the wide application of agricultural plastic mulch film, and the pollution of residual mulch film, which is a continuous pollutant and the one that is difficult to degrade, is a major limiting factor for the sustainable development of agriculture in China. Residual mulch film in the soil inevitably affects soil hydrodynamic parameters, destroys the homogeneity of the soil texture, seriously impedes the movement of soil water and solutes, and thus greatly influences crop growth and fruit quality. To unravel the effects of residual mulch film on tomato growth and fruit quality, pot experiments in the greenhouse were carried out in 2015 and 2016 in Northwest China. Six levels of residual mulch film were applied: 0 kg ha⁻¹ (CK), 80 kg ha⁻¹ (T1), 160 kg ha⁻¹ (T2), 320 kg ha⁻¹ (T3), 640 kg ha⁻¹ (T4), and 1280 kg ha⁻¹ (T5). Plant height, stem diameter, dry biomass, yield, root length, root surface area, fruit shape index (FSI), soluble sugar content (SSC), organic acid (OA), vitamin C (VC), lycopene, and nitrate content (NC) were measured. Plant height, stem diameter, dry biomass, and yield of tomato had a downward trend as the residual mulch film amount increased. Root length and root surface area were significantly decreased with an increasing amount of residual mulch film, but root volume and root diameter showed an inconspicuous decrease. When the amount of residual mulch film was more than 80 kg ha⁻¹, growth indexes, dry biomass, and yield of tomato showed a sharp decline. FSI, OA, and lycopene decreased as the residual mulch film amount increased, whereas SSC, VC, and NC showed an increase trend. With the increase in residual mulch film amount, the F and membership function values (X μ) all showed a declining trend in comparison to the CK. Therefore, residual mulch film can aggravate the negative effects on the comprehensive fruit quality of tomato.

The objective of the present study was to assess the response of tomato cultivars with different fruit colors to exposure to increasing Cd levels in the substrate by measuring the impacts of Cd on the oxidative stress indicators and physicochemical features of fruits, as well as plant development and yield components. A completely randomized experiment in a 3 × 3 factorial design [tomato cultivar (which produces purple, red, or white fruits) vs Cd level in the substrate (0, 3.6, or 12 mg kg⁻¹)] was performed. The cultivation of plants in substrate containing 3.6 mg kg⁻¹ Cd did not affect yield, but fruits exhibited nonpermissive Cd concentrations in both peel and mesocarp across all cultivars. By contrast, yield was decreased in plants with red and white fruits after their cultivation in substrate containing 12 mg kg⁻¹ Cd, while the productivity of plants with purple fruits was maintained under such conditions. The hydrogen peroxide content in the fruit mesocarp depended only on cultivar. However, an increased lipid peroxidation level was detected in the mesocarp of purple fruits at the highest Cd concentration. No parameters of fruit quality [i.e., diameter, length, °Brix, pH, titratable acidity, color (L*, a*, and b*), and concentrations of lycopene and β-carotene in mesocarp] were affected by long-term exposure to Cd at 12 mg kg⁻¹. In conclusion, the results of this study suggested that the potential Cd side effects on diverse tomato quality features can be buffered at the fruit level because these features were maintained at the usual values despite high Cd concentrations in tomato peel and pulp. Moreover, these buffering mechanisms are independent of lycopene and β-carotene concentrations in fruit peel, since the three tomato cultivars that were evaluated in the present study (white fruits, possessing no or negligible concentrations of these carotenoids, and red and purple tomato, possessing high lycopene and β-carotene concentrations) were able to sustain several fruit quality parameters after long-term exposure to high Cd concentrations in the substrate.