The aim of this study was to determine the effects of lycopene administration as a protective agent against necrotic damage of NaF, a fluoride compound found to have high cytotoxic effects in the renal epithelial cell. Material- Method: The renal epithelial cell was cultured in DMEM high glucose medium, containing 10%FBS, 1%L-Glutamine (2mM) and 1% penicillin/streptomycin. With the MTT viability test, the non-toxic dose of lycopene (1 µM) and the IC50 value of NaF at the 24th hour was determined to be 3200 µM. The study groups were divided into four as control, NaF, lycopene and NaF+lycopene (the combination of NaF and lycopene). After the total mRNA obtained from these groups were converted to cDNA, expression levels of the identified necrotic genes were determined by real-time PCR method.While the Ripk1 gene did not change in the group given lycopene at the 24th hour, it was found that it increased 2.6 times in the group that received only fluoride, while it increased 7 times in the group treated with NaF+lycopene. A significant difference was detected between the groups in terms of gene expression pattern. While the Ripk3 gene increased slightly in the 24th hour applied lycopene group, it was observed that only NaF applied group increased 8 times and NaF+lycopene applied group increased in the 9 times.Based on the results obtained from this study, it was seen that activation of necrotic genes is important in explaining the molecular basis of cell death from NaF, which is applied as fluoride source, in revealing the molecular basis of the necrotic pathway. It was found that the decrease in cell viability due to NaF increased with lycopene, but the use of lycopene with fluoride also increased necrotic gene expression.

The consumption of fruits and vegetables is associated with a reduced risk of various ailments, including cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Carotenoids, such as lycopene and beta-carotene, are natural constituents of edible plants and may protect against disease. In this study, the influence of lycopene and beta-carotene on DNA damage caused by catechol-estrogens in vitro is examined. One possible mechanism by which catechol estrogens such as 4- hydroxyestradiol (4-OHE2) and 2- hydroxyestradiol, which cause DNA damage in naked plasmid DNA as well as in cells, contributing to the process of carcinogenesis, is through the generation of reactive oxygen species. It was found that both carotenoids at concentrations ranging from 0.25 to 10 MicroM significantly inhibit strand breakage induced by 4- OHE2/copper sulphate by up to 90%in plasmid DNA with beta-carotene being slightly more effective. No pro-oxidant or cytotoxic effects were observed at the concentrations tested. These carotenoids had a similar, though reduced effect on DNA damage as measured by the comet assay, in Chinese hamster lung fibroblasts. The results obtained show that both lycopene and beta-carotene, most probably and mainly through their potent antioxidant properties, are able to inhibit catecholestrogen-mediated DNA damage.