Carotenoids located in human lymphocyte subpopulations and natural killer cells by Raman microspectroscopy

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Abstract
The presence and subcellular location of carotenoids in human lymphocyte sub-populations (CD4+, CD8+, T-cell receptor-γδ+, and CD19+ ) and natural killer cells (CD16+ ) were studied by means of Raman microspectroscopy. In CD4+ lymphocytes a high concentration (∼10−3M) of carotenoids was found in the Gall body. In CD8+ lymphocytes, T-cell-receptor-γδ+ lymphocytes and in natural killer cells carotenoids appeared to be concentrated (∼10−4M) in the Golgi complex. The concentration of carotenoids in CD19+ lymphocytes was found to be below the present detection limit, which is ∼10−6 to 10−5 M. The results provide new possibilities to investigate the mechanism(s) behind the suggested protective role of carotenoids against the development of cancers.