Effects of lycopene on ROS generation in cardiomyocytes.

Neonatal cardiomyocytes were treated with or without 5μM lycopene for 4h prior to H/R treatment. ROS levels were visualized by DCF staining. (A) ROS generation was evaluated with flow cytometry using DCF fluorescence, the representative flow cytometry figures are from different groups. (B) The fluorescence intensity of the cells was calculated relative to that of control cells using flow cytometry from three independent experiments. (C) ROS production labeled by DCF fluorescence was monitored with confocal microscopy, representative images of ROS-positive cells (green, top row) and Hoechst counterstaining cells (blue, middle row) are shown in their representative fields. Scale bar: 20μm. (D) Quantitative analysis of the mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) from four different confocal microscopy scope fields in each group were averaged, the assays were repeated three times. Values are presented as mean ± SEM. **P<0.01 versus control, ^##P <0.01 versus H/R group. (Lyc, Lycopene. H/R, hypoxia/reoxygenation).