Mechanisms of genomic and non-genomic actions of carotenoids

Carotenoids are highly bioactive dietary compounds that have the potential to have significant effects on human health. It is becoming increasingly clear that the various biological effects that carotenoids exert could be driven via a number of different mechanisms. These include direct pro- and antioxidant effects, redox sensitive cell signalling, vitamin A signalling pathways and other as yet unidentified mechanisms. This article provides an overview of the known effects of carotenoids and discusses the use of model systems and functional genomic approaches further to elucidate their modes of action.