Abstract: C57BL/6 mice challenged with streptozotocin (STZ) were used as an animal model of diabetes mellitus (DM) to study the protective effect of lycopene (Lyc) on functions of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) to evaluate its potential in the prevention and treatment of DM vascular complications. The results showed that a significant difference in the number of EPCs derived from peripheral blood was observed between diabetic and normal mice. The migration ability, tube formation ability and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) protein expression level of bone marrow-derived EPCs in diabetic mice were obviously lower than those in normal mice. STZ accelerated oxidative stress and the onset of EPCs senescence. Based on our results, long-term administration with 30 mg/kg Lyc significantly relieved oxidative stress and the senescence of EPCs, and increased the VEGF protein expression level, migration ability and tube formation ability of EPCs when compared with the model group. Lycopene, as a food phytochemical, has the potential to be used in the prevention and treatment of DM vascular complications.

Key words: lycopene, endothelial progenitor cells, streptozotocin, diabetes mellitus, oxidative damage