Journal of Biochemistry Advance Access published online on November 4, 2007
Journal of Biochemistry, doi:10.1093/jb/mvm209
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© 2007 The Japanese Biochemical Society
Effect of low doses of red wine and pure resveratrol on circulating endothelial progenitor cells
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Department of Chemical Biology and Physics, II University of Naples, 80138 Naples, Italy; *Department of General Pathology, Division of Clinical Pathology, II University of Naples, Naples 80138, Italy; ¶Excellence Research Center of Cardiovascular Diseases, II University of Naples, Naples 80138, Italy.
°To whom correspondence should be addressed: Dr. Maria Luisa Balestrieri, II University of Naples; Complesso S. Andrea delle Dame; Via L. de Crecchio 7; Naples, 80138. Italy. e-mail- marialuisa.balestrieri{at}unina2.it
Received September 14, 2007; Accepted October 10, 2007
| Abstract |
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Circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) play a significant role in neovascularization of ischemic tissues and in re-endothelization of injured blood vessels. Identification of compounds able to enhance EPC levels and improve their functional activity, noticeably compromised by risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD), is of clinical interest. This study evaluates the effects of red wine on EPCs. After being isolated from total peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), EPC phenotype was confirmed by the presence of double positive cells for DiLDL uptake and lectin binding and by expression of CD34, CD133, and VE-cadherin cell surface markers. Long term culture in the presence of red wine (1 µl/ml), containing resveratrol at physiological concentration (nM), determined a time-dependent amelioration of cell number (P<0.05). The presence of red wine prevented the TNF-
-induced reduction of EPC number (P<0.05) and this effect was accompanied by reduced p38-phosphorylation expression levels (P<0.05) and increased NOx levels (P< 0.05) Indeed, pure resveratrol alone significantly improved the TNF-
–reduced EPC number (P<0.05). This evidence indicates a novel beneficial effects of red wine and resveratrol in the positive modulation of EPCs levels.
Key Words: antioxidants, endothelial progenitor cells, red wine, resveratrol