French Paradox: A Mechanism Explains the Action of Resveratrol on the Cardiac System
Resveratrol: its action on the cardiac system
Dietary intake of resveratrol may inhibit the formation of inflammatory factors that contribute to cardiovascular diseases. This natural molecule, found also in grapes and wine, appears to work by binding to and activating a protein known as KSRP, which blocks the formation of inflammatory molecules.
This was established by a research group from the Department of Pharmacology at the University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg in Mainz, Germany. The results were published in the scientific journal Nucleic Acids Research.
Resveratrol and the French paradox
Despite consuming many fatty foods, the French tend to rarely develop heart disease compared to other populations. This so-called “French paradox” is attributed to the high consumption of red wine, especially typical in some regions of France. This phenomenon has been the subject of various studies in recent years.
Several studies have shown that resveratrol, a molecule naturally present in the skin of grapes and therefore also in red wine, seems to have a protective effect against cardiovascular diseases. Resveratrol belongs to the family of polyphenols, compounds that besides having strong antioxidant power also appear to exert other positive effects on the body. The biological action of this molecule on the cardiac system may be partly due to its ability to inhibit the synthesis of certain inflammatory factors.
Resveratrol blocks inflammation formation by acting on a protein
Using a combination of tests on both human cell samples and laboratory animals, the team demonstrated that grape-derived resveratrol inhibits the formation of inflammatory factors involved in the progression of heart diseases. Professor Andrea Junior Pautz and his research team discovered that this natural substance binds to a protein called KSRP, activating it.
Once activated, this protein can act on messenger RNA, a molecule necessary for transferring gene information, and block the formation of certain inflammatory molecules. These results help explain more precisely how resveratrol can inhibit inflammation by acting on genetic material.
Resveratrol has significant therapeutic potential
According to the researchers, this discovery is important considering that cardiovascular disorders, such as myocardial infarction and stroke, often occur in association with chronic inflammatory diseases like arthritis. Resveratrol could therefore have important therapeutic potential for treating inflammatory conditions that may lead to serious damage to the cardiovascular system.
Source: F. Bollmann et al., Resveratrol post-transcriptionally regulates pro-inflammatory gene expression via regulation of KSRP RNA binding activity, Nucleic Acids Research 42:20, 12555-12569, 28 October 2014.
