title: Resveratrol suppresses IL-6-induced ICAM-1 gene expression in endothelial cells: effects on the inhibition of STAT3 phosphorylation.
abstract: Resveratrol, a polyphenolic phytoaxelin present in red wine, has been suggested to protect against atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease because of its antioxidant effects. Intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM-1), induced by cytokines, has been hypothesized to play a role in the early events during atherosclerosis. In this study we tested the effects of resveratrol upon both IL-6-induced ICAM-1 gene expression and its underlying signaling pathways in endothelial cells (ECs). Resveratrol was found to inhibit both TNFalpha- and IL-6-induced ICAM-1 gene expression at the promoter, transcriptional and protein levels. Resveratrol also abrogates the tyr705 phosphorylation of STAT3 in IL-6-treated ECs, in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Although quercetin had similar effects, resveratrol showed higher inhibitory properties following 2-4 h pretreatments. Resveratrol has been shown to induce the activity of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and increase NO production. Consistent with this, the treatment of ECs with a NO donor (SNAP) reduces IL-6-induced STAT3 phosphorylation. Conversely, exposure of ECs to a NOS inhibitor reversed the effects of resveratrol upon IL-6-induced STAT3 phosphorylation. Furthermore, ECs transfected with constitutively active Rac1 (RacV12) showed increases in ICAM-1 promoter activity, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and STAT3 phosphorylation, and these increases were attenuated by resveratrol treatment. In summary, we demonstrate for the first time that resveratrol inhibits IL-6-induced ICAM-1 gene expression, in part, by interfering with Rac-mediated pathways via the attenuation of STAT3 phosphorylation. This study therefore provides important new insights that may contribute to the proposed beneficial effects of resveratrol in endothelial responses to cytokines during inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Microbiology, National Chiayi University, Chiayi, Taiwan. bswung@mail.ncyu.edu.tw
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Wung
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Hsieh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002417:Cattle; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004336:Drug Antagonism; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects*; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011794:Quercetin / Q000494:pharmacology; D000077185:Resveratrol; D026423:S-Nitroso-N-Acetylpenicillamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D013267:Stilbenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014162:Transfection; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology; D020830:rac1 GTP-Binding Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D015850:Interleukin-6; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; D013267:Stilbenes; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D026423:S-Nitroso-N-Acetylpenicillamine; D011794:Quercetin; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D020830:rac1 GTP-Binding Protein; D000077185:Resveratrol