title: Resveratrol disrupts peroxynitrite-triggered mitochondrial apoptotic pathway: a role for Bcl-2.
abstract: Resveratrol (3,4',5-trihydroxystilbene) is a phytochemical believed to be partly responsible for the cardioprotective effects of red wine due to its numerous biological activities. Here, we studied biochemical pathways underlying peroxynitrite-mediated apoptosis in endothelial cells and potential mechanisms responsible for resveratrol cytoprotective action. Peroxynitrite triggered endothelial cell apoptosis through caspases-8, -9 and -3 activation implying both mitochondrial and death receptor apoptotic pathways. Resveratrol was able to prevent peroxynitrite-induced caspases-3 and -9 activation, but not caspase-8 activation. Additionally, peroxynitrite increased intracellular levels of Bax without affecting those of Bcl-2, increasing consequently the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. This ratio decreased when cells where pre-incubated with 10 and 50 muM resveratrol, mainly due to resveratrol ability per se to increase Bcl-2 intracellular levels without affecting Bax intracellular levels. These results propose an additional mechanism whereby resveratrol may exert its cardioprotective effects and suggest a key role for Bcl-2 in the resveratrol anti-apoptotic action, especially in disrupting peroxynitrite-triggered mitochondrial pathway.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Center of Neurosciences and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Couraça dos Apóstolos, 51, r/c, 3000-295, Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Paula M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Brito
authors.forename: Núria F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Simões
authors.forename: Leonor M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Teresa C P
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Dinis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D020169:Caspases / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002417:Cattle; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019610:Cytoprotection / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D030421:Peroxynitrous Acid / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D053218:Receptors, Death Domain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000077185:Resveratrol; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013267:Stilbenes / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D053218:Receptors, Death Domain; D013267:Stilbenes; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D030421:Peroxynitrous Acid; D020169:Caspases; D000077185:Resveratrol