RevGenetics Blog
Posts Tagged ‘Resveratrol’
Resveratrol News
22November2011
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Obesity is a major problem in Western cultures since it increases the likelihood for diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer and osteoarthritis. A straightforward solution may be to eat less, in what is referred in the scientific community as caloric restrictions. It is well documented in various animal and cell models, that a 30-50% caloric restriction can not only reduce the incidence of cancer and diabetes but also improve stress resistance and decelerate other age-related functional declines such mental abilities.
What is remarkable about caloric restriction is that once the body gets used to the lower calories, physiologically it functions in a more efficient matter and acquires an improved metabolic profile. These observations and others have led to studies with the objective of looking for compounds that can mimic caloric restriction without actually cutting calories.
Resveratrol is one such compound. Resveratrol’s capacity to activate the same proteins that are also active when animals or cells have undergone caloric restriction has been remarkable. However, although many studies have been done on human cells few studies have actually been done on humans.
In a current study published in the journal Cell Metabolism, the researchers did exactly that (Cell Metabolism 2011, Vol. 14 page 612). The researchers gave obese people (but who otherwise did not suffer from any other condition), a dietary supplement of trans-resveratrol over thirty days and then examined several physiological parameters among them, whole body energy expenditure, fat storage, and the ability of fat tissue to breakdown fat molecules.
Remarkably the data showed that like caloric restriction, in thirty days resveratrol was able to lower energy expenditure, improve metabolic profile and improve general health parameters (such as decreases in glucose, insulin and triglyceride concentrations in the blood).
Resveratrol News
5May2011
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Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is one of the most aggressive tumors with a very low median survival rate of 14.8 months. Sadly it is also the most common primary brain tumor.
Although multiple studies have been done on this cancer few have yielded good results in large part due to the brain barrier’s ability to select out therapeutic chemicals. So efforts to ameliorate the disease are welcomed, even if they involve baby steps in the direction of more efficient treatments and increased patient survival rate.
In a recent publication aimed at maximizing therapeutic treatment and determining the molecular mechanisms of resveratrol has on GBM, resulted in favorable outcome (Journal of Cellular Physiology 2011 April online).
In the research article the investigators systematic approach first involved establishing the function and needs of the GBM cancer, in this case the cancer needed the activation of a protein called STAT3. They then demonstrated in both animal and cell models that treating with resveratrol in combination with radiation increased the likelihood of the cancer cell dying. As far as the mechanism, they determined that STAT3 was inhibited by this combination treatment.
Bottom line, survival rated was significantly improved. A good baby step in the right direction.
Resveratrol, Brain Cancer and Arthritis
18March2011
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Malignant glioblastoma is currently a difficult cancer to treat because its ability to diffuse, rate of recurrence and resistance to treatment. As the most prevalent type of brain tumor, glioblastoma has the worst prognosis of a central nervous cancer with medial survival rate of 14 months.
In a current study published in the journal of agricultural and food chemistry (J agric Food Chem (web) March 2011) a group from Italy, conducted experiments to determine the anticancer properties of resveratrol on a human glioblastoma cultures. The results of their experiments determined that resveratrol was able to stop the growth of the tumor cells and limit the ability of the cells to migrate.
In addition to these findings the researchers observed that once the cells were treated with resveratrol the protection lasted four days. These observations collectively support the possibility of using resveratrol to be administered in the chemotherapy regimen of these cancers. Giving a little more hope ways to treat this deadly cancer.
In another study published in the same journal, resveratrol was used to treat arthritis (journal of agricultural and food chemistry (web) March 2011). In their study, this group compared other stilbenes (analog molecules similar to resveratrol) and their ability to treat arthritis. In the study, the method that researchers used to measure anti-inflammatory arthiritis effects was measuring the compounds involved with inducing inflammation. They observed that by a combination of various stilbenes they were able to decrease the inflammation due to arthritis.
Resveratrol Dose By The Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
3February2011
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Occasionally scientific journals will ask leading scientist to write reviews that in their opinion highlight the most important discoveries on a subject of interest. A new series of articles have been recently published by the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences highlighting the many functions of resveratrol (Volume 1215, Resveratrol and Health).
We have selected a few of these articles and briefly reviewed those articles that may be of relevance to individuals taking resveratrol. The first of these articles deals with resveratrol and its effects on cancer mechanisms (pages 1-8). The article does a very good job at describing some of the pathways that are important for resveratrol’s anticancer properties.
For example, the authors go over the data that clearly indicates that apoptosis (a method of killing cells) is important for chemoprevention which is enhanced by resveratrol. (There is another article that specifically addresses the apoptotic properties of resveratrol on pages 79-88). Equally important is the conclusion they make which is what many have suspected all along: “resveratrol hold [a] tremendous potential as an efficient anticancer drug of the future”.
This article is followed by a review on our current understanding of the bioavailability and metabolism of resveratrol with an emphasis on humans (pages 9-15). Interestingly, this article also discusses the resveratrol analogs that may help improve bioavailability of resveratrol to our cells. On this note, there is an article (pages 131-137) that discusses clinical data supporting the uptake of 450 mg/day.
The next article (pages 16-21), deals with the cardioprotective effects of resveratrol. In short, the coronary heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in the United States and for Western cultures. The strengths of this article may be the section where the authors discuss the many proteins specifically targeted by resveratrol, such as NQO2, and suggest a framework for uncovering how these proteins are aided by resveratrol.
Another article in this compendium that also discusses cardioprotective effects but takes a different angle is on pages 117-122. However, in this article the authors emphasize more the vascular system as a whole and then how resveratrol’s anti-inflammatory properties may be the mechanism for preventing or reducing the vascular aging in the elderly. In short there many interesting article in this collection that merit some reading.
Resveratrol and Breast Cancer
25January2011
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In 1997 it was discovered that resveratrol has anti-cancer properties. Since then, many researchers have been working on resveratrol’s mechanism of action. This passed month has been fruitful in the of breast cancer field. Breast cancer is the second most common diagnosed cancer in women accounting for 28% of cases.
In an effort to understand this cancer, a group of researchers compared multiple breast cancer cell lines treated with resveratrol and rapamycin (a commonly used immunosuppressant drug used to treat patients with organ transplants) (Cancer letters Volume 301, February 2011, pages 168-176).
Their objective was to determine which proteins are involved in the inhibition of the breast cancer cells. What they found was that P13K/AKT pathway was involved. For those not familiar with this proteins, it should be noted that these proteins (P13K/AKT) have been associated with regulating pathways associated with “turning on” telomerase activity but also linked to better health and extension of cellular life.
Furthermore, these discoveries also open up the platform for potential new drugs targets and/or therapeutic combinations, which is always valuable information for researchers and us. Another interesting research concerning breast cancer cell lines involved using resveratrol and its derivatives such as triacetyl-resveratrol and trimethoxy-resveratrol as cancer preventative activities (International Journal of Cancer January 2011, Published online ahead of print).
Specifically, these different compounds where compared for their ability to stop breast cancer cell growth and shut down the gene expression involved with breast cancer cells. Their results indicated that resveratrol and triacetyl-resveratrol primarily worked via similar signals providing clues that these compounds may be better suited to aid as a breast cancer preventer than trimethoxy-resveratrol.
Rats with oxidative organ damage, and resveratrol
25January2011
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In a research article published online this November, a group of scientist tested resveratrol’s ability to improve cardiovascular function (Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, vol 62 issue 12 pp1784-1793). In this study they took rats and induced oxidative organ damages to the heart, kidneys and brain tissues. They then treated the rats with either resveratrol or saline (as a point of reference). What the group observed is that after a 6-week treatment, those rats treated with resveratrol reversed all the measured damages and improved cardiovascular function.
Resveratrol and strokes discussion
25January2011
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The blood-brain barrier is tissue that is separating normal circulating blood from the central nervous system (i.e., the brain). This barrier is essential for maintaining the normal environment and function of the brain. Cerebrovascular endothelial cells (CEC) are the main tissue that makes up the blood-brain barrier by creating tight junctions between themselves and not allowing for dissolved components in the blood from affecting the brain. However, this system is not perfect. Studies have shown that oxidized LDL (commonly referred as the “bad cholesterol”) can damage the CEC to the point of causing cell death, which would then leave the barrier vulnerable to all types of compounds. In a current study, a group of researchers decided to evaluate the protective effects of resveratrol on CEC treated with oxidized LDL (Journal of Nutrition, 2010, vol 140, no. 12:2187-2192). What the authors observed was that resveratrol was able to completely normalized the injuries to CEC that altered the permeability of the blood brain barrier. Furthermore they also noticed that disruption to the tight junction proteins was prevented and other organs, i.e. the mitochondria, within the CEC were also left undamaged when treated with resveratrol. These results are very promising considering that keeping damages to the blood-brain barrier can result in prevention or treatment of brain-related diseases such as strokes.
Resveratrol and anti-aging properties in skin
25January2011
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In an article released ahead of press in the Journal of Gerontology, a group of scientists reports that treating a human fibroblast cells line (a cell found on our skin tissue) demonstrated a delay in aging (Journal of Gerontology A Biol Sci Med Sci., 2010 Sep 24). The fibroblast cell line (called MRC5), was not only able to replicate more than the control cells (in other words delay cellular aging) but it also maintained a more youthful cellular appearance as measured by its DNA content and increases in its nuclear size. The authors also reported that not only were the cells delaying aging but were also more resistant to DNA oxidative damage. With regards to the mechanism of action used by resveratrol, the authors discuss the activation of sirtuin proteins being involved. Given the fact that sirtuin targets: histones and p53 proteins were deacetylated at a higher frequency than the control cells.
Discussion of resveratrol and curcumin as chemopreventative agents and anticancer drug.
25January2011
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In October their were many exciting papers describing research on resveratrol. Two independent reviews discuss the combined use of resveratrol and curcumin as chemopreventative agents and anticancer drug (Nutrition and Cancer Volume 62, Issue 7 October 2010, pp. 958-967 and Molecules 2010, 15, pp. 7035-7074). In Nutrition and Cancer, the authors discuss the importance of using natural compounds that can target carcinogenic pathways without adverse side effects. Resveratrol and curcumin were the compounds discussed in the article that were used as a method for preventing colorectal cancer. Targeting colorectal cancer is an appealing idea given the fact that it is the second cause of cancer death in the western culture but also because it is a slow developing cancer. The speed of progression from the adenoma stage to a carcinoma can take up to 10 years. This allows for a window of opportunity were treatments could destroy or further slow the cancer. The second article in the journal Molecules, reviews the mechanisms of how these two compounds might be working to slow or kill leukemic cells. This article mentions how these two compounds are currently being tested in clinical trials for their anticancer abilities. In addition, the paper discusses different resveratrol and curcumin analogous molecules ability to antagonize cancer cells but also discusses the bioavailability of these compounds once ingested.
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