Grape seed flavanols decrease blood pressure via Sirt-1 and confer a vasoprotective pattern in rats

Z. Pons, M. Margalef, F.I. Bravo, A. Arola-Arnal, B. Muguerza

Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

© 2016 Elsevier Ltd.Involvement of nitric oxide (NO) in the antihypertensive effect of grape seed flavanols was previously demonstrated. This study investigates the endothelial vasoprotective pattern and the role of Sirtuin-1 (Sirt-1) in this antihypertensive effect. Cafeteria diet-fed hypertensive rats (CHR) were administered water or 375 mg/kg of a low-molecular grape seed polyphenol extract (LM-GSPE) rich in flavanols and sacrificed 6 h post-administration. Plasma endothelin-1 (ET-1) and aortic expression of NO pathway genes, NADPH oxidase subunit 4 (NOX4) and ET-1 genes were measured. LM-GPSE decreased plasma ET-1, upregulating eNOS and Sirt-1 and downregulating aortic gene expression of ET-1 and NADPH, the endothelial major producer of free radicals, indicating the vasoprotective effect of grape seed flavanols. Additionally, twenty-four spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were administered water or 375 mg/kg LM-GSPE and treated with 1 mg/kg sirtinol (inhibitor of Sirt-1). The antihypertensive effect of LM-GSPE was completely abolished by sirtinol, indicating that grape seed flavanols decrease BP in a Sirt-1-dependent manner.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)164-172
JournalJournal of Functional Foods
Volume24
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jun 2016
Externally publishedYes

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