Dietary flavonoids: Role of (-)-epicatechin and related procyanidins in cell signaling

• Autores: Fraga, César Guillermo; Oteiza, Patricia Isabel
• Año de publicación: 2011
• Idioma: inglés
• Tipo de recurso: artículo
• Materia: ANTIOXIDANT; CARDIOVASCULAR; FLAVONOIDS; FREE RADICALS; INFLAMMATION; INTESTINE; OXIDATIVE STRESS; POLYPHENOLS
• Institución: Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas

Plant polyphenols are among the most abundant phytochemicals present in human diets. Increasing evidence supports the health-promoting effects of certain polyphenols, including flavonoids. This review discusses current knowledge on the capacity of monomeric flavanols, i.e. (-)-epicatechin and (+)-catechin, and their derived procyanidins, to modulate cell signaling, and the associations of these actions with a better health. Flavanols and procyanidins can regulate cell signaling through different mechanisms of action. Monomers and dimeric procyanidins can be transported inside cells, and directly interact and modulate the activity of signaling proteins and/or prevent oxidation. Larger and non-absorbable procyanidins can regulate cell signaling by interacting with cell membrane proteins and lipids, inducing changes in membrane biophysics, and by modulating oxidant production. All these actions would be limited by the bioavailability of flavanols in at the target tissue. The protection from cardiac and vascular disease and from cancer associated with a high consumption of fruit and vegetables could be in part explained by the capacity of flavanols and related procyanidins to modulate pro-inflammatory and oncogenic signals.
Fil: Fraga, César Guillermo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Bioquímica y Medicina Molecular. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad Medicina. Instituto de Bioquímica y Medicina Molecular; Argentina
Fil: Oteiza, Patricia Isabel. University of California; Estados Unidos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina