Oxidative stress and inflammatory reaction modulation by white wine

Area of Science:

• Food Science and Nutrition
• Biochemistry
• Immunology

Background:

• Wine and olive oil are key to the Mediterranean diet, linked to healthy lifestyles.
• Tyrosol (T) and caffeic acid (CA) are phenolic compounds found in both extra virgin olive oil and white wine.
• These compounds possess known antioxidant properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze T and CA content in white wines from Italy and Germany.
• To evaluate the antioxidant activity of T and CA.
• To investigate the capacity of T and CA to modulate inflammatory cytokines (IL-1 beta, IL-6, TNF-alpha).

Main Methods:

• Quantification of T and CA in selected white wines.
• Assessment of antioxidant activity using a redox-sensitive probe and laser scanning confocal microscopy.
• Incubation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) with varying doses of T and CA following LPS stimulation to measure cytokine levels (IL-1 beta, IL-6, TNF-alpha).

Main Results:

• T and CA significantly reduced oxidant generation at nanomolar concentrations.
• LPS-stimulated PBMC showed increased cytokine release.
• T and CA modulated the expression of IL-1 beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha in a dose-dependent manner, even at nanomolar concentrations.

Conclusions:

• White wine non-alcoholic compounds, specifically T and CA, exhibit significant antioxidant effects.
• These compounds demonstrate a capacity to modulate inflammatory responses by affecting key cytokine expression.
• The findings suggest a beneficial role of white wine's phenolic compounds in mitigating oxidative stress and inflammation.