Different redox response elicited by naturally occurring antioxidants in human endothelial cells

Evidences that higher natural antioxidant (NA) intake provides protection against cardiovascular disease (CVD) are contradictory. Oxidative-induced endothelial cells (ECs) injury is the key step in the onset and progression of CVD and for this reason the cellular responses resulting from NA interaction with ECs are actively investigated. This study was designed to investigate the direct impact of different naturally occurring antioxidants on the intracellular ROS levels in cultured human ECs. NA-induced redox changes, in terms of modulation of the intracellular ROS levels, were assessed by using the ROS fluorescent probe 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (H2DCF-DA). While caffeic and caftaric acid exerted an anti-oxidant effect, both coumaric acid and resveratrol were pro-oxidant. Anti- and pro-oxidant effects of the tested compounds were concentration dependent, showing the induction or the tendency to promote a pro-oxidant outcome with increasing concentrations. Interestingly, the anti- and pro-oxidant behavior of chlorogenic and ferulic acid was dependent on the basal intracellular redox state. Our data indicate that naturally occurring antioxidants are able to induce a rapid modification of the intracellular ROS levels in human ECs, which is dependent on both the applied concentration and the intracellular redox state.