Non-beneficial effects of resveratrol on renal epithelial cell cultures: Implications in cell differentiation

During the last three decades, resveratrol (RSV), a polyphenolic compound, has been proposed as a new panacea due to its all-potential beneficial actions. However, due to its hormetic properties, RSV has also been associated with toxic effects. In this work, we explored whether RSV affects osmoprotection and/or differentiation processes. Experiments were performed in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells subjected to high-NaCl hyperosmolar medium, a requisite for cell differentiation, in the absence or presence of RSV. Our results show that RSV does not affect osmoprotection but impedes epithelial cell differentiation by inducing oxidative stress, DNA damage, and impairing cell-cycle progression and motility. All these observations drive cells to stay in S phase and induce apoptosis. Our results warn about the possible harmful effects on tubular epithelial restitution processes or in postnatal kidney structures maturation when large quantities of this nutraceutical are ingested.