Catechins for use in cardiovascular disease: Molecular mechanisms and contemporary bioassays
Amy C Keller1, Miguel A Lanaspa1
1Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism & Diabetes, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, United States; Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center, Aurora, CO 80045, United States.
Insights
Catechins, like EGCG, show promise in combating cardiovascular diseases (CVD) by improving cellular function and reversing damage. Research highlights their role in modulating key cellular pathways affected in CVD.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular research
- Cellular biology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) affect millions globally, involving cardiac and vascular dysfunction, inflammation, and metabolic disruption.
- Catechins are bioactive compounds investigated for their potential to mitigate CVD pathology by supporting cellular health.
- Dysfunctional cellular processes like ferroptosis, inflammation, metabolism, apoptosis, and autophagy are hallmarks of CVD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent (2018-present) in vivo and in vitro studies on specific catechins: EGCG, catechin, epicatechin, and ECG.
- To focus on the cellular mechanisms by which these catechins impact CVD.
- To examine the contemporary bioassays used for mechanistic investigation of catechins in CVD.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies from 2018 to the present.
- Analysis of in vivo and in vitro bioassays.
- Focus on cellular mechanisms including ferroptosis, inflammation, metabolism, apoptosis, and autophagy.
Main Results:
- (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), catechin, (-)-epicatechin, and epicatechin gallate (ECG) demonstrate potential in alleviating CVD.
- Catechins modulate critical cellular pathways implicated in CVD pathogenesis.
- Contemporary bioassays are essential for understanding the mechanistic basis of catechin activity.
Conclusions:
- Catechins, particularly EGCG, offer therapeutic potential for cardiovascular diseases through multifaceted cellular mechanisms.
- Further research utilizing advanced bioassays is crucial for elucidating catechin's role in CVD.
- Understanding these cellular mechanisms can pave the way for novel CVD treatments.
Abstract:
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) impact a large amount of the global population. CVD is characterized by dysfunction at both the cardiac and vascular tissue and cellular levels, including myocardial infarction, elevated localized and systemic inflammation, and disrupted cellular metabolism. Catechins, a bioactive class of compounds, have been widely investigated for their potential to alleviate CVD pathology via supporting healthy cellular function and reversing cellular damage. In addition to the alleviation of functional forms of CVD pathology, such as hypertrophy and cardiac infarct size, catechins have been shown to modify the cellular processes of ferroptosis, inflammation, general cellular signaling, cellular metabolism and apoptosis and autophagy; many pathways of these cellular functions are known to be dysfunctional in cardiac and vascular tissue. Investigators no longer rely on limited laboratory methods but instead utilize a suite of techniques to assess bioactivity. This review highlights studies from 2018 to the present of (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), catechin, (-)-epicatechin, and epicatechin gallate (ECG) in both in vivo and in vitro CVD bioassays, with a focus on cellular mechanisms and the composite of contemporary bioassays necessary for mechanistic-based catechin investigation.
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