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Effect of catechin/epicatechin dietary intake on endothelial dysfunction biomarkers and proinflammatory cytokines in aorta of hyperhomocysteinemic mice

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Abstract

Purpose

Hyperhomocysteinemia is well recognized as an independent risk factor for the development of premature atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis, however, may be prevented by polyphenols, potent antioxidant compounds with anti-atherogenic properties. Previously, we used cystathionine beta synthase-deficient mice [Cbs (±)] fed a high-methionine diet—a murine model of hyperhomocysteinemia—to show that daily intake of a red wine polyphenolic extract, mainly comprised of catechin and epicatechin, has a beneficial effect on aortic expression of endothelial dysfunction biomarkers and pro-inflammatory cytokines. The aim of the present study was to understand whether catechin and epicatechin, in purified forms, have anti-atherogenic effects in hyperhomocysteinemia.

Methods

Cbs (±) mice received 50 μg of catechin and/or epicatechin daily in drinking water for 1 month. Plasma homocysteine (Hcy) level and aortic expression of several endothelial dysfunction biomarkers (Vcam-1, Icam-1, E-selectin, and Lox-1) and pro-inflammatory cytokines (Tnf-α, Il-6) were assessed.

Results

We found that both catechin and epicatechin had a beneficial effect on plasma homocysteine levels and endothelial dysfunction biomarker expression; however, only catechin had a beneficial effect on pro-inflammatory cytokine expression. Further, when both polyphenols were given, a beneficial effect was observed only on pro-inflammatory cytokine expression.

Conclusions

Catechin seems to be a more potent anti-atherogenic compound than epicatechin in hyperhomocysteinemia and should be considered as a novel therapeutic approach against endothelial dysfunction induced by this condition.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported in part by an EU grant AnEUploïdie and by Viniflhor (Office national interprofessionnel des fruits, des légumes, des vins et de l’horticulture), Ministère de l’Agriculture, programme Vin et Santé, Pathologie et biologie vasculaires. Christophe Noll is supported by a fellowship from the Ministère de l’Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche. We thank Dr N. Maeda (Department of Pathology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC) for providing heterozygous Cbs mice. We thank C. Imbert, A. Djemat, and A. Kourdouli for technical assistance. We acknowledge the technical platform “Séparation, caractérisation et quantification de biomolécules” (Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative, Université Paris Diderot-Paris 7, CNRS EAC 4413) for provision of Q-PCR facility.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire BFA, Unit of Functional and Adaptive Biology (BFA), Université Paris Diderot-CNRS EAC 4413, Paris 7, Case 7104, 3 rue Marie-Andrée Lagroua Weill Hallé, 75205, Paris cedex 13, France

    Christophe Noll, Julie Lameth & Nathalie Janel

  2. Service de Biochimie, AP-HP, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Paris, France

    Jean-Louis Paul

  3. Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Paris-Sud, UMR 1154-INRA, Châtenay-Malabry, France

    Jean-Louis Paul

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  1. Christophe Noll
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  2. Julie Lameth
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  4. Nathalie Janel
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Correspondence to Nathalie Janel.

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Noll, C., Lameth, J., Paul, JL. et al. Effect of catechin/epicatechin dietary intake on endothelial dysfunction biomarkers and proinflammatory cytokines in aorta of hyperhomocysteinemic mice. Eur J Nutr 52, 1243–1250 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-012-0435-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-012-0435-0

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