Activation of the erythrocyte plasma membrane redox system by resveratrol: a possible mechanism for antioxidant properties

Resveratrol is one of the most widely studied of all the plant-produced polyphenols and has diverse, beneficial health effects including anti-cancer and cardio-protective effects. Many of the biological actions of this polyphenol have been attributed to its antioxidant properties. Erythrocytes contain a plasma membrane redox system (PMRS), which transfers electrons from intracellular donors (NADH and/or ascorbate (ASC)) to extracellular acceptors. There is evidence that the intracellular ASC donates electrons to extracellular ascorbate free radicals (AFRs) via the PMRS, which encompasses an AFR reductase; such a redox system enables the cells to effectively counteract oxidative processes. We present evidence to show that human erythrocytes take up resveratrol, and once inside the cell, resveratrol can donate electrons to extracellular electron acceptors through the erythrocyte PMRS and AFR reductase. Incubating human erythrocytes with resveratrol (10 mu M) caused a significant activation of the PMRS (41%) and AFR reductase (30%) over (basal level) the control; the effect of resveratrol was concentration-dependent. The electron donating ability of resveratrol is slightly less than that observed with quercetin. The role of resveratrol in activating the erythrocyte PMRS and AFR reductase may assume significance in all disease conditions in which there is a decrease in plasma antioxidant potential.