The effects of dietary phenolic compounds on cytokine and antioxidant production by A549 cells.

Levels of inflammatory cytokines are raised in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A diet rich in antioxidant vitamins may protect against the development of COPD. This study examined the effects of phenolic compounds and food sources on cytokine and antioxidant production by A549 cells. The effects of the following phenolic compounds on basal and interleukin (IL)-1-stimulated release of IL-8, IL-6, and reduced glutathione (GSH) were examined: resveratrol; Bouvrage, a commercially available raspberry juice (Ella Drinks Ltd., Alloa, Clacksmannanshire, UK); and quercetin 3'-sulfate. Purification of the raspberry juice by high-performance liquid chromatography gave three fractions: Fraction 1 contained phenolic acid and vitamin C, Fraction 2 contained flavonoids and ellagic acid, and Fraction 3 contained anthocyanins and ellagitannins. IL-8 production was increased in the presence of IL-1 (165 vs. 6,011 pg/mL, P < .0001). None of the compounds tested had any significant effect on GSH. Resveratrol at concentrations > or =50 micromol/mL significantly inhibited IL-8 and IL-6 production. Similar findings were made with raspberry juice at concentrations > or =25 microL/mL, and Fractions 1 and 3 were best able to inhibit IL-8 production. Quercetin 3'-sulfate, at 25 micromol/mL, inhibited IL-8 and IL-6 production. The changes observed in IL-8 were paralleled by changes in tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Thus, phenolic compounds can significantly alter cytokine and antioxidant production.

The effect of oestrogen on cytokine and antioxidant levels in male to female transsexual patients.

OBJECTIVE: Whilst hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can be beneficial, it can be associated with deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and stroke. As male to female transsexuals take much higher doses of oestrogen than women on HRT, they provide a unique opportunity to study the long-term effects of oestrogen in a group of relatively young individuals who are largely free of established vascular disease. METHODS: Thirty-eight male to female gender patients were enrolled into the study. Of these, 25 were receiving oestrogen treatment and 13 who were not on treatment served as a control group. Serum levels of cholesterol, HDL, triglycerides, Interleukin 6 (IL-6), nitric oxide (NO), glutathione, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured in all patients. RESULTS: The results showed that compared to the control group, patients on oestrogen had significantly raised levels of NO (32.1+/-14.3 versus 20.3+/-10.0, P<0.05) and reduced levels of IL-6 (0.75+/-0.6 versus 1.37+/-0.7, P<0.05) and SOD (13.2+/-3.0 versus 24.0+/-10.0, P<0.05). These changes were not accompanied by any significant change in plasma lipid levels. CONCLUSION: It would appear that the very high levels of oestrogen taken by the gender patients produce similar beneficial effects to those seen in women on HRT. However, in this patient group it appears that these changes are independent of changes in cholesterol, triglyceride, and HLD.

Dimethylsulfoxide oxidizes glutathione in vitro and in human erythrocytes: kinetic analysis by 1H NMR.

The interaction of dimethylsulfoxide (Me2SO) with glutathione was investigated under non-equilibrium conditions in solution using 1H NMR and in intact erythrocytes using 1H spin-echo NMR. In solution the reaction was observed to follow second-order kinetics (Rate = k1[glutathione][Me2SO]) at 300 K pH 7.4, k(sol) = 4.7 x 10(-5)mol(-1)L(1)s(-1). In intact erythrocytes the rate constant for the cellular environment, k(cell), was found to be slightly larger at 8.1 x 10(-5)mol(-1)L(1)s(-1). Furthermore, the reaction of Me2SO with erythrocyte glutathione showed a biphasic dependence on the Me2SO concentration, with little oxidation of glutathione occurring until the Me2SO concentration exceeded 0.5 molL(-1). The results suggest that at lower concentrations, Me2SO can be effectively removed, most probably by reaction with glutathione, which is regenerated by glutathione reductase, although preferential reaction with other cellular components (e.g., membrane or cellular thiols) cannot be ruled out. Thus the concentrations of Me2SO that are commonly used in cryopreservation of mammalian cells ( approximately 1.4 molL(-1)) can cause oxidation of intracellular glutathione.