Grape juice concentrate prevents oxidative DNA damage in peripheral blood cells of rats subjected to a high-cholesterol diet

Br J Nutr. 2011 Mar;105(5):694-702. doi: 10.1017/S0007114510004368.

Abstract

The goal of the present study was to investigate whether subchronic treatment with grape juice concentrate is able to protect liver and peripheral blood cells against cholesterol-induced injury in rats. The effects of the grape juice concentrate treatment on histopathological changes, immunohistochemistry for cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2), and basal and oxidative DNA damage induced by H2O2 using a single-cell gel (comet) assay were evaluated. Male Wistar rats (n 18) were divided into three groups: group 1--negative control; group 2--cholesterol at 1 % (w/w) in their diet, treated for 5 weeks; group 3--cholesterol at 1 % in their chow, treated for 5 weeks, and grape juice concentrate at 222 mg/d in their drinking-water in the final week only. The results indicated that the treatment with grape juice concentrate did not show remarkable differences regarding liver tissue in group 3 compared with group 2. However, grape juice concentrate was able to decrease oxidative DNA damage induced by H2O2 in peripheral blood cells, as depicted by the tail moment results. COX-2 expression in the liver did not show statistically significant differences (P>0·05) between groups. Taken together, the present results suggest that the administration of subchronic grape juice concentrate prevents oxidative DNA damage in peripheral blood cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology*
  • Antioxidants / therapeutic use
  • Blood Cells / drug effects*
  • Cholesterol, Dietary / adverse effects
  • Comet Assay
  • Cyclooxygenase 2 / metabolism
  • DNA Damage*
  • Diet, Atherogenic
  • Fruit
  • Hydrogen Peroxide
  • Hypercholesterolemia / drug therapy*
  • Hypercholesterolemia / immunology
  • Hypercholesterolemia / pathology
  • Liver / drug effects
  • Liver / pathology
  • Male
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects*
  • Phytotherapy*
  • Plant Preparations / pharmacology
  • Plant Preparations / therapeutic use
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Vitis*

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Cholesterol, Dietary
  • Plant Preparations
  • Hydrogen Peroxide
  • Cyclooxygenase 2