Title:Anthocyanins As Modulators of Cell Redox-Dependent Pathways in Non-Communicable Diseases
Volume: 27
Issue: 12
Author(s): Antonio Speciale, Antonella Saija, Romina Bashllari, Maria Sofia Molonia, Claudia Muscarà, Cristina Occhiuto, Francesco Cimino*Mariateresa Cristani
Affiliation:
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina,Italy
Keywords:
Anthocyanin, chronic diseases, inflammation, antioxidant, NF-κB, AP-1, Nrf2.
Abstract:
Chronic Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs), mostly represented by cardiovascular
diseases, diabetes, chronic pulmonary diseases, cancers, and several chronic pathologies,
are one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality, and are mainly related to
the occurrence of metabolic risk factors. Anthocyanins (ACNs) possess a wide spectrum
of biological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, cardioprotective and chemopreventive
properties, which are able to promote human health. Although ACNs present
an apparent low bioavailability, their metabolites may play an important role in the in
vivo protective effects observed.
This article directly addresses the scientific evidences supporting that ACNs could be useful
to protect human population against several NCDs not only acting as antioxidant but
through their capability to modulate cell redox-dependent signaling. In particular, ACNs
interact with the NF-κB and AP-1 signal transduction pathways, which respond to oxidative
signals and mediate a proinflammatory effect, and the Nrf2/ARE pathway and its
regulated cytoprotective proteins (GST, NQO, HO-1, etc.), involved in both cellular antioxidant
defenses and elimination/inactivation of toxic compounds, so countering the alterations
caused by conditions of chemical/oxidative stress. In addition, supposed crosstalks
could contribute to explain the protective effects of ACNs in different pathological
conditions characterized by an altered balance among these pathways. Thus, this review
underlines the importance of specific nutritional molecules for human health and focuses
on the molecular targets and the underlying mechanisms of ACNs against various diseases.