Uncovering the Benefits of Epicatechin for Oxidative Stress in Human Health

Abstract

Objective: Epicatechin (EC) is one of the major components of green tea catechins. This study investigated the effect of the amount of epicatechin obtained by brewing green tea under optimal conditions against oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Materials and Methods: In peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), the amount of epicatechin determined by brewing green tea under optimum conditions was applied against 250 µM H2O2 and cell viability was determined by MTT test, total antioxidant status (TAS) and total oxidant status (TOS) were determined by biochemical analysis, apoptosis-related Bax, Bcl2, p53 expression analysis was determined by qRT-PCR method. Results: The cell viability was significantly higher in the H2O2+EC group than in the H2O2 group (p< 0.001). TOS and TAS were changed considerably in the H2O2+EC group compared to the H2O2 group (p<0.05 and p<0.001, respectively). Bax, p53 expression level decreased in H2O2+epicatechin treated cells compared to H2O2 treated cells (p<0.001 and p<0.01 respectively), while Bcl2 expression level increased in H2O2+epicatechin treated cells compared to H2O2 treated cells p<0.01). Conclusion: The results show that the amount of epicatechin obtained from brewing green tea under optimum conditions has a protective effect on PBMCs against H2O2 induced oxidative stress. Specifically, it was concluded that epicatechin increased cell viability, decreased oxidative stress markers and modulated the expression of key apoptosis-related proteins, thus promoting cell survival.

Keywords

• Bax
• Bcl2
• epicatechin
• oxidative stress
• p53

İnsan Sağlığında Oksidatif Stres için Epikateşinin Faydalarının Ortaya Çıkarılması

Abstract

Amaç: Epikateşin (EC) yeşil çay kateşinlerinin ana bileşenlerinden biridir. Bu çalışmada, yeşil çayın optimum koşullarda demlenmesiyle elde edilen epikateşin miktarının hidrojen peroksit (H2O2) tarafından indüklenen oksidatif strese karşı etkisi araştırılmıştır. Materyal ve Metot: Periferik kan mononükleer hücrelerinde (PBMCs), yeşil çayın optimum koşullarda demlenmesi ile belirlenen epikateşin miktarı 250 µM H2O2'ye karşı uygulanmış ve hücre canlılığı MTT testi ile, toplam antioksidan durum (TAS) ve toplam oksidan durum (TOS) biyokimyasal analiz ile, apoptoz ile ilişkili Bax, Bcl2, p53 ekspresyon analizi qRT-PCR yöntemi ile belirlenmiştir. Bulgular: H2O2+EC grubunda hücre canlılığı H2O2 grubuna göre anlamlı derecede yüksek bulunmuştur (p<0.001). TOS ve TAS, H2O2 grubuna kıyasla H2O2+EC grubunda önemli ölçüde değişmiştir (sırasıyla p<0.05 ve p<0.001). Bax, p53 ifade düzeyi H2O2+epikateşin uygulanan hücrelerde H2O2 uygulanan hücrelere kıyasla azalırken (sırasıyla p<0.001 ve p<0.01), Bcl2 ifade düzeyi H2O2+epikateşin uygulanan hücrelerde H2O2 uygulanan hücrelere kıyasla artmıştır (p<0.01). Sonuç: Sonuçlar, yeşil çayın optimum koşullar altında demlenmesinden elde edilen epikateşin miktarının H2O2 kaynaklı oksidatif strese karşı PBMC'ler üzerinde koruyucu bir etkiye sahip olduğunu göstermektedir. Spesifik olarak, epikateşinin hücre canlılığını artırdığı, oksidatif stres belirteçlerini azalttığı ve apoptozla ilgili anahtar proteinlerin ekspresyonunu modüle ettiği, böylece hücre sağkalımını desteklediği sonucuna ulaşılmıştır.

Keywords

• Bax
• Bcl2
• epikateşin
• oksidatif stres
• p53

References

1. 1. Salem YN, Sheribah ZA, Sharaf El‐Din MK, Fathy MES. A novel optimized eco‐friendly simple spectrofluorimetric method for the determination of total catechins in green tea extract: Application to commercial tablet. Luminescence 2024;39(3):e4727.
2. 2. Balentine DA, Wiseman SA, Bouwens LC. The chemistry of tea flavonoids. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 1997;37(8):693-704.
3. 3. Roh E, Kim J-E, Kwon JY, Park JS, Bode AM, Dong Z, et al. Molecular mechanisms of green tea polyphenols with protective effects against skin photoaging. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2017;57(8):1631-7.
4. 4. El-Lateef HMA, El-Dabea T, Khalaf MM, Abu-Dief AM. Recent overview of potent antioxidant activity of coordination compounds. Antioxidants 2023;12(2):213.
5. 5. Zhang R, Wang J, Xia R, Li D, Wang F. Antioxidant processes involving epicatechin decreased symptoms of pine wilt disease. Front Plant Sci 2022;13:1015970.
6. 6. Kumar H, Dhalaria R, Guleria S, Cimler R, Sharma R, Siddiqui SA, et al. Anti-oxidant potential of plants and probiotic spp. in alleviating oxidative stress induced by H2O2. Biomed Pharmacother 2023;165:115022.
7. 7. Sarma A, Bania R, Das MK. Green tea: Current trends and prospects in nutraceutical and pharmaceutical aspects. J Herb Med 2023:100694.
8. 8. Tural B, Ertaş E, Batıbay H, Tural S. Comparative Study on Silver Nanoparticle Synthesis Using Male and Female Pistacia Khinjuk Leaf Extracts: Enhanced Efficacy of Female Leaf Extracts. ChemistrySelect 2024;9(30):e202402117.

9. 9. Shen N, Wang T, Gan Q, Liu S, Wang L, Jin B. Plant flavonoids: Classification, distribution, biosynthesis, and antioxidant activity. Food Chem. 2022;383:132531.
10. 10. Wang Z, Zhou X, Chang H, Shu Z, Gou H, Zheng Y, et al. Antioxidant analysis of flavonoids extracted from Artemisia argyi leaf and their antibacterial activities against food-borne pathogens Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Biologia 2024:1-9.
11. 11. Millones-Gómez PA, De la Garza-Ramos MA, Urrutia-Baca VH, Hernandez-Martinez HC, Marín DAH, Medina CAM. Cytotoxicity of Peruvian propolis and Psidium guajava on human gingival fibroblasts, PBMCs and HeLa cells. F1000Research 2022;11.
12. 12. Saklar S, Ertas E, Ozdemir IS, Karadeniz B. Effects of different brewing conditions on catechin content and sensory acceptance in Turkish green tea infusions. J Food Technol 2015;52(10):6639-46.
13. 13. Jeong M-J, Lim D-S, Kim SO, Park C, Leem S-H, Lee H, et al. Protection of oxidative stress-induced DNA damage and apoptosis by rosmarinic acid in murine myoblast C2C12 cells. Biotechnol Bioprocess Eng 2022;27(2):171-82.
14. 14. Kang KA, Lee KH, Zhang R, Piao M, Chae S, Kim KN, et al. Caffeic acid protects hydrogen peroxide induced cell damage in WI-38 human lung fibroblast cells. Biol Pharm Bull 2006;29(9):1820-4.
15. 15. Oğuz EK, Arihan O, Oğuz AR. Oxidative and genotoxic effects of bisphenol A on primary gill cell culture of Lake Van Fish (Alburnus tarichi Güldenstädt, 1814). Chem Ecol 2018;34(10):914-24.
16. 16. Altindag O, Erel O, Soran N, Celik H, Selek S. Total oxidative/anti-oxidative status and relation to bone mineral density in osteoporosis. Rheumatol Int 2008;28:317-21.
17. 17. Erel O. A novel automated direct measurement method for total antioxidant capacity using a new generation, more stable ABTS radical cation. Clin Biochem 2004;37(4):277-85.
18. 18. Sancer O, Şahin U, Çetin ES, Tepebaşi MY, Cezaroğlu Y, Bilir G, et al. Effect of Laurus nobilis on bacteria and human transforming growth factor-β1. AMB Rev Assoc Med Bras 2024;70(3):e20230683.
19. 19. Sureda A, Martorell M, Bibiloni MdM, Bouzas C, Gallardo-Alfaro L, Mateos D, et al. Effect of free fatty acids on inflammatory gene expression and hydrogen peroxide production by ex vivo blood mononuclear cells. Nutrients 2020;12(1):146.
20. 20. Da Rosa PC, Bertomeu JB, Royes LFF, Osiecki R. The physical exercise-induced oxidative/inflammatory response in peripheral blood mononuclear cells: signaling cellular energetic stress situations. Life Sci 2023;321:121440.
21. 21. Minutolo A, Gismondi A, Chirico R, Di Marco G, Petrone V, Fanelli M, et al. Antioxidant Phytocomplexes Extracted from Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) Using Hydrodynamic Cavitation Show Potential Anticancer Activity In Vitro. Antioxidants 2023;12(8):1560.
22. 22. Hajam YA, Rani R, Ganie SY, Sheikh TA, Javaid D, Qadri SS, et al. Oxidative stress in human pathology and aging: Molecular mechanisms and perspectives. Cells 2022;11(3):552.
23. 23. Wang J-S, Huang Y-H. Effects of exercise intensity on lymphocyte apoptosis induced by oxidative stress in men. Eur J Appl Physiol 2005;95:290-7.
24. 24. Xiao Y, Zhang X, Huang Q. Protective effects of Cordyceps sinensis exopolysaccharide‑selenium nanoparticles on H2O2-induced oxidative stress in HepG2 cells. Int J Biol Macromol 2022;213:339-51.
25. 25. Jeong Y-M, Choi Y-G, Kim D-S, Park S-H, Yoon J-A, Kwon S-B, et al. Cytoprotective effect of green tea extract and quercetin against hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress. Arch Pharm Res 2005;28:1251-6.
26. 26. Halliwell B, Clement MV, Long LH. Hydrogen peroxide in the human body. FEBS Lett 2000;486(1):10-3.
27. 27. Miura Y, Chiba T, Miura S, Tomita I, Umegaki K, Ikeda M, et al. Green tea polyphenols (flavan 3-ols) prevent oxidative modification of low density lipoproteins: an ex vivo study in humans. J Nutr Biochem 2000;11(4):216-22.
28. 28. Miura Y, Chiba T, Tomita I, Koizumi H, Miura S, Umegaki K, et al. Tea catechins prevent the development of atherosclerosis in apoprotein E–deficient mice. J Nutr 2001;131(1):27-32.
29. 29. Rein D, Lotito S, Holt RR, Keen CL, Schmitz HH, Fraga CG. Epicatechin in human plasma: in vivo determination and effect of chocolate consumption on plasma oxidation status. J Nutr 2000;130(8):2109S-14S.
30. 30. Wang Y, Li Q, Ma Z, Xu H, Peng F, Chen B, et al. β-Nicotinamide Mononucleotide Alleviates Hydrogen Peroxide-Induced Cell Cycle Arrest and Death in Ovarian Granulosa Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2023;24(21):15666.
31. 31. Pereyra-Vergara F, Olivares-Corichi IM, Perez-Ruiz AG, Luna-Arias JP, García-Sánchez JR. Apoptosis induced by (−)-epicatechin in human breast cancer cells is mediated by reactive oxygen species. Molecules 2020;25(5):1020.