In vitro effect of resveratrol against oxidative injury of human coronary artery endothelial cells

Aim: Reactive oxygen species induce oxidative stress that may contribute to endothelial dysfunction. In addition to endogen antioxidants, adding antioxidants to diet has been used to reduce oxidative-stress-induced endothelial dysfunction. Resveratrol is a natural phytoalexin which has many effects including antioxidant activity. The aim of this study was to investigate whether resveratrol could protect human coronary artery endothelial cells against in vitro oxidative-stress-mediated injury. Materials and methods: Human coronary artery endothelial cells were treated with varying concentrations of hydrogen peroxide for different durations and hydrogen peroxide plus varying concentrations of resveratrol. Then cell death was measured using lactate dehydrogenase release. Human coronary artery endothelial cells were exposed to hydrogen peroxide and resveratrol plus hydrogen peroxide for 15 min, 60 min, and 6 h. Reactive oxygen species was measured using a fl uorometric assay. Results: Preincubation of cells with 10 and 50 μM resveratrol for different periods caused a signifi cantly decreased hydrogen-peroxide-induced cell death. Preincubation with resveratrol caused a significant decrease in reactive oxygen species production. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that resveratrol protects human coronary artery endothelial cells, in vitro, against oxidative-stress-induced injury by decreasing cell death and reactive oxygen species production.