It’s well known that drinking red wine in moderation can have some health benefits, mainly attributed to a compound called
resveratrol. Now, scientists at the
University of Virginia Health System have discovered how.
They found how resveratrol helps to starve cancer cells by inhibiting the action of a key protein that feeds them. The protein, called nuclear factor- kappa B (NF-kB), is found in the nucleus of all cells and activates genes responsible for cell survival. “We used physiologically-relevant doses of resveratrol and found dramatic effects on human cancer cells,” said Marty Mayo, assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular genetics at U.Va.
Mayo said that the resveratrol in one glasses of wine three or four times a week is the right amount to block the protein from feeding cancer cells. Drinking much more than that, however, could stop this affect and, in fact, lead to a greater risk of cancer, he said.
The findings, discovered by Fan Yeung, a postdoctoral fellow at U.Va., are published in the May 20 online edition of the Journal of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) found at: http://embojournal.npgjournals.com.
Resveratrol is an antioxidant found in a number of plants, including grape skins, raspberries, mulberries and peanuts. Its job in nature is to fight fungus during the rainy season, and it is especially prevalent in grapes used in making red wine. Resveratrol is also sold over-the-counter in the U.S. as a nutritional supplement.