ScopeIn vitro and in vivo studies suggest that dietary anthocyanins modulate cardiovascular disease risk; however, given anthocyanins extensive metabolism, it is likely that their degradation products and conjugated metabolites are responsible for this reported bioactivity.Methods and resultsHuman vascular endothelial cells were stimulated with either oxidized LDL (oxLDL) or cluster of differentiation 40 ligand (CD40L) and cotreated with cyanidin‐3‐glucoside and 11 of its recently identified metabolites, at 0.1, 1, and 10 μM concentrations. Protein and gene expression of IL‐6 and VCAM‐1 was quantified by ELISA and RT‐qPCR. In oxLDL‐stimulated cells the parent anthocyanin had no effect on IL‐6 production, whereas numerous anthocyanin metabolites significantly reduced IL‐6 protein levels; phase II conjugates of protocatechuic acid produced the greatest effects (>75% reduction, p ≤ 0.05). In CD40L‐stimulated cells the anthocyanin and its phase II metabolites reduced IL‐6 protein production, where protocatechuic acid‐4‐sulfate induced the greatest reduction (>96% reduction, p ≤ 0.03). Similarly, the anthocyanin and its metabolites reduced VCAM‐1 protein production, with ferulic acid producing the greatest effect (>65% reduction, p ≤ 0.04).ConclusionThese novel data provide evidence to suggest that anthocyanin metabolites are bioactive at physiologically relevant concentrations and have the potential to modulate cardiovascular disease progression by altering the expression of inflammatory mediators.

Background: Flavonoids have been implicated in the prevention of cardiovascular disease; however, their mechanisms of action have yet to be elucidated, possibly because most previous in vitro studies have used supraphysiological concentrations of unmetabolized flavonoids, overlooking their more bioavailable phenolic metabolites. Objective: We aimed to explore the effects of phenolic metabolites and their precursor flavonoids at physiologically achievable concentrations, in isolation and combination, on soluble vascular cellular adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1).Method: Fourteen phenolic acid metabolites and 6 flavonoids were screened at 1 μM for their relative effects on sVCAM-1 secretion by human umbilical vein endothelial cells stimulated with tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). The active metabolites were further studied for their response at different concentrations (0.01 μM–100 μM), structure-activity relationships, and effect on vascular cellular adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1 mRNA expression. In addition, the additive activity of the metabolites and flavonoids was investigated by screening 25 unique mixtures at cumulative equimolar concentrations of 1 μM.Results: Of the 20 compounds screened at 1 μM, inhibition of sVCAM-1 secretion was elicited by 4 phenolic metabolites, of which protocatechuic acid (PCA) was the most active (−17.2%, P = 0.05). Investigations into their responses at different concentrations showed that PCA significantly reduced sVCAM-1 15.2–36.5% between 1 and 100 μM, protocatechuic acid-3-sulfate and isovanillic acid reduced sVCAM-1 levels 12.2–54.7% between 10 and 100 μM, and protocatechuic acid-4-sulfate and isovanillic acid-3-glucuronide reduced sVCAM-1 secretion 27.6% and 42.8%, respectively, only at 100 μM. PCA demonstrated the strongest protein response and was therefore explored for its effect on VCAM-1 mRNA, where 78.4% inhibition was observed only after treatment with 100 μM PCA. Mixtures of the metabolites showed no activity toward sVCAM-1, suggesting no additive activity at 1 μM.Conclusions: The present findings suggest that metabolism of flavonoids increases their vascular efficacy, resulting in a diversity of structures of varying bioactivity in human endothelial cells.

ScopeFlavonoids are generally studied in vitro, in isolation, and as unmetabolized precursor structures. However, in the habitual diet, multiple flavonoids are consumed together and found present in the circulation as complex mixtures of metabolites. Using a unique study design, we investigated the potential for singular or additive anti‐inflammatory effects of flavonoid metabolites relative to their precursor structures.Methods and resultsSix flavonoids, 14 flavonoid metabolites, and 29 combinations of flavonoids and their metabolites (0.1–10 μM) were screened for their ability to reduce LPS‐induced tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) secretion in THP‐1 monocytes. One micromolar peonidin‐3‐glucoside, cyanidin‐3‐glucoside, and the metabolites isovanillic acid (IVA), IVA‐glucuronide, vanillic acid‐glucuronide, protocatechuic acid‐3‐sulfate, and benzoic acid‐sulfate significantly reduced TNF‐α secretion when in isolation, while there was no effect on TNF‐α mRNA expression. Four combinations of metabolites that included 4‐hydroxybenzoic acid (4HBA) and/or protocatechuic acid also significantly reduced TNF‐α secretion to a greater extent than the precursors or metabolites alone. The effects on LPS‐induced IL‐1β and IL‐10 secretion and mRNA expression were also examined. 4HBA significantly reduced IL‐1β secretion but none of the flavonoids or metabolites significantly modified IL‐10 secretion.ConclusionThis study provides novel evidence suggesting flavonoid bioactivity results from cumulative or additive effects of circulating metabolites.

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