POLYPHENOLS FROM RED WINE MODULATE IMMUNE RESPONSIVENESS: BIOLOGICAL AND CLINICALSIGNIFICANCE.

Many studies have been conducted on the effects of red wine polyphenols on certain diseases, primarily, coronaryheart disease (CHD) and, in this respect, evidence has been demonstrated that intake of red wine is associated with areduction of CHD symptomatology. In this framework, the purpose of this review is to illustrate the effects of polyphenolson immune cells from human healthy peripheral blood. Data will show that polyphenols are able to stimulate both innateand adaptive immune responses. In particular, the release of cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-12, interferon (IFN)-, andIL-10 as well as immunoglobulins may be important for host protection in different immune related disorders.Another important aspect pointed out in this review is the release of nitric oxide (NO) from peripheral blood mononuclearcells (PBMC), stimulated by red wine polyphenols despite the fact that the majority of studies have reported NO productiononly by endothelial cells. Release of NO from PBMC may play an important role in cardiovascular disease, because itis known that this molecule acts as an inhibitor of platelet aggregation. On the other hand, NO exerts a protective roleagainst infectious organisms.Finally, some molecular cytoplasmatic pathways elicited by polyphenols able to regulate certain immune responses willalso be discussed. In particular, it seems that p38, a molecule belonging to the MAPK family, is involved in the release ofIFN- and, therefore, in NO production.All these data confirm the beneficial effects of polyphenols in some chronic diseases.