Persimmon vinegar polyphenols protect against hydrogen peroxide-induced cellular oxidative stress via Nrf2 signalling pathway

Abstract

Since polyphenols are known to exhibit antioxidative properties, we prepared and characterized persimmon vinegar polyphenols (PVP) in this study. Furthermore, we investigated the protective effect of PVP on hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced oxidative stress in HepG2 cells and its underlying mechanisms. Our results showed that flavon-3-ols were the predominant polyphenols in PVP. Pre-treatment with PVP significantly decreased (p < 0.05) H₂O₂-induced cell damage in a dose-dependent manner, accompanied by decrease in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage, aminotransferase activities, and ROS accumulation. Moreover, PVP upregulated the expression of antioxidative enzymes, such as heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), and increased the levels of glutathione. Western blotting results showed that PVP induced the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor (erythroid-derived-2)-related factor 2 (Nrf2). Taken together, our results indicated that PVP effectively protected HepG2 cells against oxidative stress via activation of the Nrf2 antioxidative pathway.

Keywords: (−)-Epicatechin (PubChem CID: 72276); (−)-Epicatechin gallate (PubChem CID: 107905); (−)-Epigallocatechin gallate (PubChem CID: 65064); 2′,7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescin diacetate (PubChem CID: 104913); Dimethyl sulfoxide (PubChem CID: 679); Formic acid (PubChem CID: 284); Glutathione (PubChem CID: 124886); Hydrogen peroxide; Hydrogen peroxide (PubChem CID: 784); LC-TOF-MS/MS; Malondialdehyde (PubChem CID: 10964); Nrf-2; Oxidative stress; Persimmon vinegar polyphenols; Procyanidin A2 (PubChem CID: 124025).