Most of us have probably already heard of resveratrol, a compound found in red wine and therefore grapes (but also in other plants such as cocoa) that has been linked to a number of effects beneficial to health , such as reducing the risk of age-related diseases. Now, after many years of research, a team of scientists from the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California (USA) has revealed the best kept secret of this compound: the reason why it is so beneficial for your health is because resveratrol It stimulates a stress response gene that activates a series of genes that protect the body from infection or even ultraviolet radiation.
“This stress response represents a stage of biology that we had missed , and it seems that resveratrol activates it at much lower concentrations than those used in previous studies,” explains Paul Schimmel, coatur of the study to the journal Nature .
The way in which resveratrol produced its positive effect on our body was a mystery. Up to now. To reach their conclusion, the researchers analyzed an ancient family of enzymes, Arlt synthetases , which are primarily concerned with translating genetic material into the amino acid building blocks that then form proteins, discovering that resveratrol in the process acted as a tyrosine mimic (one of the 20 amino acids that make up proteins).
According to scientists, resveratrol binds to the PARP-1 protein, activating it and generating a DNA repair and stress response factor. This theory was tested in an experiment with mice injected with the resveratrol compound. The activation of this protein produced in mice the activation of several protective genes of the organism such as the p53 gene (tumor suppressor gene) or the longevity genes (FOXO3A and SIRT6), with which wine has always been associated, or more specifically, resveratrol.
“With these results, it is more than possible that the moderate consumption of a couple of glasses of red wine (rich in resveratrol) would provide a person with enough resveratrol to cause a protective effect through this route”, clarifies Mathew Sajish, study leader.
“ We think this is just the tip of the iceberg . We think there are many more amino acid mimics out there that can have beneficial effects like resveratrol in humans, ”explains Paul Schimmel.
