Researchers say they've deciphered red wine's role in 'French paradox'

Agence France-Presse

WASHINGTON (July 1, 2000 11:06 a.m. EDT http://www.nandotimes.com) - A substance in red wine may explain the "French paradox," or relatively low rates of heart disease and certain cancers in among the French despite diets high in fat, according to a study appearing Saturday.

A substance contained in red wine controls the activity of a protein, which in turn is able to turn certain genes inside a cell nucleus on and off like a switch, according to a study by a team at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The study appears in the journal Cancer Research.

Red wine contains a substance known as trans-Resveratrol, or Res, which has already been shown, in a University of Illinois study in 1998, to have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties, notes one of the authors of the latest study, nutritional biologist Minnie Holmes-McNary.

The researchers, looking at cells taken from humans and rats, were able to observe how Res modulates the activity of NF-kappa B, a protein that attaches to DNA inside cell nuclei and activates and deactivates genes.

It appears that Res helps to deactivate a natural protective mechanism that prevents cancer cells from being killed, as they should be.

"This is very exciting work because we believe it explains how diet modulates changes at the molecular level," said Holmes-McNary.

The anti-inflammatory properties of Res also affect the genetic process involved in the development of arteriosclerosis, an abnormal thickening of the walls of the arteries.

In addition to being found in red grapes, Res is found in a variety of fruit and nuts, including mulberries, raspberries and peanuts, the study noted.