RESVERATROL MODULATES CELL MEMBRANES: WHAT’S THE STORY?

Resveratrol is one of the most promising naturally occurring polyphenols with great therapeutic potential. Despite the well know anti-oxidant activity, anti-inflammatory action, cardiovascular protection, neuroprotection and cancer chemoprevention, the mechanism of action of resveratrol is still uncertain. This work brings a new membrane approach to understand resveratrol action through the modulation of lipid domains present in biological membranes, and consequently the activity of anchored proteins that are involved in intracellular cascades. The potential molecular interactions between resveratrol and lipid rafts found in cell membranes were assessed by means of Forster resonance energy transfer, X-ray diffraction analysis, derivative spectrophotometry, fluorescence quenching and anisotropy studies. This polyphenol compound seems to induce phase separation in lipid bilayers, stabilizing and promoting the formation of ordered domains (lipid rafts) which can act as organizing centers for the assembly of proteins involved in cell signaling pathways.