Mechanism by which Alcohol and Wine Polyphenols Affect Coronary Heart Disease Risk

Mechanisms by which moderate alcohol and/or wine polyphenols may provide cardiovascular disease protection. The central theme of this presentation is focused on endothelial cell (EC) fibrinolysis (blood clot lysis) (highlighted by bolded arrows).

Regulation of EC fibrinolysis and maintenance of hemostasis.

Alcohol- and polyphenol-induced in vivo expression of t-PA mRNA in rat aortic endothelium. Top, In situ hybridization; note increased mRNA expression at endothelium surface (dark line), compared with control; bottom, real-time PCR analysis of t-PA, u-PA, and PAI-1 mRNA levels in adjacent sections.

Real-time fluorescence imaging analysis of spontaneous Cy5.5-labeled fibrin clot lysis, in vivo, in a C57Bl/6 mouse model.

Proposed molecular mechanisms by which moderate alcohol and wine polyphenols induce increased EC t-PA-mediated fibrinolysis to promote increased blood clot lysis.