Effect of resveratrol and some other natural compounds on tyrosine kinase activity and on cytolysis.

Resveratrol is a phytoalexin with several biological and pharmacological activities including the "French paradox". We investigated the effect of resveratrol on cytolytic activity by oxygen reactive species and on soluble and particulate tyrosine kinases from human placenta and human prostatic adenoma. These effects were compared with those of piceatannol, quercetin, catechin and epicatechin. Fifty percent of erythrocyte lysis due to H2O2-lactoperoxidase-KI incubation, in which I3-, OI- and oxygen singlet are produced, was obtained after 22 +/- 7 (SD) min in the absence of the tested compounds. The 50% lysis was obtained after 66 +/- 15, 129 +/- 35, 196 +/- 21, 240 +/- 63 and 420 +/- 80 min with 40 microM piceatannol, quercetin, resveratrol, epicatechin and catechin respectively. Protection was concentration dependent. The assay of tyrosine kinase activity was performed using two different substrates as follows: substrate A corresponded to the sequence 1-17 of gastrin, and substrate B to sequence 6-20 of cell division kinase p34cdc2. In all experiments, initial velocity was measured. When assayed with both substrates, tyrosine kinase activities from particulate and cytosolic fractions of placenta were more inhibited by piceatannol and quercetin. Resveratrol significantly inhibited the particulate fraction and the cytosolic fraction respectively when substrates A and B were employed: Catechin acted as an inhibitor with substrate A and particulate fraction while in the other experimental conditions it acted as an activator. Resveratrol inhibited the tyrosine kinase of particulate and cytosolic fractions of prostatic adenoma assayed with substrate A and B.