Bottoms up red wine drinkers

A recent study demonstrates once again, that Resveratrol (polyphenol found in grapes and red wine), shows action against myeloma. Resveratrol inhibits myeloma cell growth, prevents osteoclast formation and promotes osteoblast differentiation.

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Multiple myeloma is characterized by the accumulation of clonal malignant plasma cells in the bone marrow, which stimulates bone destruction by osteoclasts and reduces bone formation by osteoblasts. In turn, the changed bone microenvironment sustains survival of myeloma cells. Therefore, a challenge for treating multiple myeloma is discovering drugs targeting not only myeloma cells but also osteoclasts and osteoblasts. Because resveratrol (trans-3,4',5-trihydroxystilbene) is reported to display antitumor activities on a variety of human cancer cells, we investigated the effects of this natural compound on myeloma and bone cells. We found that resveratrol reduces dose-dependently the growth of myeloma cell lines (RPMI 8226 and OPM-2) by a mechanism involving cell apoptosis. In cultures of human primary monocytes, resveratrol inhibits ose-dependently receptor activator of nuclear factor-B (NF-B) ligand–induced formation of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRACP)–positive multinucleated cells, TRACP activity in the medium, up-regulation of cathepsin K gene expression, and bone resorption. These inhibitions are associated with a down-regulation of RANK expression at both mRNA and cell surface protein levels and a decrease of NFATc1 stimulation and NF-B nuclear translocation, whereas the gene expression of c-fms, CD14, and CD11a is up-regulated. Finally, resveratrol promotes dose-dependently the expression of osteoblast markers like osteocalcin and osteopontin in human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC-TERT) and stimulates their response to 1,25(OH)₂ vitamin D₃ [1,25(OH)₂D₃]. Moreover, resveratrol up-regulates dose-dependently the expression of 1,25(OH)₂D₃ nuclear receptor. Taken together, these results suggest that resveratrol or its derivatives deserve attention as potential drugs for treating multiple myeloma.

Patrice Boissy¹, Thomas L. Andersen¹, Basem M. Abdallah², Moustapha Kassem², Torben Plesner¹ and Jean-Marie Delaissé¹

¹ Clinical Research Unit and Division of Hematology, Vejle Hospital, Vejle, Southern Denmark University Network, Denmark and ² Endocrinology and Metabolism, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark

Requests for reprints: Patrice Boissy, Clinical Research Unit, Lab. L120.1400, Vejle Hospital, Kabbeltoft 25, 7100 Vejle, Denmark. Phone: 45-79-40-66-55; Fax: 45-79-40-68-64; E-mail: patboi@vgs.vejleamt.dk

[Cancer Research 65, 9943-9952, November 1, 2005]
© 2005 American Association for Cancer Research