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Phytochemical uptake following human consumption of Montmorency tart cherry (L. Prunus cerasus) and influence of phenolic acids on vascular smooth muscle cells in vitro

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Abstract

Purpose

To investigate the phytochemical uptake following human consumption of Montmorency tart cherry (L. Prunus cerasus) and influence of selected phenolic acids on vascular smooth muscle cells in vitro.

Methods

In a randomised, double-blinded, crossover design, 12 healthy males consumed either 30 or 60 mL of Montmorency tart cherry concentrate. Following analysis of the juice composition, venous blood samples were taken before and 1, 2, 3, 5 and 8 h post-consumption of the beverage. In addition to examining some aspects of the concentrate contents, plasma concentrations of protocatechuic acid (PCA), vanillic acid (VA) and chlorogenic (CHL) acid were analysed by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with diode array for quantitation and mass spectrometry detection (LCMS) for qualitative purposes. Vascular smooth muscle cell migration and proliferation were also assessed in vitro.

Results

Both the 30 and 60 mL doses of Montmorency cherry concentrate contained high amounts of total phenolics (71.37 ± 0.11; 142.73 ± 0.22 mg/L) and total anthocyanins (62.47 ± 0.31; 31.24 ± 0.16 mg/L), as well as large quantities of CHL (0.205 ± 0.24; 0.410 ± 0.48 mg/L) and VA (0.253 ± 0.84; 0.506 ± 1.68 mg/L). HPLC/LCMS identified two dihydroxybenzoic acids (PCA and VA) in plasma following MC concentrate consumption. Both compounds were most abundant 1–2 h post-initial ingestion with traces detectable at 8 h post-ingestion. Cell migration was significantly influenced by the combination of PCA and VA, but not in isolation. There was no effect of the compounds on cell proliferation.

Conclusions

These data show new information that phenolic compounds thought to exert vasoactive properties are bioavailable in vivo following MC consumption and subsequently can influence cell behaviour. These data may be useful for the design and interpretation of intervention studies investigating the health effects of Montmorency cherries.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank their participants in this investigation. K.M.K., G.H., J.L. and P.G.B. conceived and designed the research; K.M.K., P.G.B., S.E.J. conducted the research; K.M.K., G.H., C.L.C., S. E. J., R.B. analysed and interpreted the data; K.M.K. and G.H. drafted the paper. G.H. and K.M.K. had primary responsibility for final content. All authors read, edited and approved the final manuscript. The Cherry Research Committee of the Cherry Marketing Institute (Lansing, MI, USA), a not for profit organisation, provided financial support for a PhD studentship to make this work possible. S. E. J. was supported by Grant PG/12/45/29672 from the British Heart Foundation to R. B. All other elements of the study were funded by Northumbria University. The funders had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

    Karen M. Keane, Phillip G. Bell, John K. Lodge, Costas L. Constantinou, Sarah E. Jenkinson, Rosemary Bass & Glyn Howatson

  2. Water Research Group, School of Environmental Sciences and Development, Northwest University, Potchefstroom, South Africa

    Glyn Howatson

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  1. Karen M. Keane
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Keane, K.M., Bell, P.G., Lodge, J.K. et al. Phytochemical uptake following human consumption of Montmorency tart cherry (L. Prunus cerasus) and influence of phenolic acids on vascular smooth muscle cells in vitro. Eur J Nutr 55, 1695–1705 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-015-0988-9

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