Red wine-derived resveratrol exacerbates the effects of free fatty acids on hepatic stellate cells in vitro whereby promoting fibrogenesis

Aims: At moderate consumption, the red wine-derived resveratrol (i.e., trans-3,5,4′-trihydroxystilbene) has been shown to improve the health and survival of obese mice. This nonflavonoid polyphenol also acts antioxidative, antineoplastic and antiinflammatory. In contrast, free fatty acids (FFAs) contribute to liver fibrogenesis by acting profibrotically. FFAs also induce apoptosis as a prominent feature of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Aim: To assess potential downregulation by resveratrol of FFA-induced pro-fibrogenic genes (TGFβ1, α-SMA, TIMP1) and/or the expression of death receptors (Fas/CD95, T…