A Couple of News Items About Wine and Resveratrol

In vino valetudo Scientists at the Litwin-Zucker Research Center (New York State) have published the results of a study that is sure to delight red wine lovers. It turns out that wine contains the polyphenolic compound resveratrol, which reduces the levels of amyloid protein in brain cells—a protein that accumulates in Alzheimer’s disease. Resveratrol likely activates proteasomes—intracellular structures responsible for breaking down unnecessary and defective proteins. It seems that wine offers not only truth but also health benefits (provided, of course, that one does not exceed the one glass per day recommended by doctors), especially considering that these are far from the first findings of this kind. Studies have shown that red wine contains natural antioxidants and beneficial micronutrients, and the beneficial effects of moderate alcohol consumption on the cardiovascular system have been well documented. It may seem that the ability to combat Alzheimer’s disease pales in comparison. Alas, this perspective stems from an underestimation of this extremely dangerous condition and is partly explained by underreported official statistics on its prevalence. Imagine a day when your forgetfulness becomes increasingly obvious to those around you. Innocent jokes about questions you’ve asked multiple times will give way to anxiety about your ability to find your way home, handle a door lock, or turn off the gas. Later still, your loved ones’ concern for you will give way to exhaustion… A definitive diagnosis, however, can only be made after obtaining brain tissue samples for histological examination. It is this examination that will help detect clusters of degenerated neurons and amyloid plaques in the brain and make the final diagnosis: Alzheimer’s disease. The bleak outlook described here, unless there are significant advances in medicine, awaits 15 percent of people who live to age 65, as well as 35 percent of 85-year-olds. The symptoms of this disease have been known since ancient times, but it has become particularly widespread in the modern world. In a post-industrial society, the proportion of elderly people will likely continue to grow, and age-related diseases will spread accordingly. However, this disease can also strike people in their 40s and 50s (there is even a known case of a 28-year-old person with the disease). The cause of Alzheimer’s disease is a decrease in the levels of acetylcholinesterase in brain cells. This enzyme synthesizes acetylcholine, a substance involved in signal transmission between nerve cells. Science is gradually getting closer to understanding the causes of this anomaly. It is already clear what cellular-level abnormalities accompany the development of the disease, and genes contributing to it have been identified in mice. In the hope that tomorrow’s advances in molecular biology will protect us from this scourge, today we can drink red wine and… work. Although all segments of the population are susceptible to Alzheimer’s disease, it is known that the likelihood of its onset is reduced by intellectual activity involving information processing. And the charm won’t fade? The genome of yet another flowering plant—the fourth in a row—has been decoded. Following Tal’s resuhoid, rice, and poplar, the grapevine has revealed its intimate genetic secrets. Who achieved this? Naturally, the French, together with the Italians. The research team worked not with just any ordinary grape, but with Pinot Noir, an exquisite Burgundian variety. Traces of long-term selection by winemakers have been found in its genome. The genes responsible for the proteins that synthesize key components of the wine’s bouquet (tannins, terpenes, and others) have been amplified—replicated in multiple copies. The variety is characterized by high homozygosity—most genes are represented by two identical copies. Incidentally, most cultivated plants are polyploids, that is, organisms with a multiply increased chromosome set. Polyploidy in plants usually increases yield. Grapes avoided this fate: in them, genes multiplied, not chromosome sets. Was the bouquet more important than yield? For example, 43 copies of the gene responsible for the synthesis of resveratrol—a polyphenolic compound that accounts for the health benefits of wine consumption (in particular, protecting the brain from Alzheimer’s disease)—have been discovered in the grape genome. At least twenty of these copies are active. Now, geneticists are discussing the possibility of increasing the health benefits of grape juice. But what about the results of fermentation? However, this research could also benefit winemaking: there is hope that studying disease-resistance genes will allow for the protection of the best grape varieties in a nearly natural way. To do this, we need to either transfer disease-resistance genes from less valuable local varieties to the prized ones, or enrich the less valuable varieties with genes that promote the synthesis of aromatic compounds. Of course, opponents of genetic engineering will protest, but such a solution is still better than, for example, treatment with fungicides (anti-fungal agents). However, the taste of wine depends on far more than just genes. Expert tasters can actually detect the subtlest characteristics of the vineyard’s soil, climate, or geochemistry through the taste of the wine. The most valuable biochemical characteristics of grape juice and wine manifest only under specific conditions. All that remains is to decide whether to be saddened or delighted by the fact that good wine will not become a mass-produced commodity for a long time to come. Cheers! D. Shabanov. In vino valetudo // Kompyuterra, Moscow, 2005. – No. 43 (615) D. Shabanov. Will the charm not fade? // Kompyuterra, Moscow, 2007. – No. 32 (700)