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This study investigated Nrf2-activating properties of a coffee blend combining raw coffee bean constituents with 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid (CGA) as a lead component with typical roasting products such as N-methylpyridinium (NMP). In cell culture (HT29) the respective coffee extract (CN-CE) increased nuclear Nrf2 translocation and enhanced the transcription of ARE-dependent genes as exemplified for NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase and glutathione-S-transferase (GST)A1, reflected in the protein level by an increase in GST enzyme activity. In a pilot human intervention study (29 healthy volunteers), daily consumption of 750 mL of CN-coffee for 4 weeks increased Nrf2 transcription in peripheral blood lymphocytes on average. However, the transcriptional response pattern of Nrf2/ARE-dependent genes showed substantial interindividual variations. The presence of SNPs in the Nrf2-promoter, reported recently, as well as the detection of GSTT1*0 (null) genotypes in the study collective strengthens the hypothesis that coffee acts as a modulator of Nrf2-dependent gene response in humans, but genetic polymorphisms play an important role in the individual response pattern.

The Nrf2/ARE pathway is a major cellular defense mechanism that prevents damage by reactive oxygen species through induction of antioxidative phase II enzymes. However, the activity of the Nrf2/ARE system is not uniform with variability in response presumed to be dependent on the Nrf2 genotype. We recently completed a pilot human coffee intervention trial with healthy humans, where large interindividual differences in the antioxidative response to the study coffee were examined. Here, we address the question whether differences in the modulation of Nrf2 gene transcription, assessed as an induction of Nrf2 gene transcription by Q-PCR, might be correlated with specific Nrf2 genotypes. To date, nine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been identified in the Nrf2 (NFE2L2) gene. Two of these, the -617C/A and -651G/A SNPs are located within the promoter region and have previously been reported to influence the activity of the Nrf2/ARE pathway by reducing Nrf2 transcriptional activity. Sequencing of the critical Nrf2 gene promoter region not only confirmed the existence of these SNPs within the participants of the trial at the expected frequency (33% carrying the -617C/A, 17% the -651G/A and 56% the -653A/G SNP) but also indicated reduced Nrf2 gene transcription associated with a normal diet if the SNPs at position -617, -651 or -653 were present. Of note, the data also indicated the study coffee increased Nrf2 gene transcription even in SNP carriers. This further highlights the relevance of genotype-dependent induction of Nrf2 gene transcription that appears to be largely influenced by dietary factors.

Oxidative cellular stress initiates Nrf2 translocation into the nucleus, thus inducing antioxidant response element (ARE)-mediated expression of Phase II enzymes involved in detoxification and antioxidant defence. We investigated whether coffee extracts (CEs) of different proveniences and selected constituents have an impact on the Nrf2/ARE pathway in human colon carcinoma cells (HT29). Assessed as increased nuclear Nrf2 protein, Nrf2 nuclear translocation was modulated by different CEs as observed by Western blot analysis. In addition to the known Nrf2 activator 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid (CGA), pyridinium derivatives like the N-methylpyridinium ion (NMP) were identified as potent activators of Nrf2 nuclear translocation and ARE-dependent gene expression of selected antioxidative Phase II enzymes in HT29. Thereby, the substitution pattern at the pyridinium core structure determined the impact on Nrf2-signalling. In contrast, trigonelline was found to interfere with Nrf2 activation, effectively suppressing the NMP-mediated induction of Nrf2/ARE-dependent gene expression. In conclusion, several coffee constituents, partly already present in the raw material as well as those generated during the roasting process, contribute to the Nrf2-translocating properties of consumer-relevant coffee. A fine tuning in the degradation/formation of activating and deactivating constituents of the Nrf2/ARE pathway during the roasting process appears to be critical for the chemopreventive properties of the final coffee product., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Recently, the coffee constituents 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid (CGA) and N-methylpyridinium (NMP) were identified as inducers of the Nrf2/antioxidant-response element (ARE) detoxifying pathway under cell-culture condition. To study the impact of CGA and NMP on the Nrf2-activating properties of a complex coffee beverage, two different model coffees were generated by variation of the roasting conditions: a low-roast coffee rich in CGA and a heavy-roast low in CGA but containing high levels of NMP. Activation of the Nrf2/antioxidant-response element pathway was monitored in vitro and in vivo., (Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)