Platelet-mediated metabolism of the common dietary flavonoid, quercetin.

Wright, B., Gibson, T., Spencer, J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2931-7274, Lovegrove, J. A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7633-9455 and Gibbins, J. M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0372-5352 (2010) Platelet-mediated metabolism of the common dietary flavonoid, quercetin. PLoS ONE, 5 (3). e9673. ISSN 1932-6203 doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0009673

Abstract/Summary

BACKGROUND: Flavonoid metabolites remain in blood for periods of time potentially long enough to allow interactions with cellular components of this tissue. It is well-established that flavonoids are metabolised within the intestine and liver into methylated, sulphated and glucuronidated counterparts, which inhibit platelet function. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We demonstrate evidence suggesting platelets which contain metabolic enzymes, as an alternative location for flavonoid metabolism. Quercetin and a plasma metabolite of this compound, 4'-O-methyl quercetin (tamarixetin) were shown to gain access to the cytosolic compartment of platelets, using confocal microscopy. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and mass spectrometry (MS) showed that quercetin was transformed into a compound with a mass identical to tamarixetin, suggesting that the flavonoid was methylated by catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT) within platelets. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Platelets potentially mediate a third phase of flavonoid metabolism, which may impact on the regulation of the function of these cells by metabolites of these dietary compounds.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/6052
Identification Number/DOI	10.1371/journal.pone.0009673
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Life Sciences Interdisciplinary centres and themes > Institute for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research (ICMR)
Uncontrolled Keywords	Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Chemical Biology, Cardiovascular Disorders
Publisher	Public Library of Science
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