Protective effects of resveratrol against senescence-associated changes in cultured human fibroblasts

Recent research has focused on natural compounds possibly endowed with antiaging effects. Resveratrol is a stilbene compound produced by different plants with many biologic activities, including an antiaging effect, which has been demonstrated both in vitro in eukaryotic cells and in vivo in mice. We studied the effect of resveratrol on cultured human MRC5 fibroblasts, a widely used in vitro model in aging studies. The chronic treatment of MRC5 cells until senescence with 5 mM resveratrol induced a small increase in the total number of replications completed by the cultures at senescence, showed protective effects against DNA oxidative damage, and reduced senescence-associated increases in nuclear size and DNA content. A reduction in the levels of acetylated forms of H3 and H4 histones and p53 protein was also found.