Redox- and bio-activity of Apocynin (acetovanillone) in plants, a plant phenolic that alleviates

Authors: Baker, Con; MOCK, NORTON - Retired ARS Employee; AVERYANOV, ANDREY - Russian Institute Of Phytopathology

Submitted to: Free Radicals in Biology and Medicine
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/30/2019
Publication Date: 4/1/2019
Citation: Baker, C.J., Mock, N.M., Averyanov, A.A. 2019. Redox- and bio-activity of Apocynin (acetovanillone) in plants, a plant phenolic that alleviates. Free Radicals in Biology and Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmpp.2019.01.005.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmpp.2019.01.005

Interpretive Summary: Plant bacterial diseases cause major damage to crops each year and controlling them adds greatly to production costs. The plant leaf apoplast, which is the cell wall region just outside the plant cell itself, is the first line of defense against most aerial pathogens. There is a great similarity between animals and plants regarding this initial line of defense. In this manuscript we report the testing of plant compound, apocynin, that has shown amazing results in animals to regulate components of this defense process. Apocynin is induced in plants during the defense process but has not been tested for its ability to regulate components of the process. We found that it did not regulate specific components as in animals, but did play a role in regulating the redox status. This would have a global effect on the pathogen as well as the plant defense process. This information will benefit plant scientists and breeders who are devising new strategies to improve disease resistance in plants as well as decrease the use of chemical pesticides and antibiotics.

Technical Abstract: Apocynin (APO), was shown to be the major constituent of and herbal medicine used to reduce painful suffering from many ailments. Because of its proven utility in rat models, it is now an active candidate for treating humans for several major autoimmune diseases such as Alzheimer's, arthritis, and cardiovascular diseases. In plant research, APO is referred to as acetovanillone, a secondary metabolite that is induced in the apoplast during bacterial invasion. In the medical research, it is considered to be a NADPH-oxidase inhibitor, blocking its production of ROS that causes the damage in autoimmunity. Since plants have a similar membrane bound NADPH oxidase activated during bacterial invasion, we wanted to explore whether APO might have similar properties in plants that have been overlooked. In addition, what effect it might have on the redox environment since it is redox active along with other apoplast phenolics that react with peroxidase and H2O2. This could have a global effect on both the pathogen as well as the plant defense process.