Wine, sirtuins and nephroprotection: not only resveratrol

Resveratrol (RSV), a red wine component, and red wine itself exert cardio- and nephroprotective effects by modulating the Nitric Oxide system (NO). It has been shown that one of the main actions resulting from NO modulation is sirtuin regulation, especially SIRT-1 regulation. Elucidating both upstream and downstream molecular mechanisms of the SIRT-1 pathway is an open field of investigation that can explain its role not only in long-term processes, such as aging, but also in short-term processes, such as protection against ischemic damage. Our hypothesis suggests the importance of investigating compounds that are routine dietary compo- nents and do not necessarily contain RSV. Their nephroprotective activity could involve not only eNOS-dependent, but also NO-dependent but eNOS-independent mechanisms, or other molecular alter- native signaling systems.