Berries contain bioactive
polyphenols, whose capacity to prevent
cardiovascular diseases has been established recently in animal models as well in human clinical trials. However, cellular processes and molecular targets of berries
polyphenols remain to be identified. The capacity of a
polyphenol-enriched diet (i.e., blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberry tree fruits and Portuguese crowberries berries mixture) to promote animal survival and protect cardiovascular function from
salt-induced
hypertension was evaluated in a chronic
salt-sensitive Dahl rat model. The daily consumption of berries improved survival of Dahl/salt-sensitive rats submitted to high-
salt diet and normalized their
body weight, renal function and blood pressure. In addition, a prophylactic effect was observed at the level of
cardiac hypertrophy and dysfunction, tissue cohesion and cardiomyocyte
hypertrophy. Berries also protected the aorta from
fibrosis and modulated the expression of aquaporin-1, a channel involved in endothelial water and
nitric oxide permeability. Left ventricle proteomics analysis led to the identification of berries and
salt metabolites targets, including cystein and glycin-rich
protein 3 (CSRP3), a
protein involved in myocyte cytoarchitecture. In neonatal rat ventricular cardiomyocytes, CSRP3 was validated as a target of a berries-derived
polyphenol metabolite,
4-methylcatechol sulfate, at micromolar concentrations, mimicking physiological conditions of human plasma circulation. Accordingly,
siRNA silencing of CSRP3 and
4-methylcatechol sulfate pretreatment reversed cardiomyocyte
hypertrophy and CSRP3 overexpression induced by
phenylephrine. Our systemic study clearly supports the modulation of CSRP3 by a
polyphenol-rich berries diet as an efficient cardioprotective strategy in
hypertension-induced
heart failure.