The role of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4) in wine-induced cardioprotection

Includes abstract.Includes bibliographical references.Moderate and chronic consumption of red wine confers cardioprotection. Melatonin, present in wine, may contribute to this cardioprotective effect. Melatonin confers cardioprotection via the activation of tumor necrosis factoralpha (TNF-α) and the signal transducer and activator of transcription-3(STAT-3), via mechanisms that still remain to be delineated. We therefore hypothesise that South African red and white wines confer a cardioprotective effect in relation to their melatonin content. Furthermore, we propose that the cardioprotective effect of melatonin (at a concentration found in red wine) is dependent on the activation of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4) to activate TNF-α/STAT-3