Expression of Leukocytes Following Myocardial Infarction in Rats is Modulated by Moderate White Wine Consumption

How moderate white wine consumption modulates inflammatory cells infiltration of the ischemic myocardium following permanent coronary ligation was the key question addressed in this study. Male Sprague–Dawley rats were given either a combination of different white wines or water only for 28 days. Three peri-infarct/border zones and a control/nonischemic zone were analysed to determine the expression of myeloperoxidase (MPO) and cluster of differentiation 68 (CD68). Smaller expressions for both MPO and CD68 were found in all three peri-infarct zones of wine drinking animals (p < 0.001). There was no difference in the expression of leukocyte markers between animals drinking standard and polyphenol-rich white wine, although for CD68, a nonsignificant attenuation was noticed. In sham animals, a subepicardial MPO/CD68 immunoreactive “inflammatory ring” is described. Standard white wine consumption caused attenuation of the expression of MPO but not of CD68 in these animals. We conclude that white wine consumption positively modulates peri-infarct inflammatory infiltration.