Polydatin Prevents Electron Transport Chain Dysfunction and ROS Overproduction Paralleled by an Improvement in Lipid Peroxidation and Cardiolipin Levels in Iron-Overloaded Rat Liver Mitochondria

Increased intramitochondrial free iron is a key feature of various liver diseases, leading to oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and liver damage. Polydatin is a polyphenol with a hepatoprotective effect, which has been attributed to its ability to enhance mitochondrial oxidative metabolism and antioxidant defenses, thereby inhibiting reactive oxygen species (ROS) dependent cellular damage processes and liver diseases. However, it has not been explored whether polydatin is able to exert its effects by protecting the phospholipid cardiolipin against damage from excess iron. Cardiolipin maintains the integrity and function of electron transport chain (ETC) complexes and keeps cytochrome <i>c</i> bound to mitochondria, avoiding uncontrolled apoptosis. Therefore, the effect of polydatin on oxidative lipid damage, ETC activity, cytochrome levels, and ROS production was explored in iron-exposed rat liver mitochondria. Fe²⁺ increased lipid peroxidation, decreased cardiolipin and cytochromes <i>c + c</i>₁ and <i>aa</i>₃ levels, inhibited ETC complex activities, and dramatically increased ROS production. Preincubation with polydatin prevented all these effects to a variable degree. These results suggest that the hepatoprotective mechanism of polydatin involves the attenuation of free radical production by iron, which enhances cardiolipin levels by counteracting membrane lipid peroxidation. This prevents the loss of cytochromes, improves ETC function, and decreases mitochondrial ROS production.