Flavonoids protect against intercellular adhesion molecule-1 induction by benzo[a]pyrene

Dietary changes are an attractive means of protecting against environmental chemical exposure. Exposure to benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease events. It has recently been shown that B[a]P can increase intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in endothelial cells, a possible means of promoting cardiovascular disease. This study investigated the ability of flavonoids to protect against B[a]P-induced ICAM-1. It was shown that only flavonoids that contain a 4' B-ring hydroxyl substitution and a 2-3 C-ring double bond were protective. These data suggest that selected bioactive compounds can decrease proinflammatory properties of environmental chemicals such as B[a]P.