Epidemiological data suggest that plant-derived phenolics beneficial effects include an inhibition of
LDL oxidation. After applying a screening method based on 2,4-dinitrophenyl
hydrazine-
protein carbonyl reaction to 21 different plant-derived phenolic
acids, we selected the most
antioxidant ones. Their effect was assessed in 5 different oxidation systems, as well as in other model
proteins. Mass-spectrometry was then used, evidencing a heterogeneous effect on the accumulation of the structurally characterized
protein carbonyl glutamic and aminoadipic semialdehydes as well as for
malondialdehyde-
lysine in
LDL apoprotein. After TOF based lipidomics, we identified the most abundant differential
lipids in Cu(++)-incubated
LDL as
1-palmitoyllysophosphatidylcholine and 1-stearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine. Most of selected phenolic compounds prevented the accumulation of those
phospholipids and the cellular impairment induced by
oxidized LDL. Finally, to validate these effects in vivo, we evaluated the effect of the intake of a phenolic-enriched extract in
plasma protein and
lipid modifications in a well-established model of
atherosclerosis (diet-induced
hypercholesterolemia in hamsters). This showed that a dietary supplement with a phenolic-enriched extract diminished
plasma protein oxidative and
lipid damage. Globally, these data show structural basis of
antioxidant properties of plant-derived phenolic
acids in
protein oxidation that may be relevant for the health-promoting effects of its dietary intake.