Systemic H2O2 signaling mediates epigallocatechin-3-gallate-induced cadmium tolerance in tomato

Toxic heavy metal cadmium (Cd) reduces crop yield and threatens human health via the food chain. The bioactive flavonoid 'Epigallocatechin-3-gallate' (EGCG) affects plant stress response; however, the function of EGCG in Cd tolerance and the molecular pathways remain largely unknown. Here, we revealed that root application of EGCG alleviated Cd stress in tomato plants. While Cd stress decreased Fv/Fm, ФPSII, photosynthetic rate, root growth, root vitality and biomass accumulation by increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and lipid peroxidation, exogenous EGCG minimized excessive ROS accumulation and oxidative stress by promoting the activity of antioxidant enzymes and redox poise in roots and leaves. Moreover, EGCG induced the transcript of RESPIRATORY BURST OXIDASE HOMOLOG1 (RBOH1) and decreased Cd content and photoinhibition in leaves. Interestingly, similar to EGCG, exogenous H2O2 application also enhanced Cd tolerance; however, the application of an NADPH oxidase inhibitor, diphenyleneiodonium (DPI), aggravated Cd phytotoxicity and attenuated the beneficial effects of EGCG on plant tolerance to Cd stress, suggesting that root applied EGCG-induced expression of RBOH1 and associated H2O2 signaling mediate the EGCG-induced enhanced Cd tolerance. This work elucidates a fundamental mechanism behind EGCG-mediated Cd tolerance and contributes to our existing knowledge of stress resistance properties of EGCG in plants.