Abstract
BackgroundObesity and Type 2 diabetes have reached epidemic status worldwide. Wild lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Aiton) is a plant of the North American Aboriginal traditional pharmacopeia with antidiabetic potential, especially when it is fermented with Serratia vaccinii.MethodsA phytochemical fractionation scheme was used to identify potential bioactive compounds as confirmed by HPLC retention times and UV–Vis spectra. 3 T3-L1 cells were differentiated for 7 days with either Normal Blueberry Extract (NBE), Fermented Blueberry Extract (FBE/F1), seven fractions and four pure compounds. Triglyceride content was measured. Examination of selected intracellular signalling components (p-Akt, p-AMPK) and transcriptional factors (SREBP-1c and PPARγ) was carried out by Western blot analysis.ResultsThe inhibitory effect of FBE/F1 on adipocyte triglyceride accumulation was attributed to total phenolic (F2) and chlorogenic acid enriched (F3-2) fractions that both inhibited by 75%. Pure compounds catechol (CAT) and chlorogenic acid (CA) also inhibited adipogenesis by 70%. Treatment with NBE, F1, F3-2, CAT and CA decreased p-AKT, whereas p-AMPK tended to increase with F1. The expression of SREBP1-c was not significantly modulated. In contrast, PPARγ decreased in all experimental groups that inhibited adipogenesis.ConclusionsThese results demonstrate that fermented blueberry extract contains compounds with anti-adipogenic activity, which can serve to standardize nutraceutical preparations from fermented blueberry juice and to develop novel compounds with anti-obesity properties.
Highlights
Obesity and Type 2 diabetes have reached epidemic status worldwide
These results demonstrate that fermented blueberry extract contains compounds with anti-adipogenic activity, which can serve to standardize nutraceutical preparations from fermented blueberry juice and to develop novel compounds with anti-obesity properties
This fractionation scheme was used previously to study the effect of Normal Blueberry Extract (NBE) components on cardiomyocyte integrity [15] and was applied to fermented blueberry extract (FBE) as a practical approach
Summary
Obesity and Type 2 diabetes have reached epidemic status worldwide. Canada has experienced a substantial increase in the prevalence of obesity [2, 3]. Obesity and Type 2 diabetes have increased especially in Canadian Aboriginal populations. Adipogenesis, implicates the accumulation of cellular lipid and is regulated by genetic and growth factors as well as hormones, notably by insulin [4]. Insulin is a major anabolic regulator of energy homeostasis and its signalling pathways implicate the serine/threonine-specific protein kinase Akt. Knockout models of the different Akt isoforms (Akt and Akt2) demonstrated their essential role in regulating adipogenesis [5] as well as glucose metabolism in the body [6].
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