Anthocyanidins promotes beiging of white adipose tissue in mice fed a high fat diet

Abstract

Supplementation with anthocyanidins (AC), i.e. cyanidin and delphinidin,caused a decrease in body weight gain and fat deposits in mice fed ahigh fat diet (HF). This study investigated the capacity of dietary AC topromote ?beiging? of subcutaneous white adipose tissue (sWAT),through increased mitochondrial biogenesis and thermogenesis. C57BL/6J male mice were fed control (C) or HF diets, with or without supplementationwith 40 mg AC/kg body weight (CA and HFA). After 15 w, HFconsumption caused obesity and increased eWAT weight, which weremitigated by AC supplementation. Adipocyte diameter was higher in HFthan in C, CA and HFA mice. H&E stain showed images compatible withbeiging in both AC-treated groups. Electron microscopy (TEM) showed afewer number of mitochondria in HF but not in HFA mice. TEM findingswere confirmed by measuring the expression of mitochondrial proteinmarkers. AC prevented HF-induced inhibition of the pathway leading tomitochondria biogenesis (PPARγ, PRDM16, PGC-1α), and thermogenicrespiration (UCP-1). Mice consuming the control diet plus AC alsoshowed upregulation of PPARγ, PRDM16, PGC-1α. Findings suggest thatconsumption of selct AC could be an important strategy to mitigate HFinducedobesity in part via activation of adipocyte mitochondriogenesisand beiging.