Biological effects of supplementation of anthocyanin extracts obtained with natural deep eutetic solvents in obese animals

• Grant number: 22/12936-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Effective date (Start): September 01, 2023
• Effective date (End): August 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Nutrition - Nutrition Biochemistry
• Principal Investigator: Luciana Pellegrini Pisani
• Grantee: Nicholas Tadeu Vannuchi da Costa Almeida
• Host Institution: Instituto de Saúde e Sociedade (ISS). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus Baixada Santista. Santos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Chronic non-communicable diseases aggravated by obesity represent the leading cause of mortality worldwide according to the World Health Organization. Faced with this, there is a search for nutritional intervention strategies where the consumption of antioxidant bioactive compounds such as anthocyanins stands out. The consumption of these phenolic compounds has shown the ability to attenuate metabolic parameters of obesity such as low-grade inflammation and even its incidence. However, the mechanisms involved in this process of metabolic alteration, as well as the impact based on its dose-response, is scarce. Another factor impacted by the administration of anthocyanins in the diet are epigenetic mechanisms, which can influence metabolic and inflammatory pathways, in addition to reducing adipogenesis. Obesity-related hormonal factors such as leptin and adiponectin, lipid metabolism and mitochondrial function are closely influenced by diet-mediated epigenetic factors. Nevertheless, the consumption of high doses of anthocyanins has revealed contradictory results in the modulation of obesity for reasons not yet fully understood. It is thought that the large amount of lipids found in some fruits may diminish the beneficial effects of anthocyanins in combating the condition. A common strategy for obtaining lipid-free anthocyanins is the use of toxic organic solvents such as methanol. In an innovative way, however, the present project proposes the use of an anthocyanin extract obtained from the fruit of Juçara (Euterpe edulis) with a natural eutectic solvent. Such solvents are touted as one of the solutions of the future, aiming for a greener chemistry. In this way, it is proposed to investigate whether the consumption of anthocyanins obtained through these solvents, in different daily amounts, and its dose-dependent influence on cellular processes of lipid metabolism and mitochondrial activity, as well as to produce changes in epigenetic mechanisms, modulating the homeostasis process. Therefore, we will evaluate in obese adult animals consuming a control or hypercaloric diet associated with different concentrations of anthocyanins (25 to 150 mg) as the global DNA methylation; HDAC enzyme activity; protein expression of DNMT1, DNMT3a, DNMT3b, MeCP2, OXPHOS, p-AMPK, SIRT1, PGC-1±, AdipoR2 and UCP-1; IL-1², IL-6, TNF-± and IL-10 content; and mitochondrial DNA content and polarization of resident macrophages. In this way, it will be possible to infer what type of modulation the anthocyanin extract may cause in obesity markers, as well as obtain safety parameters for the use of extracts obtained with natural eutectic solvents, which are scarce in the literature. (AU)