(OR22-03-26) Effects of Tart Cherry Juice Encapsulated Prebiotic Nanoparticles on Adipose Inflammatory and Metabolic Pathways in Diet-Induced Obese Mice

Objectives: Obesity is a complex disease associated with chronic low-grade inflammation and metabolic dysfunction. Tart cherry juice (TCJ), a rich source of anthocyanins and flavonoids, has been shown to reduce inflammation and improve metabolic health; however, its efficacy is limited by poor stability and low oral bioavailability. To address these limitations, we developed prebiotic nanoparticles to adsorb TCJ anthocyanins (Tnano). We previously observed the beneficial effects of the Tnano in reducing adiposity in an obese mouse model. Using visceral adipose tissue (VAT) collected from this study, we evaluated the effects of Tnano on inflammatory and metabolic pathways in diet-induced obese male and female mice.

Methods: Six-week-old male and female C57BL/6J mice were fed five diets for 12 weeks: low-fat high-sucrose diet (LFHS), high-fat high-sucrose diet (HFHS), HFHS supplemented with TCJ (23.4 mg anthocyanins/kg diet), alginate hydrogel beads protected Tnano (Alg-Tnano), or alginate beads protected void nanoparticles (Alg-Vnano). Body weight was measured weekly. At study completion, VAT was collected for gene expression analyses by qRT-PCR.

Results: Compared to the HFHS group, female mice supplementation with TCJ or Alg-Tnano had significantly lower body weight (p < 0.05), whereas no significant differences were observed in males. In VAT of both sexes, HFHS increased inflammatory (CD11b, NLRP3) and ER stress–related genes (BIP, CHOP) compared with LFHS (p < 0.05). In females, Alg-Tnano attenuated inflammatory markers (CD11b; p < 0.05) and ER stress (CHOP; p < 0.01) compared to HFHS while upregulating genes involved in lipid oxidation and metabolic regulation (CPT1 and PPARγ; p < 0.05).

Conclusions: Alg-Tnano supplementation modulates adipose inflammatory, ER stress, and metabolic pathways in a sex-specific manner, which may contribute to its beneficial effects on obesity-related outcomes. Ongoing studies are evaluating whether these changes translate to protein-level responses.

Funding Sources: USDA 2023-67017-39555