Nutr Res Pract.  2016 Oct;10(5):494-500. 10.4162/nrp.2016.10.5.494.

Blueberry, blackberry, and blackcurrant differentially affect plasma lipids and pro-inflammatory markers in diet-induced obesity mice

• Kim B
• Lee SG
• Park YK
• Ku CS
• Pham TX
• Wegner CJ
• Yang Y
• Koo SI
• Chun OK
• Lee JY

• KMID: 2434083
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4162/nrp.2016.10.5.494

Abstract

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES
Evidence indicates that berry anthocyanins are anti-atherogenic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory. However, berries differ vastly in their anthocyanin composition and thus potentially in their biological and metabolic effects. The present study compared hypolipidemic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties of blueberry (BB), blackberry (BK), and blackcurrant (BC) in a diet-induced obesity (DIO) mouse model.
MATERIALS/METHODS
Male C57BL/6J mice were fed a high fat (HF; 35% fat, w/w) control diet or a HF diet supplemented with freeze-dried 5% BB, 6.3% BK or 5.7% BC for 12 weeks (10 mice/group) to achieve the same total anthocyanin content in each diet. Plasma lipids, antioxidant status and pro-inflammatory cytokines were measured. The expression of genes involved in antioxidant defense, inflammation, and lipid metabolism was determined in the liver, epididymal adipose tissue, proximal intestine, and skeletal muscle. Histological analysis was performed to identify crown-like structure (CLS) in epididymal fat pads to determine macrophage infiltration.
RESULTS
No differences were noted between the control and any berry-fed groups in plasma levels of liver enzymes, insulin, glucose, ferric reducing antioxidant power, superoxide dismutase, and tumor necrosis factor α. However, BK significantly lowered plasma triglyceride compared with the HF control and other berries, whereas BC significantly reduced F4/80 mRNA and the number of CLS in the epididymal fat pad, indicative of less macrophage infiltration.
CONCLUSIONS
The present study provides evidence that BB, BK and BC with varying anthocyanin composition differentially affect plasma lipids and adipose macrophage infiltration in DIO mice, but with no differences in their antioxidant capacity and anti-inflammatory potential.

Keyword

Berry anthocyanins; antioxidant capacity; hypolipidemic effects; inflammation; macrophage

MeSH Terms

Adipose Tissue
Animals
Anthocyanins
Blueberry Plant*
Cytokines
Diet
Fruit
Glucose
Humans
Inflammation
Insulin
Intestines
Lipid Metabolism
Liver
Macrophages
Male
Mice*
Muscle, Skeletal
Obesity*
Plasma*
RNA, Messenger
Rubus*
Superoxide Dismutase
Triglycerides
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
Anthocyanins
Cytokines
Glucose
Insulin
RNA, Messenger
Superoxide Dismutase
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Plasma lipid levels of male C57BL/6J mice fed a HF control diet or a HF diet supplemented with a berry for 12 weeks. TC, total cholesterol; TG, triglycerides; non-HDLC, non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; CON, control; BB, blueberry; BK, blackberry; BC, blackcurrant. Mean ± SEM, n = 10. Bars with a different letter are significantly different (P < 0.05). One-way analysis of variance with Tukey's Post Hoc Test was used to evaluate a statistical difference.

• 

  Fig. 2 Expression of genes in the proximal intestine of male C57BL/6J mice fed a HF control diet or a HF diet supplemented with BK for 12 weeks. Values are relative expression to control. CON, control; BB, blueberry; BK, blackberry; BC, blackcurrant. Mean ± SEM, n = 10. Unpaired t-test was used to evaluate a statistical difference between two groups.

• 

  Fig. 3 Inflammatory markers in the epididymal adipose tissue of male C57BL/6J mice fed a HF control diet or a HF diet supplemented with a berry for 12 weeks. (A) qRT-PCR was conducted to measure F4/80 mRNA levels. Mean ± SEM, n = 10. Bars with a different letter are significantly different (P < 0.05). (B) CLS number was counted in a field of H&E stained adipose tissue samples and expressed as CLS number per 100 adipocytes. Mean ± SEM, n = 10. (C) Pearson correlation between F4/80 mRNA and the number of CLS. (D) Representative H&E stained adipose tissue sections from control (CON) and blackcurrant (BC)-fed mice. Arrows indicate CLS. One-way analysis of variance with Tukey's Post Hoc Test or unpaired t-test was used to evaluate a statistical difference. CLS: Crown-like structure.

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