The effects of polyphenol supplementation on adipose tissue morphology and gene expression in overweight and obese humans

Abstract

Dietary polyphenols have beneficial effects on adipose tissue mass and function in rodents, but human studies are scarce. In a randomized, placebo-controlled study, 25 (10 women) overweight and obese humans received a combination of the polyphenols epigallocatechin-gallate and resveratrol (282 mg/d, 80 mg/d, respectively, EGCG+RES, n = 11) or placebo (PLA, n = 14) supplementation for 12 weeks. Abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) biopsies were collected for assessment of adipocyte morphology and micro-array analysis. EGCG+RES had no effects on adipocyte size and distribution compared with PLA. However, we identified pathways contributing to adipogenesis, cell cycle and apoptosis were significantly downregulated by EGCG+RES versus PLA. Furthermore, EGCG+RES significantly decreased expression of pathways related to energy metabolism, oxidative stress, inflammation, and immune defense as compared with PLA. In conclusion, the SAT gene expression profile indicates a reduced cell turnover after 12-week EGCG+RES in overweight-obese subjects. It remains to be elucidated whether these alterations translate into long-term metabolic effects.

Exercise training-induced effects on the abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue phenotype in humans with obesity

“…A limitation of the present study is that we did not include a control group (no exercise). Importantly, however, several previous randomized, placebo-controlled studies in overweight and obese humans have demonstrated that adipocyte size and adipose tissue gene expression were not significantly altered following placebo treatment for 2-6 mo (17,30,33). Therefore, it is unlikely that the negative findings with respect to exercise-induced effects on adipocyte morphology and function in the present study are due to the lack of a control group.…”

The Role of Antioxidants Supplementation in Clinical Practice: Focus on Cardiovascular Risk Factors

“…Several studies evaluated the effect of resveratrol. Combined polyphenols epigallocatechin-gallate and resveratrol supplemented to obese subjects significantly decreased expression of pathways related to energy metabolism, oxidative stress, inflammation [203]. Accordingly, De Groote et al demonstrated that resveratrol triphosphate supplementation could contribute to a significant reduction of oxidative stress gene expression.…”

The Two-Way Polyphenols-Microbiota Interactions and Their Effects on Obesity and Related Metabolic Diseases

“…In a recent study, overweight and obese subjects consumed 282 mg/day of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and 80 mg/day of resveratrol for 12 weeks. These polyphenols downregulated the expression of genes related to adipogenesis and apoptosis (adipocyte turnover), energy metabolism, oxidative stress and inflammation (68).…”