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The Role of Dietary Bioactive Compounds in Preventing and Treating Obesity and Overweight

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Bioactives and Nutraceuticals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2021) | Viewed by 9190

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Nutrigenomics Research Group, Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
Interests: adipose expandability; bioactive compounds; biological rhythms; chrononutrition; energy metabolism; epigenetics; functional foods; gut microbiota; hypothalamic dysfunction; leptin; nutrigenomics; obesity; polyphenols; xenohormesis
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Body weight management is essential for many people, especially in developed countries where food is more abundant and physical activity reduced, for preventing comorbidity risks related to obesity and overweight. Current strategies for weight management and obesity prevention include increase of energy expenditure and following of a balanced diet in order to achieve negative energy balance. However, emerging research evidence indicates that dietary bioactive compounds could be a promising strategy to complement current pharmacological and dietary therapies. Indeed, in recent years, thousands of these food compounds, such as flavonoids, fatty acids, terpenoids and bioactive peptides, have been investigated for their ability to prevent and treat obesity. Thus, the role of dietary bioactive compounds with novel properties that promote body weight management is worth investigating further. I believe that an exhaustive understanding of the role of food bioactive compounds in energy metabolism regulation is of increasing interest to both the scientific community and the food industry. Therefore, I will highlight the molecular mechanisms of these bioactive compounds involved in the prevention and treatment of obesity.

With the support of IJMS, this Special Issue welcomes manuscripts from human and animal studies focused on evaluating the ability of bioactive food compounds to promote weight management and prevent obesity and its metabolic consequences, as well as in vitro studies aimed to elucidate the potential molecular mechanisms underlying their effects.

Dr. Gerard Aragonès
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • adipose tissue
  • bioactive peptides
  • functional foods
  • leptin signaling
  • metabolism
  • multi-ingredient
  • obesity
  • polyphenols
  • weight management

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 5232 KiB  
Article
Saikosaponin A and D Inhibit Adipogenesis via the AMPK and MAPK Signaling Pathways in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes
by Sung Ho Lim, Ho Seon Lee, Hyo-Kyung Han and Chang-Ik Choi
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(21), 11409; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms222111409 - 22 Oct 2021
Cited by 27 | Viewed by 4139
Abstract
Obesity is a lipid metabolism disorder caused by genetic, medicinal, nutritional, and other environmental factors. It is characterized by a complex condition of excess lipid accumulation in adipocytes. Adipogenesis is a differentiation process that converts preadipocytes into mature adipocytes and contributes to excessive [...] Read more.
Obesity is a lipid metabolism disorder caused by genetic, medicinal, nutritional, and other environmental factors. It is characterized by a complex condition of excess lipid accumulation in adipocytes. Adipogenesis is a differentiation process that converts preadipocytes into mature adipocytes and contributes to excessive fat deposition. Saikosaponin A (SSA) and saikosaponin D (SSD) are triterpenoid saponins separated from the root of the Bupleurum chinensis, which has long been used to treat inflammation, fever, and liver diseases. However, the effects of these constituents on lipid accumulation and obesity are poorly understood. We investigated the anti-obesity effects of SSA and SSD in mouse 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The MTT assay was performed to measure cell viability, and Oil Red O staining was conducted to determine lipid accumulation. Various adipogenic transcription factors were evaluated at the protein and mRNA levels by Western blot assay and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Here, we showed that SSA and SSD significantly inhibited lipid accumulation without affecting cell viability within the range of the tested concentrations (0.938–15 µM). SSA and SSD also dose-dependently suppressed the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha (C/EBPα), sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c), and adiponectin. Furthermore, the decrease of these transcriptional factors resulted in the repressed expression of several lipogenic genes including fatty acid binding protein (FABP4), fatty acid synthase (FAS), and lipoprotein lipase (LPL). In addition, SSA and SSD enhanced the phosphorylation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and its substrate, acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), and inhibited the phosphorylation of extracellular-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and p38, but not c-Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK). These results suggest that SSA and SSD inhibit adipogenesis through the AMPK or mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways in the early stages of adipocyte differentiation. This is the first study on the anti-adipogenic effects of SSA and SSD, and further research in animals and humans is necessary to confirm the potential of saikosaponins as therapeutic agents for obesity. Full article
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18 pages, 4208 KiB  
Article
Capsiate Intake with Exercise Training Additively Reduces Fat Deposition in Mice on a High-Fat Diet, but Not without Exercise Training
by Deunsol Hwang, Jong-Beom Seo, Hun-Young Park, Jisu Kim and Kiwon Lim
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(2), 769; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms22020769 - 14 Jan 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2003
Abstract
While exercise training (ET) is an efficient strategy to manage obesity, it is recommended with a dietary plan to maximize the antiobesity functions owing to a compensational increase in energy intake. Capsiate is a notable bioactive compound for managing obesity owing to its [...] Read more.
While exercise training (ET) is an efficient strategy to manage obesity, it is recommended with a dietary plan to maximize the antiobesity functions owing to a compensational increase in energy intake. Capsiate is a notable bioactive compound for managing obesity owing to its capacity to increase energy expenditure. We aimed to examine whether the antiobesity effects of ET can be further enhanced by capsiate intake (CI) and determine its effects on resting energy expenditure and metabolic molecules. Mice were randomly divided into four groups (n = 8 per group) and fed high-fat diet. Mild-intensity treadmill ET was conducted five times/week; capsiate (10 mg/kg) was orally administered daily. After 8 weeks, resting metabolic rate and metabolic molecules were analyzed. ET with CI additively reduced the abdominal fat rate by 18% and solely upregulated beta-3-adrenoceptors in adipose tissue (p = 0.013) but did not affect the metabolic molecules in skeletal muscles. Surprisingly, CI without ET significantly increased the abdominal fat rate (p = 0.001) and reduced energy expenditure by 9%. Therefore, capsiate could be a candidate compound for maximizing the antiobesity effects of ET by upregulating beta-3-adrenoceptors in adipose tissue, but CI without ET may not be beneficial in managing obesity. Full article
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10 pages, 2376 KiB  
Article
Scopolin Prevents Adipocyte Differentiation in 3T3-L1 Preadipocytes and Weight Gain in an Ovariectomy-Induced Obese Mouse Model
by Eunkuk Park, Chang Gun Lee, Jeonghyun Kim, Eunguk Lim, Subin Yeo and Seon-Yong Jeong
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21(22), 8699; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms21228699 - 18 Nov 2020
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2381
Abstract
Obesity is prevalent in modern human societies. We examined the anti-obesity effects of scopolin on adipocyte differentiation in preadipocyte 3T3-L1 cells and weight loss in an ovariectomy (OVX)-induced obese mouse model. Scopolin inhibited adipocyte differentiation and lipid accumulation in the preadipocyte cells by [...] Read more.
Obesity is prevalent in modern human societies. We examined the anti-obesity effects of scopolin on adipocyte differentiation in preadipocyte 3T3-L1 cells and weight loss in an ovariectomy (OVX)-induced obese mouse model. Scopolin inhibited adipocyte differentiation and lipid accumulation in the preadipocyte cells by suppressing the transcription of adipogenic-related factors, including adiponectin (Adipoq), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (Pparg), lipoprotein lipase (Lpl), perilipin1 (Plin1), fatty acid-binding protein 4 (Fabp4), glucose transporter type 4 (Slc2a4), and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha (Cebpa). In OVX-induced obese mice, administration of scopolin promoted the reduction of body weight, total fat percentage, liver steatosis, and adipose cell size. In addition, the scopolin-treated OVX mice showed decreased serum levels of leptin and insulin. Taken together, these findings suggest that the use of scopolin prevented adipocyte differentiation and weight gain in vitro and in vivo, indicating that scopolin may be a potential bioactive compound for the treatment and prevention of obesity in humans. Full article
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