Anti-lipidaemic and anti-inflammatory effect of acai (Euterpe oleracea Martius) polyphenols on 3T3-L1 adipocytes

The anti-lipidaemic and anti-inflammatory effects of acai polyphenols in 3T3-L1 mouse adipocytes were investigated. Pre-adipocytes were differentiated with and without acai-polyphenols at concentrations of 2.5, 5 and 10 mu g gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/mL. Results showed that acai polyphenols reduce the accumulation of intracellular lipids in differentiated adipocytes in a dose-dependent manner and downregulated PPAR gamma 2. The gene expression of adipogenic transcription factors C/ebp alpha, C/ebp beta, Klf5 and Srebp1c was decreased. This was accompanied by a reduction of adipogenic genes, including aP2, LPL, FATP1 and FAS, leptin and total PAI and an increase of adiponectin. Additionally, acai polyphenols protected cells against the production of ROS and decreased the expression of mRNA and protein levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines when 3T3-L1 cells were challenged with TNF-alpha. Thus, these results indicate that acai polyphenols may be useful in the prevention of adipogenesis, oxidative stress and inflammation. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.