Cyanidin-3-glucoside attenuates high-fat and high-fructose diet-induced obesity by promoting the thermogenic capacity of brown adipose tissue

Obesity results from a sustained positive energy balance, occurring when energy intake exceeds energy expenditure. One promising therapeutic strategy to mitigate obesity is the promotion of thermogenesis of brown adipose tissue (BAT) to increase energy expenditure. Cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G) is an anthocyanin compound widely distributed in human diets. In this study, researchers studied the effect and mechanism of C3G on the prevention and treatment of high-fat and high-fructose diet (HFFD) induced obesity. The study shows that C3G enhances energy expenditure and thermogenic capacity of BAT, protecting mice against HFFD obesity. Further, C3G increases expression of UCP1 and other thermogenic genes in inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT), as well as in BAT. Results demonstrate that C3G promotes the heat production of BAT and iWAT by increasing mitochondrial biogenesis and function. These findings reveal that C3G activates BAT, which may provide a safe, effective approach to prevent and treat diet-induced obesity.