Impact of yacon root flour on adipose tissue remodeling in obese rats (en prensa)

GRANDE MV; DIAZ MIRANDA E.N.; SANCHEZ S.S.; HONORE S. M.

Tafi del Valle, Tucumán

Jornada; XXXIX Annual Scientific Meeting of the Tucuman Biology Association; 2022

Asociacion de Biologia de Tucumán

New lifestyles and eating habits have increased the global prevalence of obesity, leading to the search for therapeutic alternatives to reduce its impact on health. Currently, functional foods are considered a non-pharmacological alternative to prevent or treat obesity. We analyzed the effects of Smallanthus sonchifolius (yacon) meal rich in fructoologosachatides and phenolic compounds, on hypoxia, oxidative stress, inflammation, and white adipose tissue (WAT) differentiation in HFD-fed rats. We compare these effects with the consumption of agave inulin, to characterize the prebiotic potential of yacon flour. We observed that the consumption of yacon flour limits the visceral WAT expansion and negatively regulates the expression of the transcription factor inducible by hypoxia-1α (HIF-1α). It also increases the antioxidant system, attenuates lipid peroxidation, reduces the expression of the proinflammatory genes MCP-1, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6, and TGF-β1, and increases the expression of the anti-inflammatory IL-10, in visceral WAT. Furthermore, the flour downregulates Wnt5a and upregulates Wnt3a and SLC2A4 expressions in visceral WAT. Inulin consumption enhances visceral WAT remodeling, reducing oxidative stress and inflammation. Our data indicate that yacon supplementation, unlike inulin, produces a selective reduction of HIF-1α and improves WAT remodeling. Our findings highlight the efficacy of yacon as a non-pharmacological alternative to improve visceral WAT dysfunction and reduce alterations associated with diet-induced obesity.