Fermented blueberry juice extract and its specific fractions have an anti-adipogenic effect in 3\ua0T3-L1 cells

Abstract Background Obesity and Type 2 diabetes have reached epidemic status worldwide. Wild lowbush blueberry ( Vaccinium angustifolium Aiton) is a plant of the North American Aboriginal traditional pharmacopeia with antidiabetic potential, especially when it is fermented with Serratia vaccinii . Methods A phytochemical fractionation scheme was used to identify potential bioactive compounds as confirmed by HPLC retention times and UV\u2013Vis spectra. 3\ua0T3-L1 cells were differentiated for 7\ua0days with either Normal Blueberry Extract (NBE), Fermented Blueberry Extract (FBE/F1), seven fractions and four pure compounds. Triglyceride content was measured. Examination of selected intracellular signalling components (p-Akt, p-AMPK) and transcriptional factors (SREBP-1c and PPAR\u3b3) was carried out by Western blot analysis. Results The inhibitory effect of FBE/F1 on adipocyte triglyceride accumulation was attributed to total phenolic (F2) and chlorogenic acid enriched (F3-2) fractions that both inhibited by 75%. Pure compounds catechol (CAT) and chlorogenic acid (CA) also inhibited adipogenesis by 70%. Treatment with NBE, F1, F3-2, CAT and CA decreased p-AKT, whereas p-AMPK tended to increase with F1. The expression of SREBP1-c was not significantly modulated. In contrast, PPAR\u3b3 decreased in all experimental groups that inhibited adipogenesis. Conclusions These results demonstrate that fermented blueberry extract contains compounds with anti-adipogenic activity, which can serve to standardize nutraceutical preparations from fermented blueberry juice and to develop novel compounds with anti-obesity properties