Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Obesity is a complex disease that is associated with chronic low-grade inflammation, as well as changes in the composition and metabolism of gut microbiota. As a commonly consumed fruit in the U.S., tart cherry (TC) is an excellent source of anthocyanins, which can modulate gut microbiota composition and improve obesity-related inflammation. Previous studies documented the anti-inflammatory effects of TC in cells and animal models. However, the therapeutic application of TC has been limited by the instability and low bioavailability of anthocyanins in the adverse gastrointestinal environment. While the projectfocuses on theprotection of nutrients and natural ingredientsin juice which theconsumer is demanding today. The food industry is usingvarious encapsulation and emulsion systemsto enhance the stability of nutrientsin different types of beverages, but overconsumption of certain compounds or emulsifiers may negatively influence gut and human health.The consumer wants a healthy, natural, and clean label, gut-harmful compounds can be replaced by the use of prebiotic materialsby the use of nanoemulsions and effective encapsulation.Therefore, this project addresses the needto 1) design and optimize TC juice encapsulated nanoparticles (TC-nano) to protect TC anthocyanins against deterioration in the intestinal lumen and enhance their bioavailability. By putting sensitive nutrients of juice in a shell, encapsulation protects thosenutrients from the storage and gut environmentuntil they enter the blood circulation. Even though the nanostructure breaks down and releases nutrients from the core, the prebiotics compounds and nutrients can also positively impact gut health in a native form.2) Determine the effects of TC-nano on gut microbiota and obesity-associated inflammation in high-fat diet-induced obese mice. With this new nanoshell,we can protect ournutrient ingredients from digestion in the gut and understand how anthocyanins and optimized prebiotics impact body weight, systematic inflammation, gut health, and eventually, whole-body metabolic health using a mouse model.A major outcome of this research is improved bioavailability of anthocyanins with prebiotic compounds and an understanding of their mechanisms of action in altering the gut microbiotato improve human health.
Animal Health Component
25%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
50%
Applied
25%
Developmental
25%
Goals / Objectives
The goal of this application is to develop novel nanoparticles with prebiotic compounds to enhance the bioavailability of anthocyanins in tart cherry (TC)juice while improving gut health in an obese mouse model, in order to reduce high-fat diet (HFD)-related metabolic challenges such as obesity.To achieve these goals, we proposethe following supporting objectives: (1) Optimize nano-encapsulated TC anthocyanin (TC-nano) formulations with prebiotics. Anthocyaninstability under different conditions (temperature, pH, etc.) will be evaluatedto optimize anthocyanin protection in TC juice during storage. (2) Evaluate the effects of optimized TC-nano on bioavailability and gut microbiota in an HFD-induced obese C57BL/6 mouse model. The long-term goal of the proposed study is to increase the nutritional value of anthocyanins-rich TC juice, enhance anthocyanins stability and bioavailability, to positively modulate gut microbiota composition through innovative prebiotic nanoparticles.
Project Methods
Objective 1. Develop nano-encapsulated TC anthocyanin (TC-nano) technologies and formulations with prebiotic compounds. Considering certain compounds or emulsifiers, involved in the nanostructure, may negatively influence gut and human health, different prebiotic compounds will be tested to optimize nanoparticle preparation that would achieve the preferred particle size, high encapsulation efficiency, stability, and bioavailability. Preparation parameters like processing time and temperature, and nanostructure formulation will be evaluated. Characteristics of nanoparticles, like particle size, surface charge, polydispersity, electron microscopy, stability, and other physical and chemical parameters will be measured to screen the formula and method of nanoparticles. In vitro encapsulated anthocyanin release pattern and bioaccessibility in simulated digestion model will be evaluated.Objective 2. Evaluate the bioavailability and gut microbiota modulating effects of optimized prebiotic TC-nano in a diet-induced obese mouse model. Bioavailability/pharmacokinetic behavior of TC-nano will be characterized by measuring parameters like Cmax (maximal serum concentration), Tmax (the time in which Cmax is reached), AUC (area under the concentration−time curve), t1/2 (half-life in the terminal phase) and others. The biodistribution of anthocyanin and other bioactive compounds encapsulated in nanostructure versus native form in major organs, like fat and liver, will be measured as well. We will employ high-fat diet-induced obese mice as model to examine the anti-obesity and gut microbiota-modulating properties of TC juice and prebiotic TC-nano using. Major outcomes of interest will be investigated including 1) obesity, 2) obesity-related systemic inflammation, and 3) the gut microbiota composition. To determine the effect of TC-nano on molecular processes of fatty acid metabolism and inflammation, lipogenesis, adipogenesis, and others will be performed using techniques like real-time PCR, Western Blot, and immunohistochemical and histological assessments.