Mixed berry juice and cellulose fiber have differential effects on peripheral blood mononuclear cell respiration in overweight adults

Authors: SOLVERSON, PATRICK - Washington State University; Albaugh, George; DEBELO, HAWI - North Carolina State University; FERRUZZI, MARIO - North Carolina State University; Baer, David; Novotny, Janet

Submitted to: Nutrients
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/28/2023
Publication Date: 3/31/2023
Citation: Solverson, P., Albaugh, G.P., Debelo, H., Ferruzzi, M.G., Baer, D.J., Novotny, J. 2023. Mixed berry juice and cellulose fiber have differential effects on peripheral blood mononuclear cell respiration in overweight adults. Nutrients. 15(7):1709-1724. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15071709.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15071709

Interpretive Summary: Obesity is one of the biggest global public health problems. There is a large body of evidence demonstrating that consumption of berry or anthocyanin-rich treatments are protective in genetic or diet-induced models of rodent obesity. However, it is unclear which berry bioactive components and what mechanisms may be involved in preventing obesity. Further, it is unclear if the mechanism which work in rodent models also work in humans. An intervention study with overweight and obese adults was conducted to isolate the effects of different berry components on bioenergetics. After consumption of whole mixed berries (high anthocyanin, high fiber), pressed berry juice (high anthocyanin, low fiber), berry-flavored gelatin (low anthocyanin, low fiber), or fiber-enriched gelatin (low anthocyanin, high fiber), blood cells were collected and their cellular respiration was measured under different condition. The berry juice and fiber-enriched gelatin had opposite effects on cellular respiration. In the fasted state, berry juice resulted in the highest oxygen consumption rate (OCR), while fiber-enriched gelatin resulted in the highest OCR in the fed state. Differences were observed in multiple respiration states with the greatest differences being between the pressed berry juice and the fiber-enriched gelatin. These results confirm the influence of berry treatments on bioenergetics in humans. Effects appear to be different for different berry components, and differ between the fasted and fed state.

Technical Abstract: Berries and other anthocyanin-rich foods have demonstrated anti-obesity effects in rodents and humans. However, the bioactive components of these foods and their mechanisms of action are unclear. We conducted an intervention study with overweight and obese adults to isolate the effects of different berry components on bioenergetics. Subjects consumed whole mixed berries (high anthocyanin, high fiber), pressed berry juice (high anthocyanin, low fiber), berry-flavored gelatin (low anthocyanin, low fiber), or fiber-enriched gelatin (low anthocyanin, high fiber) for one week prior to a meal challenge with the same treatment food as the pre-feed period. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were collected 2 h after the meal challenge, and cellular respiration was assessed via high-resolution respirometry. The high-anthocyanin, low-fiber treatment (berry juice) and the lowanthocyanin, high-fiber treatment (fiber-enriched gelatin) had opposite effects on cellular respiration. In the fasted state, berry juice resulted in the highest oxygen-consumption rate (OCR), while fiber enriched gelatin resulted in the highest OCR in the fed state. Differences were observed in multiple respiration states (basal, state 3, state 4, uncoupled), with the greatest differences being between the pressed berry juice and the fiber-enriched gelatin. Different components of berries, specifically anthocyanins/flavonoids and fiber, appear to have differential effects on cellular respiration.