Seasonal rhythms drive metabolic adaptations that influence body weight and adiposity. Adipose tissue is a key regulator of energy homeostasis in the organism, and its healthiness is needed to prevent the major consequences of overweight and obesity. In this context, supplementation with proanthocyanidins has been postulated as a potential strategy to prevent the alterations caused by obesity. Moreover, the effects of these (poly)phenols on metabolism are photoperiod dependent. In order to describe the impact of grape-seed proanthocyanidins extract (GSPE) on important markers of adipose tissue functionality under an obesogenic environment, we exposed Fischer 344 rats to three different photoperiods and fed them a cafeteria diet for five weeks. Afterwards, we supplemented them with 25 mg GSPE/kg/day for four weeks. Our results revealed that GSPE supplementation prevented excessive body weight gain under a long photoperiod, which could be explained by increased lipolysis in the adipose tissue. Moreover, cholesterol and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs) serum concentrations were restored by GSPE under standard photoperiod. GSPE consumption slightly helped combat the obesity-induced hypertrophy in adipocytes, and adiponectin mRNA levels were upregulated under all photoperiods. Overall, the administration of GSPE helped reduce the impact of obesity in the adipose tissue, depending on the photoperiod at which GSPE was consumed and on the type of adipose depots.
Keywords: BAT; GSPE; adiponectin; flavonoids; seasonal rhythms.