This study aimed to investigate the effect of Grape Seed Proanthocyanidin (GSP) on fat metabolism and adipocytokines in obese rats. Fifty 5-week-old rats were randomly assigned to five groups (n = 10 per group) and given either a basal diet, a high-fat diet, or a high-fat diet supplemented with GSP (25, 50, and 100 mg/d) per group. The experiment lasted for five weeks, including a one-week adaptation period and a four-week treatment period. At the end of the experimental period, serum and adipose tissue samples were collected and analyzed. Additionally, we co-cultured 3T3-L1 preadipocytes with varying concentrations of GSP to explore its effect on adipocyte metabolism. The results demonstrated that GSP supplementation reduced weight, daily gain, and abdominal fat weight coefficient (p < 0.05). It also decreased levels of glucose, cholesterol (TC) (p < 0.05), triglycerides (TG) (p < 0.05), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in adipose tissue. Furthermore, GSP addition caused adipocyte crumpling in vitro and reduced the mRNA expression of COX-2, LEP, and TNF-α in adipocytes in vitro. These findings provide compelling evidence for exploring the role of GSP in the prevention and treatment of obesity and related diseases.
Keywords: 3T3-L1 preadipocytes; adipocytokines; lipids metabolisms; polyphenols.