Exploring the Effects of Delphinidin Treatment on Browning Processes in 3T3-L1 Preadipocyte Cells: A Foodomics Approach

Abstract Purpose: Foodomics uses advanced omics technologies to evaluate the molecular effects of food components in organisms. Delphinidin, a valuable polyphenol anthocyanidin, has demonstrated protective effects against obesity-related conditions, making it a promising candidate for dietary supplements. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of delphinidin treatment (5, 10, and 20 µM) on 3T3-L1 preadipocyte cell culture on thermogenesis and browning processes. Methods: We treated cells in two different stages of adipocyte formation: in the differentiation and the maturation process. To achieve this, we evaluated the expressions of main protein markers (UCP-1, PGC1-α, and PPARγ) and genes correlated with browning (UCP-1, PPARγ, C/EBPβ, PGC1-α, CIDEA, FABP4, and PRDM16) and lipid metabolism in delphinidin treated 3T3-L1 preadipocytes cells. The GC/MS-based Metabolomics method was used to understand the effect of delphinidin at the lipid level. Results: The results suggest that delphinidin might contribute to the browning of tissue in relation to important regulators of browning genes like UCP1 and PRDM16. However, it did not impact PPARγ, C/EBPβ, and FABP4 – which are regulators of adipogenesis. The foodomics approach combining multi-omics data suggest that delphinidin interacts in different pathways of metabolism. Delphinidin exhibited effects on metabolites such as glyceraldehyde, alanine, and porphine – indicating its involvement in metabolic pathways. Conclusion: These findings provide a valuable foundation for developing obesity therapeutics through dietary supplements, though further studies are needed to confirm delphinidin’s browning effects.