Interfacial Protein Fibril Polymorphisms Regulate In Vivo Adipose Expansion for Control of Obesity

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Biotechnology
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Obesity is a global health crisis, necessitating innovative strategies to manage fat intake.
• Interfacial engineering of food lipids offers a potential method to reduce obesity without compromising palatability.
• Current strategies have not yet successfully achieved this balance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the potential of plant protein fibrils in stabilizing food emulsions for obesity inhibition.
• To compare the efficacy of bromelain and papain fibrils in interfacial stabilization and lipid absorption.
• To explore a novel approach for controlling obesity through dietary fat manipulation.

Main Methods:

• Screening of plant proteins to identify those forming stable fibrils (bromelain and papain).
• Fabrication of oil-in-water high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) stabilized by protein fibrils.
• In vivo studies involving oral administration of HIPEs to assess lipid absorption, gene expression, and metabolic effects in mice.

Main Results:

• Bromelain fibrils formed wormlike structures with superior interfacial stabilization compared to papain's long-straight fibrils.
• HIPEs stabilized by bromelain fibrils significantly increased fecal lipid content and reduced intestinal lipid absorption genes.
• Administration of bromelain-stabilized HIPEs inhibited diet-induced obesity, reducing adipose tissue, inflammation, and fatty liver in mice.

Conclusions:

• Protein fibril polymorphism, specifically wormlike bromelain fibrils, offers a promising strategy for interfacial food engineering.
• This approach effectively reduces lipid absorption and mitigates obesity by controlling free fatty acid availability.
• The findings present a novel and generalizable method for developing healthier high-fat food products.