Proteomic Insights Into the Mitigating Effects of Grape Seed Extract on High-Fat Diet-Induced Cardiac Metabolic...

Prevention and treatment of obesity using nutritional supplements became a realistic and effective approach. The present work aims at the assessment of the potential protection afforded by grape seed extract (GSE) on the rat cardiac proteome using a proteomic approach. Using a rodent model of obesity, we performed a comparative quantitative proteomic approach of heart samples from standard, high-fat diet (HFD) and HFD+GSE groups. LTQ OrbiTrap technology, followed by bioinformatic tools, allowed the identification of differentially abundant proteins (DAPs). GSE alleviated the HFD-induced energy metabolism alteration by recovering and/or enhancing some DAPs, such as the aconitase and the propionyl-CoA carboxylase. Also, GSE renews the capacity of cardiomyocytes to produce energy by an overabundance of complex I and complex III. Additionally, GSE improved the contractile function and alleviated cardiomyopathy in obesity following an overabundance of key contractile proteins like myosins and actinin. This study demonstrates that GSE confers cardioprotective effects in the context of obesity-induced metabolic disturbances. Through a proteomic approach, we identified key DAPs involved in energy metabolism and contractile function that were positively modulated by GSE. These findings support the potential of GSE as a promising therapeutic anti-obesity agent.