Promotion of white fat browning by food-derived bioactive compounds and adipose tissue-specific targeting strategies

Abstract

Background

Obesity has become an important contributing factor to diseases such as diabetes and endocrine disorders. With the in-depth study of adipose tissue, beige adipocytes which are similar in morphology and function to brown adipocytes have attracted considerable attention. These cells can be transformed from white adipocytes in response to browning agent stimuli, offering new insights into obesity therapy.

Scope and approach

In this review, the mechanism of food-derived bioactives to promote the formation of beige fat is briefly introduced. Furthermore, the delivery carriers of food-derived agents targeting white adipose tissue (WAT) to enhance its browning are elucidated.

Key findings and conclusions

Various food-derived bioactives have been found to induce beige adipogenesis to promote energy consumption. However, the administration of these stimulants may exhibit low bioavailability and adverse actions on non-target tissues such as the heart and the central nervous system, thus restricting their application in obesity management. Constructing a browning agent delivery system targeting WAT will improve their bioavailability and stability, as well as enhance browning ability. Collectively, the development and application of delivery systems for food bioactive targeting white fat is an important strategy to achieve appreciable weight loss with minimal side effects.