Vol.:(0123456789) 1 3 European Journal of Nutrition https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-019-02024-2 ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTION Obesity‑related infammatory modulation by juçara berry (Euterpe edulis Mart.) supplementation in Brazilian adults: a double‑blind randomized controlled trial Aline Boveto Santamarina 1  · Giovana Jamar 1  · Laís Vales Mennitti 1  · Helena de Cássia Cesar 1  · José Ronnie Vasconcelos 3  · Lila Missae Oyama 2  · Veridiana Vera de Rosso 3  · Luciana Pellegrini Pisani 3 Received: 27 March 2019 / Accepted: 5 June 2019 © Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2019 Abstract Purpose Obesity is an infammatory-related disease, which recruits immune system cells triggering to imbalanced produc- tion of cytokines. Obesity management and treatment using foods bioactive compounds have gained clinical and scientifc relevance. Juçara (Euterpe edulis Mart.) fruit is rich in fbers, unsaturated lipids and, anthocyanins showing potential health benefts. Thus, we investigated the efect of juçara pulp intake on infammatory status of monocytes from obese individuals. Methods It is a placebo-controlled, randomized double-blind trial. Twenty-seven obese participants (BMI between 30.0 and 39.9 kg/m 2 ) of both genders from 31 to 59-year-old, divided into two groups: 5 g juçara freeze-dried pulp or 5 g of placebo for 6 weeks. Before and after supplementation, blood samples were collected and monocytes obtained and stimulated with lipopolysaccharides. After 24 h of incubation, the cells and supernatants were analyzed. Results Post-treatment, juçara reduced TLR4, and IL-6 mRNA compared to placebo. Juçara also increased IL-10 mRNA in post-treatment. The protein expression of TLR4 pathway post-treatment, MYD88 expression reduced in juçara group compared to placebo. The juçara post-treatment reduced pIKKα/β compared to the placebo. Ob-R protein levels were higher in the juçara group post-treatment compared to pre-treatment. IL-6, TNF-α, and MCP-1 production by monocytes were reduced by juçara in post-treatment compared to pre-treatment levels. The supplementation increased IL-10 in juçara group with LPS compared to pre-treatment and versus juçara group without LPS. Conclusion These results demonstrated a proinfammatory state at the beginning, which was improved by juçara pulp con- sumption. Our results suggest juçara pulp as a potential tool against the proinfammatory status of obesity. Keywords Obesity · Monocytes · Infammation · Juçara · TLR4 pathway Introduction Obesity chronic subclinical inflammation is a widely accepted concept and a vast research feld nowadays. Indeed, one important trigger of the proinfammatory status in obe- sity is the recruitment of monocyte cells and the activation of macrophages. Monocytes are precursor cells of the innate immune system circulating in peripheral bloodstream, when infil- trated in adipose or muscular tissues it differentiates into macrophages, which plays a key role in inflammatory processes [1]. Differentiation of macrophages can occur in two phenotypic subtypes known as classic M1 or alter- native M2. The M1 macrophages have classical proin- flammatory characteristics, commonly found in adipose tissue of obese humans and animal models triggering the * Luciana Pellegrini Pisani lucianapisani@hotmail.com 1 Programa de Pós-Graduação Interdisciplinar em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Santos 11015-020, Brazil 2 Departamento de Fisiologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil 3 Departamento de Biociências, Laboratório de Nutrição e Fisiologia Endócrina (LaNFE), Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Silva Jardim, 136, Térreo, Vila Mathias, Santos, São Paulo 11015-020, Brazil