Anthocyanins as a factor in the alimentary restoration of cellular immunity in diet induced obesity in rats

The article presents the results of a study of the effect of anthocyanins on cellular immunity in rats on a model of alimentary obesity. The aim of the study was to study the effect of an anthocyanin- enriched diet on cellular immunity in diet induced obesity in rats. The study was carried out on male Wistar rats with an initial body weight of 108±2 g. The animals were randomized by body weight into 3 groups (8 pcs. in group). For 12 weeks, rats of the 1st (control) group received a complete modified diet of AIN93M; rats of the 2nd group consumed a high-calorie choline-deficient diet (HCChDD), the fat content of which was 45%, fructose – 20% of the energy value of the diet; rats of the 3rd group received HCChDD with the addition of standardized blueberry and blackcurrant extract (30% anthocyanins) at an average daily dose of 11 mg anthocyanins/kg body weight. The expression of differentiation markers of peripheral blood lymphocytes was carried out by flow cytofluorimetry. As a result of the study, it was found that in rats of the 2nd group with alimentary obesity, the relative content in the peripheral blood of T helpers (CD3+CD4+) was increased (p < 0.05) (75.75±1.11% versus 70.07±0 49% – group 1, 72.14±0.91% – group 3) and reduced (p < 0.05) content of T cytotoxic lymphocytes (CD3+CD8+) (22.54±1.14% versus 28.09±0.72% – 1st group, 26.07±0.87% – 3rd group). The CD3/CD4 ratio in rats of the 2nd group exceeded (p < 0.05) this index in rats of the 1st and 3rd groups (3.44±0.25 versus 2.47±0.09 – 1st group, 2.79±0.13 – 3rd group). Enrichment of the HCChDD with the blueberry and blackcurrant extract led to the normalization of these parameters of cellular immunity. The number of B lymphocytes (CD45R+), Т lymphocytes (CD3+) and NK cells (CD161+) in the rat peripheral blood of all experimental groups had no statistically significant differences. The results of the study of cellular immunity in rats with alimentary obesity indicate the presence of metainflammation. The received data indicate the prospect of using biologically active substances.