Consumption of Cherry out of Season Changes White Adipose Tissue Gene Expression and Morphology to a Phenotype Prone to Fat Accumulation

The aim of this study was to determine whether the consumption of cherry out of its normal harvest photoperiod affects adipose tissue, increasing the risk of obesity. Fischer 344 rats were held over a long day (LD) or a short day (SD), fed a standard diet (STD), and treated with a cherry lyophilizate (CH) or vehicle (VH) (n = 6). Biometric measurements, serum parameters, gene expression in white (RWAT) and brown (BAT) adipose tissues, and RWAT histology were analysed. A second experiment with similar conditions was performed (n = 10) but with a cafeteria diet (CAF). In the STD experiment, Bmal1 and Cry1 were downregulated in the CHSD group compared to the VHSD group. Pparα expression was downregulated while Ucp1 levels were higher in the BAT of the CHSD group compared to the VHSD group. In the CAF-fed rats, glucose and insulin serum levels increased, and the expression levels of lipogenesis and lipolysis genes in RWAT were downregulated, while the adipocyte area increased and the number of adipocytes diminished in the CHSD group compared to the VHSD group. In conclusion, we show that the consumption of cherry out of season influences the metabolism of adipose tissue and promotes fat accumulation when accompanied by an obesogenic diet.