Polyphenols and avenanthramides extracted from oat (Avena sativa L.) grains and sprouts modulate genes involved in glucose and lipid metabolisms in 3T3 L1 adipocytes

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of polyphenol (PE) and avenanthramide (AE) extracts from oat grains (OG) and sprouts (OS) on genes related to glucose and lipid metabolisms in 3T3 L1 adipocytes. The AE‐OS exerted the greatest effect on genes involved in glucose metabolism, increasing Glut4, Irs1, and Pi3k expression by 3.0‐ to 3.9‐fold. Conversely, the PE‐OS exerted the greatest effect on genes involved in lipid metabolism, decreasing Fasn and Acaca expression by 0.2‐ to 0.3‐fold, and increasing Cpt1a and Acadm expression by 2.7‐ to 3.0‐fold. These effects were mainly related to their high content of avenanthramides A (2p), B (2f), and C (2c), quercetin 3‐O‐rutinoside, kaempferol, sinapoylquinic acid, and apigenin and luteolin derivatives according to the chemometric analysis. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that oat sprouts extract exerts a greater effect than oat grains on the regulation of genes involved in glucose and lipid metabolisms in adipocytes. Practical applications This study demonstrates that polyphenols and avenanthramides extracted from oat (Avena sativa L.) grains and sprouts modulate key genes involved in glucose and lipid metabolisms in adipocytes and that oat sprouts exert a greatest health beneficial effect than oat grains due to their higher content of bioactive compounds. In addition, the chemometric analysis identified the bioactive compounds that can be associated with the beneficial effects of oat grains and sprouts, which can be further used for the identification of oat varieties and oat‐derived products with high content of these bioactive compounds and, thus, with high nutraceutical potential. Oat sprouts avenanthramides up‐regulated Glut4, Irs1, and Pi3k in adipocytes, which are involved in glucose uptake, whereas oat sprouts polyphenols up‐regulated the expression of key genes involved in fatty acid beta‐oxidation (Cpt1a and Acadm) and down‐regulated key genes involved in fatty acid de novo synthesis (Fasn and Acaca). Oat sprouts extracts exerted a greater beneficial effect than oat grain extracts. These beneficial effects were related to specific avenanthramides and polyphenols.