Transcriptomics and Metabolomics Reveal Liver Metabolic Changes and Phytochemical Deposition Occurring after Tomato Consumption in Mice

Tomato consumption is associated with many health benefits including lowered risk for developing certain cancers. However, the effects of tomato consumption on gene expression and the chemical profile of mammalian liver are not well defined. C57BL/6 mice (n=11-12/group) were fed a macronutrient matched diet containing either 10% red tomato, 10% tangerine tomato, or no tomato powder for 6 weeks after weaning. RNA-Seq followed by gene set enrichment analyses indicated that tomato type and consumption, in general, altered expression of phase I and II xenobiotic metabolizing genes.