Objective: To induce hypospadias in male rat offspring by maternal exposure to di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) during late pregnancy and further investigate its mechanisms. METHODS: We randomly divided 20 pregnant rats into a DBP exposure and a control group, the former treated intragastrically with DBP while the latter with soybean oil at 750 mg per kilogram of the body weight per day from gestation days (GD) 14 to 18. On postnatal day (PND) 1, we recorded the incidence rate of hypospadias and observed the histopathological changes in the genital tubercle of the hypospadiac rats. We also measured the level of serum testosterone (T) by radioimmunoassay and determined the mRNA and protein expressions of the androgen receptor (AR), sonic hedgehog (Shh), bone morphogenetic protein 4 (Bmp4) and fibroblast growth factor 8 (Fgf8) in the genital tubercle by real-time PCR and Western blot. RESULTS: No hypospadiac male rats were found in the control group. The incidence rate of hypospadias in male offspring was 43.6% in the DBP-treatment group. Histological analysis confirmed hypospadiac malformation. The serum testosterone concentration was decreased in the hypospadiac male rats as compared with the controls (［0.49 ± 0.05］ vs ［1.12 ± 0.05］ ng/ml, P <0.05). The mRNA expressions of AR, Shh, Bmp4 and Fgf8 in the genital tubercle were significantly lower in the hypospadiac male rats than in the controls (AR: 0.50 ± 0.05 vs 1.00 ± 0.12, P <0.05; Shh: 0.65 ± 0.07 vs 1.00 ± 0.15, P <0.05; Bmp4: 0.42 ± 0.05 vs 1.00 ± 0.13, P <0.05; Fgf8: 0.46 ± 0.04 vs 1.00 ± 0.12, P <0.05), and so were their protein expressions (AR: 0.34 ± 0.05 vs 1.00 ± 0.09, P <0.05; Shh: 0.51 ± 0.07 vs 1.00 ± 0.12, P <0.05; Bmp4: 0.43 ± 0.05 vs 1.00 ± 0.11, P <0.05; Fgf8: 0.57 ± 0.04 vs 1.00 ± 0.13, P <0.05). CONCLUSIONS Maternal exposure to DBP during late pregnancy can induce hypospadias in the male rat offspring. DBP affects the development of the genital tubercle by reducing the serum T concentration and expressions of AR, Shh, Bmp4 and Fgf8 in the genital tubercle, which might underlie the mechanism of DBP inducing hypospadias.
Animals ; Body Weight ; Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4 ; blood ; Dibutyl Phthalate ; toxicity ; Female ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 8 ; blood ; Hedgehog Proteins ; blood ; Hypospadias ; blood ; chemically induced ; pathology ; Male ; Maternal Exposure ; Plasticizers ; toxicity ; Pregnancy ; RNA, Messenger ; blood ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Androgen ; blood ; Soybean Oil ; Testosterone ; blood

PURPOSE: Clinical trials have studied the use of soy protein for treating type 2 diabetes (T2D) and metabolic syndrome (MS). The purpose of this study was to outline evidence on the effects of soy protein supplementation on clinical indices in T2D and MS subjects by performing a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases up to March 2015 for RCTs. Pooled estimates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by the fixed-and-random-effects model. A total of eleven studies with eleven clinical variables met the inclusion criteria. RESULTS: The meta-analysis showed that fasting plasma glucose (FPG) [weighted mean difference (WMD), -0.207; 95% CI, -0.374 to -0.040; p=0.015], fasting serum insulin (FSI) (WMD, -0.292; 95% CI, -0.496 to -0.088; p=0.005), homeostasis model of assessment for insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) (WMD, -0.346; 95% CI, -0.570 to -0.123; p=0.002), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (WMD, -0.230; 95% CI, -0.441 to -0.019; p=0.033), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (WMD, -0.304; 95% CI, -0.461 to -0.148; p=0.000), total cholesterol (TC) (WMD, -0.386; 95% CI, -0.548 to -0.225; p=0.000), and C-reactive protein (CRP) (WMD, -0.510; 95% CI, -0.722 to -0.299; p=0.000) are significant reduced with soy protein supplementation, compared with a placebo control group, in T2D and MS patients. Furthermore, soy protein supplementation for longer duration (≥6 mo) significantly reduced FPG, LDL-C, and CRP, while that for a shorter duration (<6 mo) significantly reduced FSI and HOMA-IR. CONCLUSION: Soy protein supplementation could be beneficial for FPG, FSI, HOMA-IR, DBP, LDL-C, TC, and CRP control in plasma.
Aged ; Blood Glucose/*metabolism ; Blood Pressure ; C-Reactive Protein/metabolism ; Cardiovascular Diseases/prevention & control ; Cholesterol/blood ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/blood/*therapy ; *Dietary Supplements ; Humans ; Lipids/blood ; Metabolic Syndrome X/*blood/prevention & control ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Soybean Proteins/*administration & dosage ; *Soybeans

Metabolism and deposition of exogenous gene and protein from transgenic glyphosate herbicide-tolerant soybean meal in SD rats were studied in the experiment. The transgenic soybean GTS40-3-2 meal and its non-transgenic counterpart (parent A5403) were fed to the generation and the second generation Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats (Rattus norvegicus). The study added the genetically modified (GM) soybean meal and its non-transgenic control soybean meal (parent A5403) in a ratio of 20% respectively to the feeds. By using qualitative, quantitative PCR and ELISA methods to detect transgenic soybean residues of metabolism ingredients in rats, the safety and influence of GM soybean were evaluated. The results showed that the intestinal fecal and cecum contents of rats were detected with residues of GM ingredients, intestinal flora and organs were not found related genes and protein. These results indicated that transgenic glyphosate herbicide-tolerant soybean GTS40-3-2 meal was as safe as its non-GM soybean meal in long-term feeding study.
Animal Feed ; Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena ; Animals ; Digestion ; Glycine ; analogs & derivatives ; Herbicide Resistance ; Herbicides ; Plants, Genetically Modified ; Proteolysis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Soybean Proteins ; Soybeans

By now, the digestive stability experiments provided by most authoritative organizations are in vitro tests. Evaluating the protein digestive stability with in vivo models should be more objective. The present study aimed to verify the in vivo digestibility of soybean β-conglycinin β-subunit in Wuzhishan (WZS) minipigs. Three minipigs were surgically fitted with O-stomach and T-ileum cannulae and fed with soybean meals. According to SDS-PAGE, the 50 kD fraction of soybean β-conglycinin β-subunit persisted in the gastric fluid until 6 h after feeding, which was detected at 3 h and clearly visible at 4-6 h in the intestinal fluid. Western blot with anti-β-conglycinin β-subunit McAb confirmed it.
Animals ; Antigens, Plant ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Digestion ; physiology ; Globulins ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Male ; Protein Subunits ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Seed Storage Proteins ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Soybean Proteins ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Swine ; Swine, Miniature ; physiology

High temperature and humidity stress during seed growth and development of spring soybean can result in seed deterioration in South China. We isolated two genes (GmSBP and GmSBPL) encoding putative SBP proteins from soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) to study their biological functions and response to abiotic stress,. The two SBP proteins are hydrophilic and incomplete membrane ones. Real-time quantitative (RT-PCR) analysis reveals that the expression of the two genes in the developing seeds of the seed deterioration resistant cultivar Xiangdou No. 3 and sensitive cultivar Ningzhen No. 1 was significantly affected by high temperature and humidity treatment. Meanwhile, the levels of sucrose and soluble sugar in the developing seeds of both cultivars were also affected under high temperature and humidity stress. During seed growth and development, the expression of the two genes as well as the levels of sucrose and soluble sugar reached the highest at 30 days after flower. GmSBP2 and GmSBPL were found to be differentially expressed in different soybean tissues. Sub-cellular localization indicated that two genes were located in cytoplasm and cell membrane. Our results indicate that GmSBP2 and GmSBPL might be involved in the response to abiotic stress, which will enrich our understanding of pre-harvest seed deterioration and resistance in soybean from one side.
China ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Genes, Plant ; Membrane Transport Proteins ; genetics ; Plant Lectins ; genetics ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Seeds ; Soybean Proteins ; genetics ; Soybeans ; genetics ; Stress, Physiological

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of Se-riched soybean peptide (SSP) on antioxidant function in rats of fatty liver caused by high-fat diet.

METHODSForty Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups randomly and fed with standard diet and water (NC), high-fat diet and water (HC), high-fat diet and SSP (0.1 g/d) (SeH), standard diet and SSP (0.1 g/d) (SeN) respectively. After 10 weeks, the rats were killed to investigate the pimelosis level in liver tissues by Sudan III staining and the expression of hepatic GRP78 by immunohistochemical analysis. We also analyzed the changes of liver function, blood lipid, the glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content in livers and serum.

RESULTSThe pimelosis level, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), MDA contents and the expression of GRP78 in HC group were significantly higher than those in NC, SeN, SeH groups. The activities of GSH-Px and SOD in liver and serum were markedly up-regulated in SeH (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference between NC and SeN groups.

CONCLUSIONSSP can improve liver cell injury and the antioxidant functions in rats with fatty liver effectively and decrease the expression of GRP78 in liver.

Animals ; Antioxidants ; metabolism ; Diet, High-Fat ; adverse effects ; Disease Models, Animal ; Fatty Liver ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; Heat-Shock Proteins ; metabolism ; Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Selenium ; pharmacology ; Soybean Proteins ; pharmacology ; Soybeans ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of the postpone in skeletal muscle aging process of D-galactose rats by weight training and soy polypeptide supplement in 6 weeks, and discuss the initial mechanism.

METHODSixty male SD rats (three month old)were randomly assigned: 6 week control (C6,) and 6 week model (M6) 6 for each group, 12 week model (M12), big load (B12), small load (S12), peptide (P12), peptide + big load (PB12) and peptide + small load group (PS12) 8 for each group, eight fourteen month rats were taken in the natural aging group. The rats were killed by the end of 6th week and 12th week, tested the indicators.

RESULTCompare with group C6, the indicators in group M6 showed aging in different levels; Compare with group M12, weight training or soy polypeptide supplement in all intervention groups could increase the content of skeletal muscle superoxide dismutase (SOD), SOD/MDA, the serum growth hormone(GH), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-I)and skeletal muscle IGF-I mRNA, decreased the malondialdehyde (MDA) content of skeletal muscle, and they had notable interaction.

CONCLUSIONRat skeletal muscle aging model can be copied successfully by D-galactose hypodermic, and go on with 6-week weight training or soy polypeptide supplement, they can postpone the skeletal muscle aging process of D-galactose rats, and the two interference way united can have more obvious effect. Its preliminary mechanism may be related to the reduction of skeletal muscle oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation, the correction of hormones and related factors metabolic disorders, the elevation of skeletal muscle IGF-I mRNA expression and so on.

Aging ; physiology ; Animals ; Galactose ; Growth Hormone ; blood ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; metabolism ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Muscle, Skeletal ; drug effects ; physiology ; Physical Conditioning, Animal ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Soybean Proteins ; pharmacology ; Soybeans ; chemistry ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism

In order to investigate the effects of a fermented soybean product (Chungkookjang, CKJ) on nerve growth factor (NGF) metabolism, NGF secretion ability and its related signaling pathway were analyzed in B35 neuronal cells and the Tg2576 mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In B35 cells, the concentration of NGF significantly increased upon treatment with Taegwang (TG)-CKJ and Shinhwa (SH)-CKJ extracts compared with vehicle. Further, a significant increase in PC12 cell length as well as the phsophorylation levels of TrkA and Akt, which are members of a high affinity NGF receptor signaling pathway, were observed after treatment with TG-CKJ and SH-CKJ conditional medium (CM). On the other hand, there was no difference in activation of the NGF receptor p75NTR signaling pathway between vehicle and all CKJ treated groups. In Tg2576 mice showing early stage of AD, the concentrations of NGF in the serum and brain were reduced compared with those in Non-Tg mice. Treatment of Tg2576 mice with SH-CKJ, which contains high concentrations of total flavonoids and phenolic compounds, for 8 weeks dramatically recovered the NGF level to that of Non-Tg mice. Furthermore, the low phosphorylation levels of TrkA and Erk in the NGF receptor TrkA signaling pathway were rapidly recovered to those of Non-Tg mice after SH-CKJ treatment in vehicle treated Tg2576 mice, whereas the phosphorylation level of Akt was maintained at a constant level. These results suggest that CKJ may stimulate NGF secretion ability as well as the NGF receptor TrkA signaling pathway in PC12 cells and Tg2576 mice.
Alzheimer Disease ; Animals ; Brain ; Flavonoids ; Hand ; Isoflavones ; Mice ; Nerve Growth Factor ; Neurons ; PC12 Cells ; Phenol ; Phosphorylation ; Receptor, Nerve Growth Factor ; Soybean Proteins ; Soybeans

The vomeronasal organ (VNO) plays an important role in reproduction and social activities in ruminants including goats. A morphological study on the structure of VNO and its epithelial cells was carried out in Korean black goats. Grossly, the VNO of Korean goats opens into mouth through incisive ducts. Microscopically, the epithelium of VNO consisted of medial sensory epithelium and lateral non-sensory epithelium. Several blood vessels and nerve bundles were observed in the lamina propria encased by vomeronasal cartilage. Immunohistochemical staining showed that protein gene product (PGP) 9.5 was immunostained in the receptor cells of the sensory epithelium and in some cells of the non-sensory epithelium. Galectin-3 was mainly observed in the supporting cells of sensory and non-sensory epithelium. Lectins including wheat germ agglutinin, Ulex europaeus agglutinin, Bandeiraea simplicifolia lectin Isolectin B4, Dolichos biflorus agglutinin and soybean agglutinin used in this study were bound in VNO sensory, non-sensory epithelia as well as in the lamina propria with varying intensity. Collectively, this is a first descriptive morphological study of VNO of Korean black goat with special reference to lectin histochemistry.
Blood Vessels ; Cartilage ; Dolichos ; Epithelial Cells ; Epithelium ; Galectin 3 ; Goats ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lectins ; Mouth ; Mucous Membrane ; Plant Lectins ; Reproduction ; Ruminants ; Soybean Proteins ; Soybeans ; Triticum ; Ulex ; Vomeronasal Organ

Functional foods are becoming increasingly available to consumers worldwide. The health effects of use of functional foods on cardiovascular diseases must be advised. Omega-3 fatty acid can play a role in primary prevention of deaths from coronary heart disease. It has also been reported to be promising treatment for prevention of deaths from cardiovascular diseases particularly in high-risk group. Vitamin E has no primary prevention of cardiovascular disease, but has high possibility of increasing the risk of heart failure and deaths from cardiovascular disease in high-risk group. Vitamin B complex reduces homocysteine, but don't reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Apart from them, gamma linolenic acid, chitosan, soy protein, and red yeast rice may reduce cholesterol levels and the risk of cardiovascular disease, still, further studies are needed. To prevent cardiovascular diseases, it is the most important to main healthy lifestyle habits. Functional foods should only be supplementary.
Biological Agents ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Chitosan ; Cholesterol ; Coronary Disease ; Fatty Acids, Omega-3 ; Functional Food ; gamma-Linolenic Acid ; Heart Failure ; Homocysteine ; Life Style ; Primary Prevention ; Soybean Proteins ; Vitamin B Complex ; Vitamin E ; Vitamins ; Yeasts