Lipid profile lowering effect of Soypro™ fermented with lactic acid bacteria isolated from Kimchi in high-fat diet-induced obese rats

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Kim, Na-Hyung | Moon, Phil-Dong | Kim, Su-Jin | Choi, In-Young | An, Hyo-Jin | Myung, Noh-Yil | Jeong, Hyun-Ja | Um, Jae-Young | Hong, Seung-Heon | Kim, Hyung-Min

Affiliations: Department of Pharmacology, College of Oriental Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea | Oriental Medical Science Center, College of Oriental Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea | Department of Oriental Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, VestibuloCochlear Research Center of Wonkwang University, Iksan, Jeonbuk, Republic of Korea | Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea | Biochip Research Center, Hoseo University, Chungnam, Republic of Korea

Note: [] Address for correspondence: Hyung-Min Kim, Ph.D., Department of Pharmacology, College of Oriental Medicine, Kyung Hee University, 1 Hoegi-Dong, Dongdaemun-Gu, Seoul, 130-701 Republic of Korea. Tel.: +82 2 961 9448; Fax: +82 2 967 7707; E-mail: hmkim@khu.ac.kr

Abstract: Lactic acid bacteria are known to exert various physiologic functions in humans. In the current study, we investigated the effects of Soypro™, a new soymilk fermented with lactic acid bacteria, like Leuconostoc kimchii, Leuconostoc citreum, and Lactobacillus plantarum, isolated from Kimchi, on adipocyte differentiation in preadipocyte 3T3-L1 cell lines and weight gain or the plasma lipid profile in Sprague-Dawley rats. Adipocyte 3T3-L1 cells treated with Soypro™ (10 μg/ml) significantly reduced the contents of cellular triglyceride and inhibited cell differentiation by Oil red O staining. Treatment with Soypro™ (10 μg/ml) for an additional two days in adipocytes inhibited the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ_{2} and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein-α, transcription factors of adipocyte differentiation. Based on these in vitro studies, we examined the anti-obesity effect of Soypro™ in rats for six weeks. Soypro™ had no significant effect on high-fat diet-induced increases in body weight, food intake, or feed gain ratio. However, the administration of Soypro™ significantly reduced the concentration of the plasma low density lipoprotein cholesterol. Changes in the plasma levels of total cholesterol and glucose were inclined to decrease in Soypro™ administrated groups compared with saline treated group. Triglyceride and high density lipoprotein cholesterol values in Soypro™ fed groups were similar compared to those of saline fed groups. Although further research is needed, these findings suggest that Soypro™ decreased the levels of low density lipoprotein cholesterol in high-fat diet-induced obesity and might partially inhibit the adipocyte differentiation through the suppression of a transcription factors peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ_{2} and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein-α.

Keywords: Soypro™, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ[TeX:] _{2}, CCAAT/enhancer binding protein-α, low density lipoprotein cholesterol

Journal: BioFactors, vol. 33, no. 1, pp. 49-60, 2008