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Neuroprotective potency of a soy whey fermented by Cordyceps militaris SN-18 against hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative injury in PC12 cells

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European Journal of Nutrition Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Soy whey is a byproduct generated from the processing of several soybean products. Its valorization has continued to attract significant research interest in recent times due to the nutritional and bioactive potency of its chemical composition. Herein, the neuroprotective potency of a soy whey fermented by Cordyceps militaris SN-18 against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced oxidative injury in PC12 cells was investigated.

Methods

The phenolic compositions were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Antioxidant activities were assessed by ABTS•+ scavenging assay, DPPH radical scavenging assay, reducing power assay, and ferric reducing antioxidant power assay. The neuroprotective effects of fermented soy whey (FSW) were investigated based on the oxidative injury model in PC12 cells.

Results

FSW possessed higher total phenolic content and antioxidant activities compared with unfermented soy whey (UFSW) and that most of the isoflavone glycosides were hydrolyzed into their corresponding aglycones during fermentation. The extract from FSW exhibited a greater protective effect on PC12 cells against oxidative injury by promoting cell proliferation, restoring cell morphology, inhibiting lactic dehydrogenase leakage, reducing reactive oxygen species levels, and enhancing antioxidant enzyme activities compared with that from UFSW. Additionally, cell apoptosis was significantly inhibited by FSW through down-regulation of caspase-3, caspase-9, and Bax and up-regulation of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL. S-phase cell arrest was attenuated by FSW through increasing cyclin A, CDK1 and CDK2, and decreasing p21 protein.

Conclusion

Fermentation with C. militaris SN-18 could significantly improve the bioactivity of soy whey by enhancing the ability of nerve cells to resist oxidative damage.

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Abbreviations

HPLC:

High-performance liquid chromatography

UFSW:

Unfermented soy whey

FSW:

Fermented soy whey

H2O2 :

Hydrogen peroxide

DPPH:

2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl

ABTS:

2,2-Azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt

FRAP:

Ferric reducing antioxidant power

RP:

Reducing powder

TPC:

Total phenolic content

MTT:

3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide

FBS:

Fetal bovine serum

DMEM:

Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium

LDH:

Lactate dehydrogenase

CAT:

Catalase

SOD:

Superoxide dismutase

GSH-Px:

Glutathione peroxidase

GR:

Glutathione reductase

GSH:

Reduced glutathione

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

GAE:

Gallic acid equivalent

NBT:

Nitro blue tetrazolium

PI:

Prodium iodide

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Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by the Science and Technology Program of Jiangsu Province (BE2019355), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No.31501460).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Agricultural Product Processing, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China

    Liqing Yin, Han Wu, Jianzhong Zhou, Xiaoli Liu & Xiudong Xia

  2. College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, 1 Weigang Road, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China

    Liqing Yin, Yongzhu Zhang, Lixia Wang, Fidelis Azi, Mekonen Tekliye & Mingsheng Dong

  3. School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, 212013, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China

    Jianzhong Zhou, Xiaoli Liu & Xiudong Xia

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  1. Liqing Yin
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Yin, L., Zhang, Y., Wang, L. et al. Neuroprotective potency of a soy whey fermented by Cordyceps militaris SN-18 against hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative injury in PC12 cells. Eur J Nutr 61, 779–792 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-021-02679-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-021-02679-w

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