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Effects of dietary active soybean trypsin inhibitors on pancreatic weights, histology and expression of STAT3 and receptors for androgen and estrogen in different tissues of rats

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Abstract

Our previous study showed that soy milks could contain high levels of active soybean trypsin inhibitors (SBTI) if they were not properly processed. This study investigated the effects of consuming active SBTI on pancreatic weights, histology, trypsinogen production and expression of STAT3, receptors for androgen (AR) and estrogen (ER) in pancreas, liver and uterus of rats. Weanling Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups (8 females and 8 males/group) and fed diets containing either 20% casein protein (Casein) or 20% soy protein (SP) in the presence of high (1.42 BAEE unit/µg, SP + SBTI) or low (0.2 BAEE unit/µg, SP-SBTI) levels of active SBTI for 8 weeks. Ingestion of SP + SBTI diet markedly increased pancreatic weights and trypsinogen content (p < 0.01), and caused acinar cell hypertrophy, and reduced pancreatic STAT3, p-STAT3, AR and ERβ content, and increased uterine ERα and ERβ compared to the Casein or SP-SBTI diets (p < 0.05). The two SP-containing diets lowered hepatic STAT3, p-STAT3, and pancreatic ERα, and increased hepatic ERα and ERβ content in the female rats compared to the Casein diet (p < 0.05). This study demonstrated for the first time that consumption of high level of active SBTI not only increased pancreatic weights and acinar cell secretions, but also attenuated the expression of pancreatic STAT3, p-STAT3, AR, and ERβ proteins in both sexes and increased uterine ERα and ERβ content, and that dietary soy protein affected hepatic STAT3, p-STAT3, ERα and ERβ in a gender-dependent manner.

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Abbreviations

AR:

Androgen receptor

BBI:

Bowman-Birk inhibitors

ER:

Estrogen receptor

KTI:

Kunitz trypsin inhibitor

SBTI:

Soybean trypsin inhibitor

SP:

Soy protein

STAT3:

Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3

p-STAT3:

Phosphorylated STAT3

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Dr. Stephen Gleddie at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada for providing soy proteins. We thank the technicians in the Scientific Service Division, Food Directorate, Health Canada for their assistance during the animal experimentation phase.

Funding

This research was supported by Health Canada.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nutrition Research Division, Bureau of Nutritional Sciences, Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0K9, Canada

    Chao-Wu Xiao, Carla Wood, Lee Anne Cunningham, Maryline Lalande & Melissa Riding

  2. Food and Nutrition Science, Department of Chemistry, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada

    Chao-Wu Xiao, Lee Anne Cunningham & Melissa Riding

Authors
  1. Chao-Wu Xiao
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  2. Carla Wood
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  3. Lee Anne Cunningham
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Contributions

CWX designed the animal study and conducted data analysis and prepared the manuscript. CW coordidated the animal study and conducted sample analysis. LAC, ML, and MR analysed the samples and participated in manuscript preparation.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Chao-Wu Xiao.

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All authors in this paper have read the final manuscript and approved for publication.

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The animal experimental protocol was approved by the Health Canada-Ottawa Animal Care Committee, and all animal handling and care followed the guidelines of the Canadian Council for Animal Care.

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Xiao, CW., Wood, C., Cunningham, L.A. et al. Effects of dietary active soybean trypsin inhibitors on pancreatic weights, histology and expression of STAT3 and receptors for androgen and estrogen in different tissues of rats. Mol Biol Rep 48, 4591–4600 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-021-06491-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-021-06491-x

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