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The α′ subunit of β-conglycinin and the A1–5 subunits of glycinin are not essential for many hypolipidemic actions of dietary soy proteins in rats

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Abstract

Purpose

This study examined the effects of dietary soy protein (SP) lacking different storage protein subunits and isoflavones (ISF) on the abdominal fat, blood lipids, thyroid hormones, and enzymatic activities in rats.

Methods

Weanling Sprague–Dawley rats (8 males and 8 females/group) were fed diets containing either 20 % casein without or with supplemental isoflavones or alcohol-washed SP isolate or SP concentrates (SPC) prepared from 6 different soy bean lines for 8 weeks.

Results

Feeding of diets containing SPC regardless of their subunit compositions significantly lowered relative liver weights, blood total, free, and LDL cholesterol in both genders (P < 0.05) and also reduced serum free fatty acids (FFA) and abdominal fat in females (P < 0.05) compared to the casein or casein + ISF diets. Dietary SPC significantly elevated the plasma free triiodothyronine (T3) in both genders and total T3 in females compared to the casein diet (P < 0.05). The SPC lacking β-conglycinin α′ and either the glycinin A1–3 or A1–5 subunits increased total T3 in males and reduced plasma enzymatic activities of creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase compared to casein or casein + ISF diet (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Soy isoflavones were mainly responsible for the hypocholesterolemic effects and increased plasma free T3, whereas reduction in FFA, abdominal fat, liver weight and increased plasma total T3 were the effects of the soy proteins. Neither the α′ subunit of β-conglycinin nor the A1–5 subunits of glycinin are essential for the hypolipidemic properties of soy proteins.

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Abbreviations

ALP:

Alkaline phosphatase

CK:

Creatine kinase

FFA:

Free fatty acids

LDH:

Lactate dehydrogenase

SP:

Soy protein

SPI:

Soy protein isolate

SPC:

Soy protein concentrate

T3:

Triiodothyronine

T4:

Thyroxine

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Mr. Dominique Patry for doing blood biochemical analysis and Paul O’Reilly, Frances Tran, and Grace Leung for technical assistance. We would like to thank Dr. Vaino Poysa of AAFC Harrow Ontario for providing the seeds used in this study and Dr. Lorna Woodrow for providing the isoflavone and sugar analysis of the soy protein concentrates. This work was supported by Health Canada, Grains Farmers of Ontario Research fund and the partnership of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada/Canadian Field Crops Research Alliance DIAP fund.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nutrition Research Division, Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch, Health Canada, Banting Research Centre, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0K9, Canada

    Qixuan Chen, Carla Wood & Chao Wu Xiao

  2. Eastern Cereal and Oilseed Research Centre, Central Experimental Farm, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0C6, Canada

    Qixuan Chen, Christine Gagnon, Elroy R. Cober, Judith A. Frégeau-Reid & Stephen Gleddie

  3. Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M5, Canada

    Chao Wu Xiao

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  1. Qixuan Chen
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Correspondence to Chao Wu Xiao.

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Chen, Q., Wood, C., Gagnon, C. et al. The α′ subunit of β-conglycinin and the A1–5 subunits of glycinin are not essential for many hypolipidemic actions of dietary soy proteins in rats. Eur J Nutr 53, 1195–1207 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-013-0620-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-013-0620-9

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