Savory peptides present in Moromi obtained from soy sauce fermentation of yellow soybean

The presence of savory peptides in moromi has been investigated. Moromi was prepared by fermenting yellow soybean using Aspergillus oryzae as the starter at the first step (mold fermentation) and 20% brine solution at the next step (brine fermentation). The moromi was then ultrafiltered stepwise using membranes with MW cut-offs of 10,000, 3,000, and 500 Da, respectively. The fraction with MW <500 Da was chromatographed using Sephadex G-25 SF to yield four fractions, 1-4. Analysis of soluble peptides, NaCl content, alpha-amino nitrogen, amino acid composition, peptide profile using CE coupled with DAD, taste profile and free glutamic acid content, were performed for each fraction. Fraction 2 contained a relatively high total glutamic acid content, but a relatively low free glutamic acid content and had the highest umami taste. This fraction also had more peptides containing non-aromatic amino acids than the other fractions. The peptides present in fraction 2 may play a role, at least in part, in its intense umami taste.

Effect of red clover-derived isoflavone supplementation on insulin-like growth factor, lipid and antioxidant status in healthy female volunteers: a pilot study

Background: Isoflavones are estrogen-like plant compounds that may protect against cardiovascular disease and endocrine-responsive cancer. Isoflavones may, because of their ability to act as selective estrogen receptor modulators, alter insulin-like growth factor (IGF) status.

In vitro isoflavone supplementation reduces hydrogen peroxide-induced DNA damage in sperm

Isoflavones are plant compounds, proposed to have health benefits in a variety of human diseases, including coronary heart disease and endocrine-responsive cancers. Their physiological effects include possible antioxidant activity, therefore suggesting a role for isoflavones in the prevention of male infertility. The aim of this study was to test the antioxidant effects of the isoflavones genistein and equol on sperm DNA integrity, assessed in vitro after hydrogen peroxide-mediated damage, using the cornet assay. Pre-treatment with genistein or equol at doses of 0.01-100 mumol/l significantly protected sperm DNA against oxidative damage. Both ascorbic acid (10-600 mumol/l) and alpha-tocopherol (1-100 mumol/l) also protected. Compared with ascorbic acid and alpha-tocopherol, added at physiological concentrations, genistein was the most potent antioxidant, followed by equol, ascorbic acid, and alpha-tocopherol. Genistein and equol added in combination were more protective than when added singly. Based on these preliminary data, which are similar to those observed previously in lymphocytes, these compounds may have a role to play in antioxidant protection against male infertility.

Short-term phytoestrogen supplementation alters insulin-like growth factor profile but not lipid or antioxidant status

Phytoestrogens are plant compounds that have been proposed to have a variety of health benefits. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of these compounds on a number of physiological endpoints. Subjects were given a single intake of a phytoestrogen-rich (80 mg total phytoestrogens) supplement containing soy, rye and linseed (Phase 1), followed by a week-long intervention using the same supplement (Phase 2) (80 mg total phytoestrogens daily). A number of biochemical endpoints were assessed including urinary phytoestrogen metabolites, lipids, antioxidant status, DNA damage and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and IGF binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) and -3 (IGFBP-3). Ten healthy female subjects took part in the study. Excretion of the isoflavones genistein, daidzein and equol in urine increased in both phases of the study. No other endpoint was altered in Phase 1. However, in Phase 2, concentrations of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 were increased by phytoestrogen supplementation [IGF-1, median (IQ range), baseline 155 (123, 258), postweek 265 (228, 360) ng/ml, P

The effect of polymer coatings on physicochemical properties of spray-dried liposomes for nasal delivery of BSA

This work describes the development of spray dried polymer coated liposomes composed of soy phosphatidylcholine (SPC) and phospholipid dimyristoyl phosphatidylglycerol (DMPG) coated with alginate, chitosan or trimethyl chitosan (TMC), that are able to penetrate through the nasal mucosa and offer enhanced penetration over uncoated liposomes when delivered as a dry powder. All the liposome formulations, loaded with BSA as model antigen, were spray-dried to obtain powder size and liposome size in a suitable range for nasal delivery. Although coating resulted in some reduction in encapsulation efficiency, levels were still maintained between 60% and 69% and the structural integrity of the entrapped protein and its release characteristics were maintained. Coating with TMC gave the best product characteristics in terms of entrapment efficiency, glass transition (Tg) and mucoadhesive strength, while penetration of nasal mucosal tissue was very encouraging when these liposomes were administered as dispersions although improved results were observed for the dry powders

The DietCompLyf study: A prospective cohort study of breast cancer survival and phytoestrogen consumption

DietCompLyf is a multi-centre prospective study designed to investigate associations between phytoestrogens - naturally occurring plant compounds with oestrogenic properties - and other diet and lifestyle factors with breast cancer recurrence and survival. 3159 women with grades I-III breast cancer were recruited 9-15 months post-diagnosis from 56 UK hospitals. Detailed information on clinico-pathological, diet, lifestyle and quality of life is collected annually up to 5 years. Biological samples have also been collected as a resource for subsequent evaluation. The characteristics of the patients and associations between pre-diagnosis intake of phytoestrogens (isoflavones and lignans; assessed using the EPIC-Norfolk UK 130 question food frequency questionnaire) and breast cancer (i) risk factors and (ii) prognostic factors are described for 1797 women who had complete data for all covariates and phytoestrogens of interest. Isoflavone intakes were higher in the patients who were younger at diagnosis, in the non-smokers, those who had breast-fed and those who took supplements. Lignan intakes were higher in patients with a higher age at diagnosis, in ex-smokers, those who had breast-fed, who took supplements, had a lower BMI at diagnosis, lower age at menarche and were nulliparous. No significant associations between pre-diagnosis phytoestrogen intake and factors associated with improved breast cancer prognosis were observed. The potential for further exploration of the relationship between phytoestrogens and breast cancer recurrence and survival, and for the establishment of evidence to improve dietary and lifestyle advice offered to patients following breast cancer diagnosis using DietCompLyf data is discussed.

Molecular pathways: Estrogen pathway in colorectal cancer.

Worldwide, colorectal cancer has a higher incidence rate in men than in women, suggesting a protective role for sex hormones in the development of the disease. Preclinical data support a role for estrogen and its receptors in the initiation and progression of colorectal cancer and establishes that protective effects of estrogen are exerted through ERβ. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in postmenopausal women as well as consumption of soy reduces the incidence of colorectal cancer. In the Women's Health Initiative trial, use of HRT in postmenopausal women reduced the risk of colon cancer by 56% [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.38-0.81; P = 0.003]. A recent meta-analysis showed that in women, consumption of soy reduced the risk of colon cancer by 21% (95% CI, 0.03-0.35; P = 0.026). In this review, using the preclinical data, we translate the findings in the clinical trials and observational studies to define the role of estrogen in the prevention of colorectal cancer. We hypothesize that sometime during the tumorigenesis process ERβ expression in colonocytes is lost and the estrogen ligand, HRT, or soy products, exerts its effects through preventing this loss. Thus, in the adenoma-to-carcinoma continuum, timing of HRT is a significant determinant of the observed benefit from this intervention. We further argue that the protective effects of estrogen are limited to certain molecular subtypes. Successful development of estrogen modulators for prevention of colorectal cancer depends on identification of susceptible colorectal cancer population(s). Thus, research to better understand the estrogen pathway is fundamental for clinical delivery of these agents.

HPLC Determination of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Activity on Toyopearl HW-40S Column

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (EC3.4.15. I; ACE), isa membrane-bounddipeptidyl carboxypeptidase that mediates the cleavage of the C-terminal dipeptide His-Leu of the decapeptide angiotensin, generating the most powerful endogenous vaso-constricting angiotensin.
Some ACE inhibitors, such as Captopril, have been used as anti-hypertensive drugs. Moreover in recent years, large quantities of ACE inhibitors have been identijied and isolated from peptides derivedfrom food material such as casein, soy protein, jish protein and so on. Functional food with hypotensive effect has been developed on the basis of these works.
Typicalprocedures for screening hypotensive peptides offood origins are separationof products of peptic and tryptic digestion of proteins followed by inhibitory activitydetermination of each fraction. A method developed by Cushman has been the mostwidely used, in which ACE activity is determined by the amount of hippuric acid
generated as a product of enzymatic reaction of ACE with tripeptide of hippuryl-Lhistidyl-L-leucine. Hippuric acid is determined spectrophotometrically at 228 nm after its isolation from the reaction system by ethylacetate extraction, which not only requires alarge quantity of reagent but also results in large error.
An improved method based on Cushman ’s method is proposed in this paper. In this method, an enzymatic reaction system is based on Cushman’s method, while isolation and determination of hippuric acid is performed by medium perjormance gel chromatography on a Toyopearl HW-40s column. Due to the size exclusion nature of the column with somewhat hydrophobic properties, complete separation of four existing fractions in the reaction system is obtained within a smallfraction of the time necessary in Cushman’s method, with ideal reproducibility.