1.
[Effects on blood fat and bone density of postmenopausal women fed by soy protein with isoflavone].
Chen, J, Liu, X
Zhonghua yi xue za zhi. 2014;(3):215-7
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To explore the effects of phytoestrogen (PE) on blood lipid and bone density in postmenopausal women. METHODS A total of 75 menopausal women aged 50-70 years with estrogen reduction symptoms received an intake of soy protein containing 70 mg isoflavone daily in a year. Their changes of blood fat, density lumbar bone and sex hormone level were compared with control group without an intake. RESULTS The changes of blood triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in two groups before and after a year showed no statistical significance.High-density lipoprotein (HDL) decreased in control group while it had no significant change in the study group. Bone densities in two groups showed a downward trend by an annual rate of 1%-4%, the changes in two groups showed no statistical significance.E2 increased slightly over basic value in the study group. But it had no statistical significance. The changes of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in two groups were also similar. CONCLUSION The above soy protein preparation has no effect on hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis and no stimulation on endometrium of uterus. But it may improve the profile of HDL.
2.
Estrogen receptor and PI3K/Akt signaling pathway involvement in S-(-)equol-induced activation of Nrf2/ARE in endothelial cells.
Zhang, T, Liang, X, Shi, L, Wang, L, Chen, J, Kang, C, Zhu, J, Mi, M
PloS one. 2013;(11):e79075
Abstract
S-(-)equol, a natural product of the isoflavone daidzein, has been reported to offer cytoprotective effects with respect to the cardiovascular system, but how this occurs is unclear. Interestingly, S-(-)equol is produced by the human gut, suggesting a role in physiological processes. We report that treatment of human umbilical vein endothelial cells and EA.hy926 cells with S-(-)equol induces ARE-luciferase reporter gene activity that is dose and time dependent. S-(-)equol (10-250 nM) increases nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) as well as gene products of Nrf2 target genes heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and NAD(P)H (nicotinamide-adenine-dinucleotide-phosphate) quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1). Endothelial cells transfected with an HA-Nrf2 expression plasmid had elevated HA-Nrf2, HO-1, and NQO1 in response to S-(-)equol exposure. S-(-)equol treatment affected Nrf2 mRNA only slightly but significantly increased HO-1 and NQO1 mRNA. The pretreatment of cells with specific ER inhibitors or PI3K/Akt (ICI182,780 and LY294002) increased Nrf2, HO-1, and NQO1 protein, impaired nuclear translocation of HA-Nrf2, and decreased ARE-luciferase activity. Identical experiments were conducted with daidzein, which had effects similar to S-(-)equol. In addition, DPN treatment (an ERβ agonist) induced the ARE-luciferase reporter gene, promoting Nrf2 nuclear translocation. Cell pretreatment with an ERβ antagonist (PHTPP) impaired S-(-)equol-induced Nrf2 activation. Pre-incubation of cells followed by co-treatment with S-(-)equol significantly improved cell survival in response to H2O2 or tBHP and reduced apoptotic and TUNEL-positively-stained cells. Notably, the ability of S-(-)equol to protect against H2O2-induced cell apoptosis was attenuated in cells transfected with an siRNA against Nrf2. Thus, beneficial effects of S-(-)equol with respect to cytoprotective antioxidant gene activation may represent a novel strategy to prevent and treat cardiovascular diseases.
3.
Analysis of the estrogenic components in kudzu root by bioassay and high performance liquid chromatography.
Zhang, Y, Chen, J, Zhang, C, Wu, W, Liang, X
The Journal of steroid biochemistry and molecular biology. 2005;(4):375-81
Abstract
The estrogenic activity of the Chinese herb kudzu root was investigated by a recombinant yeast screening assay (YES). Isoflavones are the main components in the plant, of which puerarin is the most abundant one. The kudzu root extract was separated into four fractions according to the polarity. The crude extract and its sub-fractions, except the water fraction, showed clear estrogenic activity and the potencies were in the range of 10(-3) to 10(-1)g/l. The ligand potency was used to compare the estrogenic activity of these fractions. The crude extract and its sub-fractions were further analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to correlate the activity and the active components. Bioassay and chemical analysis showed that theoretical estrogenic activity expressed as equivalent 17beta-estradiol concentration or the cumulative effects are comparable to that experimentally determined by YES. The results showed that the high content of isoflavones as well as the high estrogenic activity could make kudzu root extract an interesting candidate for hormone replacement therapy.