Isolation and characterization of an active compound from black soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] and its effect on proliferation and differentiation of human leukemic U937 cells

Hair Growth Promotion with Black Soybean Extracts: case series

Black soybean (BS) is widely thought to prevent or alleviate hair loss, which has been demonstrated by in vitro experiments. However, few clinical studies have directly assessed the effect of BS on hair growth. To assess the safety and efficacy of BS, we administered BS extract to 10 adult patients for 3 months without any other hair products and treatments. The number and diameter of hair lost from washing were examined every 4 weeks. In addition, the participants’ satisfaction with their hair condition was also measured using the VAS (1 to 10) before and after treatment. The mean number of lost hair was 140.7 (SD 59.4) at baseline and 38.8 (SD 54.4) after 12 weeks, and the diameter of lost hair was 72.4 µm (SD 11.9) at baseline and 80.4 µm (SD 8.8) after 12 weeks, which indicated a statistically significant improvement (p = 0.002, p = 0.022, paired t-test). The satisfaction score was significantly increased from 6.10 (SD 1.2) to 8.2 (SD 1.1) after 12 weeks. These results suggest that BS extract may promote hair growth and prevent hair loss.

Structure/function relationships of bean polysaccharides: A review

Beans are a rich source of high quality protein and oil, and have attracted increasing interest from both nutrition researchers and health-conscious consumers. This review aims to provide a foundation for the future research and development of bean polysaccharides, by summarizing the sources, structure, and functions of bioactive bean polysaccharides. Structure/function relationships are described, for biological activities, such as immunological, antioxidant and anti-diabetes. This will provide useful guidance for further optimization of polysaccharide structure and the development of bean polysaccharides as a novel functional material.

Modified soybean meal polysaccharide with high adhesion capacity to Salmonella

Carbohydrates are known to act as analog receptors for bacteria and therefore are promising alternatives for the control and prevention of bacterial infections. The present study evaluated the chemical structure of modified soybean meal polysaccharides and their capacity to adhere enterobacteria (Salmonella Typhimurium) and to interfere with the bacteria adhesion to the known analogue receptors, using in vitro assays. For this, soybean meal suspensions were subjected to a thermochemical extraction process and structural analyses showed that the fraction with higher adhesion and adhesion-inhibition potential, SAP, was constituted by two types of polysaccharides: a partially depolymerized pectin, of high molar mass, composed of xylogalacturonan and rhamnogalacturonan regions (SAP1, 545.5 kDa), and a (1 → 4)-linked-β-D-galactan of low molar mass (SAP2, 8.7 kDa). The results showed a high affinity of Salmonella for galactans, while high molar mass pectins showed no adhesion capacity. The chemical compositions of the fractions suggested that galactose could be responsible for the recognition process in the adhesion process. Other factors, such as structure and degree of polymerization of the polymers, may also be influencing the adhesion process. Modified soybean meal polysaccharides appear to be a promising alternative agent to antibiotics for the control and prevention of foodborne diseases.

Pardaxin Promoted Differentiation and Maturation of Leukemic Cells via Regulating TLR2/MyD88 Signal against Cell Proliferation

Objective

Leukemia is a cancer of the blood cells. Leukemic THP-1 and U937 cells were used in this study as monocytic effectors cells for proliferation responses and macrophage-like cells induction in leukemia. Pardaxin is an antimicrobial peptide isolated from the marine fish species.

Methods

After treatment for 5 days, pardaxin significantly suppressed cell viability and arrested cell cycle at G0/G1 phase in leukemic cells which were evaluated.

Results

Pardaxin also induced cell differentiation and maturation of THP-1 and U937 cells into macrophage-like cells with phagocytotic ability. Moreover, pardaxin elevated the expression of MyD88 but not toll-like receptor (TLR)-2 in both leukemic cells. TLR-2 blocking peptide was used to confirm that pardaxin attenuated phagocytotic ability and superoxide anion production in leukemic cells via activating MyD88 protein.

Conclusions

These findings suggested that pardaxin has a therapeutic potential for leukemia.

Effect of germination on composition profiling and antioxidant activity of the polysaccharide-protein conjugate in black soybean [Glycinemax (L.) Merr.]

Black soybeans are commonly consumed as health foods and used in traditional Chinese medicine, but they are rarely cultivated as edible sprouts. During germination, the composition of seeds undergoes distinct changes that cause variations in bioactivities. In this study, the water-soluble black soybean polysaccharide (BSPS) was isolated from sprouts harvested at two-day intervals during the first week of seedling growth. The chromatographic profiles of the BSPS in ungerminated seeds showed fraction 1 (F1, about 64kDa) and fraction 2 (F2, <1kDa) that degraded during germination. The polysaccharide in F1 fraction of ungerminated seeds was covalently associated with the protein and mainly contained arabinose, galactose, glucose, and galacturonic acid at various levels during germination. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) scavenging activities and the reducing power of F1 were highest on the seventh day of germination. The phenolic and flavonoid content significantly increased after the fifth day of germination, suggesting that these ingredients also contributed to the antioxidant activities. During long-term germination, the polysaccharide-protein conjugate in the F1 fraction with enhanced antioxidant activities is regarded as a potential natural antioxidant for the development of functional foods.

Extraction optimization, purification and characterization of polysaccharides from the seed coat of black soybean

In this study, the extraction of water-soluble polysaccharides from the seed coat of black soybean (BSCP) was investigated and optimized. A response surface methodology based on a Box-Behnken design (BBD) was used to optimize the extraction conditions as follows: extraction temperature, 100°C; ratio of water to material, 22.3 mL/g; and extraction time, 133.2 min. Under these conditions, the experimental yield of polysaccharides was 10.56%, which was consistent with the predictive yield. A novel galactomannan, BSCP-1, with a molecular weight of 7.55 × 105 Da determined by high-performance gel permeation chromatography, was isolated from the black soybean seed coat. Through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis, BSCP-1 was identified as a galactomannan consisting of galactose, mannose and rhamnose in a molar ratio of 6.01:3.56:1.00. Cytotoxicity against the human gastric carcinoma cancer cell line was also determined.

Effects of vinegar-egg on growth inhibition, differentiation human leukemic U937 cells and its immunomodulatory activity

Vinegar and eggs have rich nutrients. In this study, the mixed form of both derived products, vinegar–egg solution and its products (vinegar–egg concentrate and vinegar–egg condensate) were chosen for an assessment of their biological activity. To further our understanding regarding the anticancer and immunomodulatory effects of vinegar–egg, we investigated its effects on the proliferation and differentiation of U937 cells. Vinegar–egg was treated using spray drying, freeze drying and vacuum concentration and used to stimulate human mononuclear cells. The conditioned media obtained from these cultures by filtration were used to treat U937 cells. Three conditioned media inhibited U937 cell growth by 22.1–67.25% more effectively than PHA-treated control (22.53%). CD11b and CD14 expression on the treated U937 cells were 29.1–45.4% and 31.6–47.2%, respectively. High levels of cytokines IL-1β, IFN-γ and TNF-α were detected in the three conditioned media. Vinegar–egg stimulates human mononuclear cells to secrete cytokines, which inhibit the growth of U937 cells and induce their differentiation.

Enrichment of two isoflavone aglycones in black soymilk by Rhizopus oligosporus NTU 5 in a plastic composite support bioreactor

BACKGROUND

A plastic composite support (PCS) bioreactor was implemented to evaluate the effects on isoflavone deglycosylation in black soymilk fermented by Rhizopus oligosporus NTU 5.

RESULTS

Evaluation for the optimal PCS for mycelia immobilisation was conducted, which led to the significant results that the most mycelium weight (0.237 g per PCS, P < 0.05) is held by an S-type PCS; therefore, it was selected for black soymilk fermentation. It was found that the PCS fermentation system without pH control exhibits better efficiency of isoflavone bioconversion (daidzin to daidzein, and genistin to genistein) than the one with pH control at pH 6.5. As for the long-run fermentation, those without pH control indeed accelerate the isoflavone bioconversion by continuously releasing β-glucosidase into soymilk. Deglycosylation can be completed in 8 to 24 h and sustained for at least 34 days as 26 batches. The non-pH-control fermentation system also exhibits the highest total phenolic content (ranged from 0.147 to 0.340 mg GAE mL(-1) sample) when compared to the pH-controlled and suspended ones. Meanwhile, the black soymilk from the 22nd batch with 8 h fermentation demonstrated the highest DPPH radical scavenging effect (54.7%).

CONCLUSION

A repeated-batch PCS fermentation system was established to accelerate the deglycosylation rate of isoflavone in black soymilk. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Separation of glycine-rich proteins from sea hare eggs and their anti-cancer activity against U937 leukemia cell line

The present study was designed to investigate the anti-cancer effects of Sea hare eggs (SE) in U937 cells and its major active components. The aqueous extract of SE (ASE), which contained the highest protein content, dose-dependently inhibited the cancer cell's growth (IC₅₀ value, 10.42 ± 0.5 µg/mL). Additionally, ASE markedly caused DNA damage by inducing apoptotic body formation, DNA fragmentation, and accumulation of sub-G₁ DNA contents. ASE induced apoptosis by activating caspase-3 and 9 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) by regulating the expression of Bcl-2/Bax. Moreover, among its molecular weight fractions, the > 30 kDa fraction showed the highest cell-growth-inhibitory effects, which was inhibited by heat treatment. Furthermore, the > 30 kDa fraction had markedly higher glycine content than the ASE. The presence of two protein bands at around 16 and 32 kDa was identified. In addition, two fractions, F1 and F2, were obtained using anion-exchange chromatography, with the F1 having an improved cell-growth-inhibitory effect than the > 30 kDa fraction. Taken together, these results suggest that the ASE contains glycine-rich proteins, including the active 16 and 32 kDa proteins, which account for its anti-cancer effects by inducing apoptosis via regulation of the mitochondrial pathway.

Immunomodulatory Potential of the Polysaccharide-Rich Extract from Edible Cyanobacterium Nostoc commune

A dry sample of Nostoc commune from an organic farm in Pingtung city (Taiwan) was used to prepare polysaccharide-rich (NCPS) extract. The conditioned medium (CM) from NCPS-treated human peripheral blood (PB)-mononuclear cells (MNC) effectively inhibited the growth of human leukemic U937 cells and triggered differentiation of U937 monoblast cells into monocytic/macrophagic lines. Cytokine levels in MNC-CMs showed upregulation of granulocyte/macrophage-colony stimulatory factor and IL-1β and downregulation of IL-6 and IL-17 upon treatment with NCPS. Moreover, murine macrophage RAW264.7 cells treated with NCPS exhibited the stimulatory effects of nitric oxide and superoxide secretion, indicating that NCPS might activate the immunity of macrophages. Collectively, the present study demonstrates that NCPS from N. commune could be potentially used for macrophage activation and consequently inhibited the leukemic cell growth and induced monocytic/macrophagic differentiation.

A phase II double-blinded study to evaluate the efficacy of EW02 in reducing chemotherapy-induced neutropenia in breast cancer

EW02, a polysaccharide-enriched crude extract from black soybean, has been shown to assist hematopoiesis in chemotherapy-treated animals. The present study aimed to clarify the safety, quality of life (QOL) and efficacy for myelopoiesis of EW02 administration in early breast cancer (EBC) patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy. A total of 60 eligible EBC patients were enrolled in a randomized, double-blinded trial, 40 of whom were prescribed 700 mg oral EW02 three times daily for 15 days in chemotherapy cycle (C)2. The remainder were prescribed a placebo. All subjects took EW02 in C3 for 15 days. Blood samples were collected at different time-points for determining the blood cell count, and the serum level of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and interleukin (IL)-6. All patients tolerated EW02 well without severe side-effects. QOL evaluation showed that only the score of one questionnaire section (QLQ-C30) was significantly increased at C1 day (D)8 to C2D8 when the EW02 and placebo groups were compared (P=0.045). No significant myelopoiesis recovery, and no incremental change in IL-6 and G-CSF levels were found in C2. Subgroup analysis showed a slightly lower decrease in absolute neutrophil count (ANC) in the EW02 patients who underwent Adriamycin + cyclophosphamide treatment compared with the placebo group. Although EW02 failed to show efficacy for myelopoiesis in the present study, EW02 was still well tolerated in EBC patients who underwent adjuvant chemotherapy.

Structural characterization of two water-soluble polysaccharides from black soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.)

Black soybeans (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) have been widely used as a health food and medicinal herb in oriental medicine. In the present study, the chemical structures of two water-soluble polysaccharides (black soybean polysaccharide 1 (BSPS-1) and black soybean polysaccharide 3 (BSPS-3)) isolated from black soybeans were characterized by high performance size-exclusion chromatography (HPSEC), methylation analysis, and 1D (1H, 13C) and 2D (COSY, TOCSY, HSQC, NOESY, and HMBC) NMR spectra. The molecular weights of BSPS-1 and BSPS-3 were 1.95 × 105 and 1.88 × 105 Da, respectively. Methylation analysis and NMR spectra indicate that BSPS-1 is composed of 1,6-α-d-glucopyranosyl residues. By contrast, BSPS-3 is mainly composed of a 1,3-β-d-galactopyranosyl residue backbone with side chains substituted at the O-6 position consisting of large content of T-α-l-Araf-(1→ residues, and small contents of →5)-α-l-Araf-(1→, →2)-α-l-Rhap-(1→, and 4-O-Me-β-d-GlcAp-(1→ residues. Our results suggest that BSPS-1 is a linear (1→6)-α-d-glucan, whereas BSPS-3 is a type II arabinogalactan. The unique structures of BSPS-1 and BSPS-3 indicate that they might have wide applications in food and pharmaceutical industries.

Extraction, characterization and in vitro antioxidant activity of polysaccharides from black soybean

Optimization of extraction conditions, preliminary characterization and in vitro antioxidant activity of polysaccharides from black soybean (BSPS) were investigated. The results of Box-Behnken design showed that the optimal extraction conditions for BSPS were as follows: ratio of water to material of 20 ml/g, extraction time of 6.4h and extraction temperature of 92 °C, with a corresponding yield of 2.56%. The crude BSPS were further fractionated on DEAE-52 and Sepharose CL-4B chromatography to afford three purified fractions (BSPS-1, BSPS-2 and BSPS-3). Chemical analysis showed that the three purified fractions were mainly composed of carbohydrate and uronic acid. In addition, BSPS-1 was composed of arabinose, rhamnose, galactose, glucose and mannose in the molar ratio of 1.79:1.00:2.59:26.54:1.01. BSPS-2 was composed of arabinose, rhamnose, xylose, galactose and mannose in the molar ratio of 8.10:4.80:9.15:13.38:1.00. BSPS-3 was composed of arabinose, rhamnose, galactose and mannose in the molar ratio of 16.80:3.60:33.66:1.00. The results of Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy further confirmed the characteristic polysaccharide structures of the three purified fractions. Moreover, antioxidant assays showed crude BSPS and its purified fractions had potential superoxide anion and DPPH radical scavenging activities, and their antioxidant activity decreased in the order of crude BSPS > BSPS-3 > BSPS-2 > BSPS-1.

Black soyabean seed coat extract regulates iron metabolism by inhibiting the expression of hepcidin

Hepcidin, a key regulator of Fe homeostasis, is an ideal drug target for treating patients with Fe disorders such as haemochromatosis, anaemia of chronic inflammation and Fe-deficiency anaemia. However, whether (and how) traditional Chinese black foods (e.g., black soyabeans) target hepcidin and improve Fe-deficiency anaemia remains unclear. Herein, we report that black soyabean seed coat extract (BSSCE) can potently inhibit the in vitro and in vivo expression of hepcidin. In the present study, in cells treated with 200 μg/ml BSSCE, hepcidin expression was found to be reduced to only 6% of the control levels (P<0.01). An AIN-76A diet containing 2% BSSCE was fed to 8-week-old male C57BL/6 mice for 0, 1, 7, 15 or 30 d; importantly, compared with the day 0 group, the day 7 group exhibited nearly a 50% decrease in hepatic hepcidin expression (P<0.01), a 35% decrease in splenic Fe concentrations (P<0.05) and a 135% increase in serum Fe concentrations (P<0.05). Mechanistically, the effect of BSSCE on hepcidin expression was mediated via a reduction in the phosphorylation levels of mothers against decapentaplegic homolog proteins (Smad)1/5/8. Consequently, the mice in the day 30 group exhibited large increases in erythrocyte counts (111% v. day 0, P<0.01), Hb concentrations (109%, P<0.01) and haematocrit values (108%, P<0.01). In conclusion, these results indicate that black soyabean extract regulates Fe metabolism by inhibiting the expression of hepcidin. This finding can be used to optimise the intervention of patients with hepcidin-related diseases, including Fe-deficiency anaemia.

Anti-hyperlipidemic activity of Rhynchosia nulubilis seeds pickled with brown rice vinegar in mice fed a high-fat diet

The abnormal content of blood lipids often results in metabolic diseases, such as hyperlipidemia and obesity. Many agents, including natural sources from traditional food, have been developed to regulate the blood lipid contents. In this study, we examined the anti-hyperlipidemic activity of Rhynchosia nulubilis seeds pickled with brown rice vinegar (RNSpBRV), a Korean traditional pickled soybean food. Since RNSpBRV is made of R. nulubilis seeds (RNS) soaked in brown rice vinegar (BRV), we compared the anti-adipogenic activity between RNS, BRV and solid fraction of RNSpBRV (SF-RNSpBRV), liquid fraction of RNSpBRV (LF-RNSpBRV). For this, the inhibitory effect of lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocyte was checked by adding methanol extracts of mixed RNS and BRV, LF-RNSpBRV, and SF-RNSpBRV. The addition of each methanol extract up to 1 mg/ml showed no cytotoxicity on 3T3-L1 adipocyte, and approximately 20% of the lipid droplet formation was suppressed with the methanol extract of BRL or SF-RNSpBRV. The highest suppression (42.1%) was achieved with LF-RNSpBRV. In addition, mice fed a high fat diet (HFD) supplemented with 5% RNSpBRV powder led to increased high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and lower blood glucose, triglyceride, and total cholesterol compared to mice fed with a HFD diet only. Interestingly, the size of the epididymis cells gradually decreased in HFD + 1% RNSpBRV- and HFD + 5% RNSpBRV-fed mice if compared those of HFD-fed mice. Taken together, these results provide evidence that RNSpBRV has a regulatory role in lipid metabolism that is related to hyperlipidemia.

Effect of black soybean extract on the suppression of the proliferation of human AGS gastric cancer cells via the induction of apoptosis

Black soybean is known to have a health-promoting effect because of its high content of polyphenolic compounds and antioxidant activities. The objective of the present study was to investigate the chemopreventive effects of black soybean extract against human AGS gastric cancer cells and its possible mechanism in inducing apoptosis. Black soybean extract was obtained by extracting black soybean with acidified aqueous acetone, and its phytochemical constituents, as determined by HPLC-DAD methods, were demonstrated to contain various phenolics. The black soybean extract inhibited AGS cell growth in a dose-dependent manner with an IC(50) of 3.69 mg/mL as measured by the MTT assay. This growth inhibition effect was further confirmed by the CFDA-SE assay. Flow cytometry analysis showed that black soybean extract dose-dependently induced apoptosis of AGS cells. Moreover, the involvement of black soybean extract in inducing apoptosis was confirmed by the expression of Bax, Bcl-2, caspase-3, and PARP. The results of the present study indicated that black soybean extract could be used as an apoptosis inducer in AGS cells and a natural chemopreventive agent in the treatment of human gastric cancer.

Characterized polysaccharides from black soybean induce granulocyte colony-stimulated factor gene expression in a phosphoinositide 3-kinase-dependent manner

Black soybean (Glycine max L. merr.) is an edible Chinese medicine for nourishment spleen. In the present study, effects of characterized polysaccharides from black soybean (PGM) on granulocyte colony-stimulated factor (G-CSF) production in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were determined and their action mechanisms were examined. The results indicated that PGM concentration-dependently enhanced G-CSF production in PBMC through modulation of mRNA expression. Data from Western blotting showed that PGM significantly induced the extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) activation in PBMC. The nuclear factor (NF)-κB activation in PBMC was increased with PGM by modulation of IκB degradation and PKC θ activation. The levels of G-CSF mRNA in PGM-treated PBMC could be reduced by ERK inhibitor U0126 and NF-κB inhibitor pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate, respectively. Furthermore, the data showed that PGM stimulated phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-regulated Akt phosphorylation. The PI3K inhibitor, Ly294002, blocked ERK, NF-κB, and PKC θ activation and G-CSF mRNA expression in PBMC induced by PGM. Thus, we first proved that the enhancement mechanisms of PGM on G-CSF production, appeared to be mediated, at least in part, through activation of PI3K, ERK, PKC θ, and NF-κB signaling pathways in PBMC. We suggest that PGM from black soybean is a potential G-CSF stimulator.

A twenty eight-day repeated dose toxicity study of black soybean extract in Sprague-Dawley rats

This study was designed to evaluate any adverse effect of a hot water extract of black soybeans (Glycine max (L.) Merr.), when administered to both sexes of Crj:CD(SD)IGS rats at dietary levels of 0 (control), 0.5, 1.5 and 5.0% (6 rats/sex/group). During the study, the treatment had no adverse effects on clinical signs, survival, body weights, and food and water consumption, or on findings of ophthalmology, urinalysis, hematology, or blood biochemistry. Organ weights, gross pathology and histopathology exhibited no differences of toxicological significance between control and treated rats. Thus, the no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) of black soybean extract was concluded to be 5.0% (3,618 mg/kg body weight/day for males and 4,066 mg/kg body weight/day for females) from the present study.

Cytotoxic activities of 9,11-dehydroergosterol peroxide and ergosterol peroxide from the fermentation mycelia of ganoderma lucidum cultivated in the medium containing leguminous plants on Hep 3B cells

The objective of this study was to investigate the cytotoxicity of the ethanolic extract of mycelia from Ganoderma lucidum (EMG) cultivated in a medium containing leguminous plants Glycine max (L.) Merr. and Astragalus membranaceus on human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (Hep 3B) and to isolate the active components from EMG. The results indicated that EMG induced cytotoxicity in a dose- and time-dependent manner, and the cells treated with EMG for 24, 48, and 72 h had IC(50) values of 156.8, 89.9, and 70.1 microg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, EMG was fractionated into seven fractions (F1-F7). We found that F5 and F6 had higher growth inhibitory effects on Hep 3B cells than the other fractions, and F6 possessed enough amounts (about 2.1 g) to carry out a more detailed study. F6 caused a sub-G1 peak rise and DNA fragmentation in Hep 3B cells and was further separated by high-performance liquid chromatography to obtain two active compounds, 9,11-dehydroergosterol peroxide [9(11)-DHEP] (compound 1) and ergosterol peroxide (EP) (compound 2). The IC(50) values of 9(11)-DHEP and EP based on the cell viability of Hep 3B were 16.7 and 19.4 microg/mL, respectively.

Antioxidant capacity of seed coat, dehulled bean, and whole black soybeans in relation to their distributions of total phenolics, phenolic acids, anthocyanins, and isoflavones

Black soybeans have been used as an excellent dietary source for disease prevention and health promotion in China for hundreds of years. However, information about the distribution of health-promoting phenolic compositions in different physical parts of black soybean and the contribution of phenolic compositions to overall antioxidant capacity is limited. To elucidate the distribution of phenolic composition and their contribution to antioxidant activities in black soybean, the total and individual phenolic profiles, and antioxidant capacities of seed coat, dehulled and whole black soybean were systematically investigated. The seed coat exhibited much higher total phenolic indexes and antioxidant activities than whole and dehulled black soybean. Dehulled black soybean possessed similar levels of total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, 2-diphenyl-1-picryhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) activities as compared to whole yellow soybean. Cyanidin-3-glucoside, petunidin-3-glucoside, and peonidin-3-glucoside were detected in the seed coat but not in dehulled black soybean and yellow soybean. Among benzoic acid detected, caffeic and chlorogenic acid were the predominant phenolic acids. Whole black soybean and dehulled black soybean exhibited similar isoflavone contents in 7- O-beta-glucosides and malonylglucosides of daidzein and genistein. The seed coat possessed significantly ( p < 0.05) lower 7- O-beta-glucosides and malonylglucosides of daidzein and genistein, acetylglycitin, and total isoflavones than whole and dehulled black soybean. The contribution of phenolics in the seed coat to the antioxidant activity of black soybean parts depends on the assay methods. When measured with the DPPH and FRAP methods, the seed coat contributed 90% of the total antioxidant capacity of black soybean. However, when measured with the ORAC method, the seed coat and dehulled portion contributed approximately equally the total antioxidant capacity of black soybeans. The information generated from this study on the distribution and content of their active components is useful for the effective use of black soybeans as an ingredient for promoting health.

Effects of swimming exercise and soybean supplementation on the immune functions of rats fed a high-fat diet

1. In the present study, the effects of swimming exercise and soybean supplementation on the immune functions of rats fed a high-fat diet were examined. 2. Thirty-four male rats were randomly divided into four groups: (i) HS, a high-fat diet sedentary group (n = 8); (ii) HE, a high-fat diet exercised group (n = 9); (iii) SS, a soybean diet sedentary group (n = 8); and (iv) SE, a soybean diet exercised group (n = 9). The high-fat diet was composed of 35% carbohydrate, 20% protein and 35% fat. For the soybean diet, 3% crude soybean extract was substituted for the protein, carbohydrate and fat according to the energy content of the diet. In the exercise groups, rats swam for 60 min/day, 5 days/week for 4 weeks. 3. The subpopulation of CD4(+) cells and the CD4(+)/CD8(+) ratio did not differ significantly between the high-fat diet and soybean diet groups. However, the subpopulation of CD8(+) cells in the spleens of SS rats was significantly higher than that in the spleens of HS rats (P < 0.05). In addition, splenic interferon-gamma secretion in the SE group, with or without conconavalin A stimulation, was significantly increased compared with the SS group (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively). 4. These results show that regular endurance exercise training with soybean supplementation ameliorates splenic T cell-mediated immunity.

Fungal-stressed germination of black soybeans leads to generation of oxooctadecadienoic acids in addition to glyceollins

Microbial-stressed germination of black soybeans leads to generation of a group of oxylipins, oxooctadecadienoic acids (KODEs, including 13- Z, E-KODE, 13- E, E-KODE, 9- E, Z-KODE, and 9- E, E-KODE), and their respective glyceryl esters in addition to glyceollins, a known phytoalexins present in wild and fungi-infected soybeans. Four fungi, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus oryzae, Rhizopus oligosporus, and white rice yeast ( Aspergillus niger wry), were applied to compare their efficiency on inducing these compounds during black soybean germination. Overall, R. oligosporus, the starter culture used in tempeh fermentation, gives the highest amounts of KODEs and glyceollins. The glyceollins and KODEs were isolated by preparative HPLC, and the structures were determined by (1)H NMR, UV-Vis, and MS spectra. On the basis of the unequal distribution of the KODEs isomers, an enzymatic reaction, instead of a nonenzymatic free radical chain reaction, is responsible for their formations. Together with other oxylipins and glyceollins, the KODEs may contribute to the soybean's defensive response to fungal infection via reaction with protein thiol groups and cell membranes. The stress-germinated black soybeans may be used as ingredients for further processing of novel functional food products with unique nutritional and flavor profiles.

Herbal medicine Gamgungtang down-regulates autoimmunity through induction of TH2 cytokine production by lymphocytes in experimental thyroiditis model

The crude herbal formulation, Gamgungtang (GGT), has been shown to protect animals against a wide range of spontaneously developing or induced autoimmune diseases. We have previously reported that GGT shows marked down-regulation of several experimental autoimmune diseases. Although very effective at preventing thyroid infiltrates in mice immunized with mouse deglycosylated thyroglobulin and complete Freund's adjuvant and in spontaneous models of thyroiditis, it completely failed to modify experimental autoimmune thyroiditis (EAT) induced in mice immunized with mouse thyroglobulin and lipopolysaccharide. In this study, in an effort to elucidate the mechanisms by which GGT suppresses EAT, and autoimmunity in general, we investigated the in vivo effects of this drug on the Th1/Th2 lymphocyte balance, which is important for the induction or inhibition of autoreactivity. Naive SJL/J mice were treated orally for 5 days with GGT (80 mg/(kg day)). Spleen cells were obtained at various time points during the treatment period and were stimulated in vitro with concanavalin A. Interleukins IL-4, IL-10 and IL-12, transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) cytokine production was evaluated at the protein levels of the cytokines in the medium and mRNA expressions. A significant upregulation of IL-4, IL-10 and TGF-beta was observed following treatment with GGT, which peaked at day 5 (IL-10) or day 10 (IL-4). On the other hand, IL-12 and IFN-gamma production were either unchanged or decreased. It seems therefore that GGT induces in vivo a shift towards Th2 lymphocytes which may be one of the mechanisms of down-regulation of the autoimmune reactivity in EAT. Our observations indicate that down-regulation of TH1 cytokines (especially IL-12) and enhancement of Th2 cytokine production may play an important role in the control of T-cell-mediated autoimmunity. These data may contribute to the design of new immunomodulating treatments for a group of autoimmune diseases.

Isolation of tryptophol as an apoptosis-inducing component of vinegar produced from boiled extract of black soybean in human monoblastic leukemia U937 cells

We isolated a novel apoptosis-inducing component, tryptophol, from vinegar produced from boiled extract of black soybean (black soybean vinegar). Compound-6 purified from an ethyl acetate extract of black soybean vinegar using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) induced fragmentation of DNA and the development of apoptotic bodies (characteristic physiological features of apoptosis) in U937 cells. By analysis of chemical structure, this active compound was identified as tryptophol. Tryptophol induced apoptosis involving caspase-8 and -3 activation, followed by cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), as shown by measurement of enzyme activity and immunoblot analysis. The cell viability of normal lymphocytes separated from human blood was less affected by tryptophol, and fragmentation of DNA was not induced in normal lymphocytes. These results indicate that tryptophol isolated from black soybean vinegar inhibited the proliferation of U937 cells by inducing apoptosis via a pathway involving caspase-8 followed by caspase-3, without affecting normal lymphocytes.

Hydrolysis of black soybean isoflavone glycosides by Bacillus subtilis natto

Hydrolysis of isoflavone glycosides by Bacillus subtilis natto NTU-18 in black soymilk is reported. At the concentration of 3-5% (w/v), black soymilk in flask cultures, the isoflavones, daidzin, and genistin were highly deglycosylated within 24 h. Deglycosylation of isoflavones was further carried out in a 7-l fermenter with 5% black soymilk. During the fermentation, viable cells increased from 10(3) to 10(9) CFU ml(-1) in 15 h, and the activity of beta-glucosidase appeared at 8 h after inoculation and reached a maximum (3.3 U/ml) at 12 h, then decreased rapidly. Deglycosylation of isoflavone glycosides was observed at the same period, the deglycosylation rate of daidzin and genistin at 24 h was 100 and 75%, respectively. It is significantly higher than the previous reports of fermentation with lactic acid bacteria. In accordance with the deglycosylation of isoflavone glycosides, the estrogenic activity of the 24 h fermented black soymilk for ERbeta estrogen receptor increased to threefold; meanwhile, the fermented broth activated ERalpha estrogen receptor to a less extent than ERbeta. These results suggest that this fermentation effectively hydrolyzed the glycosides from isoflavone in black soymilk and the fermented black soymilk has the potential to be applied to selective estrogen receptor modulator products.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) inhibits growth and induces differentiation of human leukemic U937 cells through activation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a staple food worldwide for centuries. In this study, the growth-inhibiting and immunopotentiating effects of commonly used rice were examined. The growth of human leukemic U937 cells was significantly inhibited by the peripheral blood mononuclear cell-conditioned medium (MNC-CM) derived from water extracts of Japonica rice milled Taiwan 9 (MT9) and brown Taiwan 9 (BT9). Furthermore, these MNC-CMs induced differentiation of U937 cells into mature monocytes/macrophages expressing superoxide-producing and phagocytic activity. The amounts of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interferon-gamma in MNC-CMs prepared with MT9 and BT9 were greater than normal MNC-CM. However, growth of U937 cells was not inhibited by normal MNC-CM or rice extracts alone. The possible active components of MT9 and BT9, other than PHA-like glycoproteins and heat-sensitive proteins and lipopolysaccharides, remain to be determined. Our results demonstrate that MT9 and BT9 can inhibit growth and induce differentiation of leukemic U937 cells through activation of human peripheral blood MNC in vitro. These two types of rice as energy-providing food could be biological response modifiers for augmenting anti-leukemia immunity.

Botanical polysaccharides: macrophage immunomodulation and therapeutic potential

Botanical polysaccharides exhibit a number of beneficial therapeutic properties, and it is thought that the mechanisms involved in these effects are due to the modulation of innate immunity and, more specifically, macrophage function. In this review, we summarize our current state of understanding of the macrophage modulatory effects of botanical polysaccharides isolated from a wide array of different species of flora, including higher plants, mushrooms, lichens and algae. Overall, the primary effect of botanical polysaccharides is to enhance and/or activate macrophage immune responses, leading to immunomodulation, anti-tumor activity, wound-healing and other therapeutic effects. Furthermore, botanical and microbial polysaccharides bind to common surface receptors and induce similar immunomodulatory responses in macrophages, suggesting that evolutionarily conserved polysaccharide structural features are shared between these organisms. Thus, the evaluation of botanical polysaccharides provides a unique opportunity for the discovery of novel therapeutic agents and adjuvants that exhibit beneficial immunomodulatory properties.

A novel polysaccharide of black soybean promotes myelopoiesis and reconstitutes bone marrow after 5-flurouracil- and irradiation-induced myelosuppression

The aim of this study was to investigate the promotion of myelopoiesis by an active polysaccharide of black soybean (PSBS). Murine spleen cells were collected from ICR mice and conditioned media (SCM) was prepared by incubating these cells without PSBS (normal-SCM) or with PSBS in concentrations ranging from 12.5 to 100 microg/ml (PSBS-SCM). Murine bone marrow cells were treated with PSBS alone or SCM to induce the formation of colonies, including CFU-GM, CFU-GEMM, BFU-E and HPP-CFC. The concentrations of six hematopoietic growth factors contained in SCM were measured using enzyme-linked immunoassay. In the live animal experiment, PSBS was administered orally to total body-irradiated (TBI) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-treated mice to assess the reconstitution of bone marrow after myelosuppression. PSBS-SCM stimulated CFU-GM, CFU-GEMM, BFU-E and HPP-CFC colony formation with 45.0, 5.0, 6.2 and 6.6-fold increases, respectively. However, neither PSBS alone nor normal-SCM had such a colony-stimulating effect. In PSBS-SCM, the levels of IL-6, IL-17, G-CSF and GM-CSF were markedly increased, but not those of IL-3 and SCF. Oral administration of PSBS in mice not only restored the leukocyte counts reduced by TBI and 5-FU treatment but also enhanced CFU-GM colony formation of bone marrow cells without a significant change in body weight. We conclude that PSBS promotes myelopoiesis activity in the bone marrow, stimulates production of various hematopoietic growth factors from spleen cells, and reconstitutes bone marrow that has been myelosuppressed by irradiation and 5-FU.

Antiproliferative and differentiating effects of polysaccharide fraction from fu-ling (Poria cocos) on human leukemic U937 and HL-60 cells

Poria cocos (PC), Fu-Ling, is an oriental fungus and has been widely used as a Chinese traditional herbal medicine for centuries. In the present study, a neutral polysaccharide fraction from PC (PC-PS) was isolated by a series of chromatographies and its effects on antiproliferation and differentiation of human leukemic cells, U937 and HL-60, were investigated in vitro. Results showed that the molecular weight of isolated PC-PS was approximately 160 kDa, as estimated by gel permeation chromatography. The conditioned medium prepared with PC-PS (15 microg/ml)-stimulated human blood mononuclear cells for 5 days (PC-PS-MNC-CM5) exhibited a potent activity in suppressing the proliferation of U937 and HL-60 cells by 87.3 and 74.7%, respectively. Furthermore, PC-PS-MNC-CM5 induced about 66.6% of the U937 cells and 49.4% of the HL-60 cells to differentiate into mature monocytes/macrophages, which also markedly expressed surface antigens of CD11b, CD14, and CD 68. The differentiated U937 and HL-60 cells displayed physiological functions such as respiratory burst and phagocytosis, while PC-PS group and control group showed insignificant effects. Interestingly, the levels of interferon (IFN)-gamma and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha in PC-PS-MNC-CM were about 41 and 10 times, respectively, higher than that of control group. Antibody neutralization tests of the PC-PS-MNC-CM5 revealed that the growth-inhibitory and differentiation-inducing activities were mainly due to the elevated cytokines of IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha. It suggests that PC-PS is a biological response modifier (BRM), instead of a cytotoxic reagent, and may be a potential alternative in leukemia therapy.

Antiviral activity of a hot water extract of black soybean against a human respiratory illness virus

Significant antiviral activity against respiratory illness viruses has been found in a hot-water extract of black soybean. This black soybean extract showed significant antiviral activity against human adenovirus type 1 and coxsackievirus B1 in a dose-dependent manner, while the hot-water extract from common yellowish soybean showed only weak activity. The antiviral activity could not be extracted from the black soybean by 70% aqueous ethanol, suggesting that saponin in the seed did not contribute to this activity. The antiviral activity was only recovered from cotyledons and not from seed coats with the hot water, showing that the activity was distributed in the cotyledons and that antocyanins in the black soybean seed coats did not contribute to the antiviral activity. The antiviral compound(s) in the black soybean was partially purified by up to 166 times by a combination of gel filtration, reversed phase HPLC, and ion-exchange HPLC. The partially purified antiviral compound showed hydrophilic and anionic properties, and a maximum absorption at 260 nm, suggesting that this antiviral fraction may contain a phenyl group(s). On the other hand, an amino acid analysis with the acid hydrolyzate and a neutral sugar analysis showed that the antiviral compound from black soybean might not be a polypeptide or glycoconjugate bearing neutral sugar(s).