Cognitive dysfunction and amyloid beta accumulation are ameliorated by the ingestion of green soybean extract in aged mice

The prevention or delay of brain senescence would enhance the quality of life for older persons. We investigated the effects of soybean extracts in senescence-accelerated (SAMP10) mice. This mouse is a model of brain senescence with a short life span, cerebral atrophy and cognitive dysfunction. Mice were fed a diet containing soybean extracts from 1 to 12 months of age. The effects of green and yellow soybean extracts were compared with a control diet without soybean extracts. Cognitive functions were higher in aged mice fed green soybean than age-matched control mice and mice fed yellow soybean. We further investigated transcriptome of the SAMP10 hippocampus indicated that expression levels of 36 genes were significantly higher and 19 genes were lower in mice that ingested green soybean than in mice that ingested yellow soybean. Some of the evidences were reconfirmed by real time PCR analysis; the levels of Cdh1 and Ptgds mRNA were significantly higher and that the level of Aplp1 was significantly lower in aged SAMP10 mice fed green soybean than mice ingested yellow soybean and control mice. Additionally, the amount of amyloid beta 40 and 42 was lower in the insoluble fraction of aged SAMP10 mice fed green soybean than control mice and mice fed yellow soybean, although the levels of amyloid beta 40 and 42 in the soluble fraction were not different. Lipocalin-type prostaglandin D2 synthase (L-PGDS) has been proposed as the endogenous amyloid beta - chaperone, suggesting that amyloid aggregation was lower in mice fed green soybean than control mice and mice fed yellow soybean. These results indicate that the intake of green soybean improved cognitive function in aged mice, and suppressed amyloid beta accumulation. Green soybean might help healthy aging of the brain in older persons.

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