Black soyabean seed coat extract regulates iron metabolism by inhibiting the expression of hepcidin. Issue 7 (14th April 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mu, Mingdao; Wu, Aimin; An, Peng; Du, Xiaoli; Wu, Qian; Shen, Xiaoyun; Wang, Fudi
• Is Part Of: British journal of nutrition. Volume 111:Issue 7(2014)
• Page Start: 1181
• Page End: 1189
• Publication Date: 2014-04-14
• Subjects: Nutrition -- Periodicals; 572.4
• DOI: 10.1017/S0007114513004005
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0007-1145

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="normal"> <title> <x content-type="archive" xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>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 <italic>in vitro</italic> and <italic>in vivo</italic> 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 (<italic>P</italic>< 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 (<italic>P</italic>< 0·01), a 35 % decrease in splenic Fe concentrations (<italic>P</italic>< 0·05) and a 135 % increase in serum Fe concentrations (<italic>P</italic>< 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 % <italic>v.</italic> day 0, <italic>P</italic>< 0·01), Hb concentrations (109 %, <italic>P</italic>< 0·01) and haematocrit values (108 %, <italic>P</italic>< 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.</p> </abstract>