DIETARY SOY PROTEIN PROMOTES UNSATURATION OF HEPATIC TRIGLYCERIDES INCREASING SCD‐1 EXPRESSION IN THE LIVER OF MICE

Abstract

It has been demonstrated that accumulation of triglycerides in the liver leads to the formation of fatty liver. We have previously demonstrated that consumption of a soy protein (SP) diet prevent the accumulation of hepatic triglycerides. It has been shown that a reduction in the expression of the enzyme stearoyl desaturase 1 (SCD‐1) in the liver is associated with low hepatic lipid accumulation. Thus the aim of the present work was to study whether the consumption of SP reduces lipid accumulation in the liver by regulating SCD‐1 expression. Thus, mice were fed casein (C) or SP diets with and without the addition of 1 % cholesterol. The results showed that mice fed SP diet had lower lipid depots than mice fed C diet, and this was associated with a high saturation index (saturated fatty acids/monounsaturated fatty acids), and a low SCD‐1 expression in comparison with mice fed C diet. Expression of SCD‐1 was not parallel with SREBP‐1 expression, and it is possibly mediated via LXR‐alpha. CONACYT grant 62145‐2007.