Lactic acid bacteria are known to exert various physiologic functions in humans. In the current study, we investigated the effects of Soypro, a new soymilk fermented with lactic acid bacteria, like Leuconostoc kimchii, Leuconostoc citreum, and Lactobacillus plantarum, isolated from Kimchi, on adipocyte differentiation in preadipocyte 3T3-L1 cell lines and
weight gain or the plasma
lipid profile in Sprague-Dawley rats. Adipocyte 3T3-L1 cells treated with Soypro (10 microg/ml) significantly reduced the contents of cellular
triglyceride and inhibited cell differentiation by
Oil red O staining. Treatment with Soypro (10 microg/ml) for an additional two days in adipocytes inhibited the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma2 and
CCAAT/enhancer binding protein-alpha,
transcription factors of adipocyte differentiation. Based on these in vitro studies, we examined the anti-
obesity effect of Soypro in rats for six weeks. Soypro had no significant effect on high-fat diet-induced increases in
body weight, food intake, or feed gain ratio. However, the administration of Soypro significantly reduced the concentration of the plasma
low density lipoprotein cholesterol. Changes in the plasma levels of total
cholesterol and
glucose were inclined to decrease in Soypro administrated groups compared with saline treated group.
Triglyceride and
high density lipoprotein cholesterol values in Soypro fed groups were similar compared to those of saline fed groups. Although further research is needed, these findings suggest that Soypro decreased the levels of
low density lipoprotein cholesterol in high-fat diet-induced
obesity and might partially inhibit the adipocyte differentiation through the suppression of a
transcription factors peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma2 and
CCAAT/enhancer binding protein-alpha.