Soy diet worsens heart disease in mice
Brian L. Stauffer, John P. Konhilas, Elizabeth D. Luczak, Leslie A. Leinwand
Brian L. Stauffer, John P. Konhilas, Elizabeth D. Luczak, Leslie A. Leinwand
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Research Article Cardiology

Soy diet worsens heart disease in mice

Abstract

We report that dietary modification from a soy-based diet to a casein-based diet radically improves disease indicators and cardiac function in a transgenic mouse model of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. On a soy diet, males with a mutation in the α-myosin heavy chain gene progress to dilation and heart failure. However, males fed a casein diet no longer deteriorate to severe, dilated cardiomyopathy. Remarkably, their LV size and contractile function are preserved. Further, this diet prevents a number of pathologic indicators in males, including fibrosis, induction of β-myosin heavy chain, inactivation of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β), and caspase-3 activation.

Authors

Brian L. Stauffer, John P. Konhilas, Elizabeth D. Luczak, Leslie A. Leinwand

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Figure 5

Positive adaptation is observed in male mice consuming a casein diet.

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Positive adaptation is observed in male mice consuming a casein diet. β-...
β-MyHC exerts a dominant effect in heart failure and is a mechanism behind impairments in contractile function. (A) β-MyHC (expressed as a percentage of total MyHC content) is increased in hearts from 8-month-old mice consuming a soy diet. n = 3–7 in each group. *P < 0.05 versus WT same sex and diet and same sex, alternate diet HCM mice. †P < 0.05 versus alternate sex, same diet HCM mice. (B) Representative silver-stained MyHC separation gel from WT male and HCM male mice. (C) Increased activation of the IGF-1 receptor upregulates MyHC protein in the heart. GSK3β is a protein kinase downstream from the IGF receptor. The ratio of phospho- to total GSK3β is significantly attenuated in the males consuming a phytoestrogen-free diet. The increased activity down this cascade may be permissive of increased β-MyHC protein synthesis. n = 5 in each group. **P < 0.05 versus WT same sex and diet; #P < 0.05 versus alternate diet, same sex HCM mice and alternate sex HCM mice regardless of diet. Mean ± SEM.