Skip to main content
PMC home page
The Journal of Clinical Investigation logoLink to The Journal of Clinical Investigation
. 1987 Nov;80(5):1498–1502. doi: 10.1172/JCI113232

Soybean protein diet increases low density lipoprotein receptor activity in mononuclear cells from hypercholesterolemic patients.

M R Lovati 1, C Manzoni 1, A Canavesi 1, M Sirtori 1, V Vaccarino 1, M Marchi 1, G Gaddi 1, C R Sirtori 1
PMCID: PMC442410  PMID: 3680510

Abstract

The effect of two diets containing different protein sources (animal vs. soybean) on the low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor activity was tested in freshly isolated mononuclear cells from 12 individuals with severe type II hyperlipoproteinemia. The two diets, both taken for 4 wk in a crossover design were of otherwise identical composition. During the soybean protein diet period, total cholesterol was reduced by 15.9% and LDL-cholesterol by 16.4%. The diet containing animal proteins exerted no significant change in plasma lipid levels vs. the baseline findings. The soybean diet regimen dramatically affected the degradation of LDL by mononuclear cells. Degradation was increased 16-fold vs. the basal activity and 8-fold compared with the standard low lipid diet with animal proteins. There was, however, no clear relationship between the reduction of total and LDL-cholesterolemia and the increased LDL degradation. These findings confirm similar data previously obtained in cholesterol-fed rats and suggest that some factor/s, most likely of a protein nature, may regulate the expression of lipoprotein receptors in peripheral cells, particularly when receptor activity is suppressed by experimental diets and/or spontaneous hypercholesterolemia.

Full text

PDF
1499

Images in this article

1500Image
on p.1500

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Applebaum-Bowden D., Haffner S. M., Hartsook E., Luk K. H., Albers J. J., Hazzard W. R. Down-regulation of the low-density lipoprotein receptor by dietary cholesterol. Am J Clin Nutr. 1984 Mar;39(3):360–367. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/39.3.360. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bilheimer D. W., Ho Y. K., Brown M. S., Anderson R. G., Goldstein J. L. Genetics of the low density lipoprotein receptor. Diminished receptor activity in lymphocytes from heterozygotes with familial hypercholesterolemia. J Clin Invest. 1978 Mar;61(3):678–696. doi: 10.1172/JCI108980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bucolo G., David H. Quantitative determination of serum triglycerides by the use of enzymes. Clin Chem. 1973 May;19(5):476–482. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Chao Y., Yamin T. T., Alberts A. W. Effects of cholestyramine on low density lipoprotein binding sites on liver membranes from rabbits with endogenous hypercholesterolemia induced by a wheat starch-casein diet. J Biol Chem. 1982 Apr 10;257(7):3623–3627. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Fisher W. R. Heterogeneity of plasma low density lipoproteins manifestations of the physiologic phenomenon in man. Metabolism. 1983 Mar;32(3):283–291. doi: 10.1016/0026-0495(83)90194-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Fumagalli R., Soleri L., Farina R., Musanti R., Mantero O., Noseda G., Gatti E., Sirtori C. R. Fecal cholesterol excretion studies in type II hypercholesterolemic patients treated with the soybean protein diet. Atherosclerosis. 1982 Jun;43(2-3):341–353. doi: 10.1016/0021-9150(82)90034-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Gaddi A., Descovich G. C., Noseda G., Fragiacomo C., Nicolini A., Montanari G., Vanetti G., Sirtori M., Gatti E., Sirtori C. R. Hypercholesterolaemia treated by soybean protein diet. Arch Dis Child. 1987 Mar;62(3):274–278. doi: 10.1136/adc.62.3.274. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Goldstein J. L., Brown M. S. Familial hypercholesterolemia: identification of a defect in the regulation of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase activity associated with overproduction of cholesterol. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1973 Oct;70(10):2804–2808. doi: 10.1073/pnas.70.10.2804. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Goldstein J. L., Brown M. S. The low-density lipoprotein pathway and its relation to atherosclerosis. Annu Rev Biochem. 1977;46:897–930. doi: 10.1146/annurev.bi.46.070177.004341. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. HAVEL R. J., EDER H. A., BRAGDON J. H. The distribution and chemical composition of ultracentrifugally separated lipoproteins in human serum. J Clin Invest. 1955 Sep;34(9):1345–1353. doi: 10.1172/JCI103182. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Ho Y. K., Brown S., Bilheimer D. W., Goldstein J. L. Regulation of low density lipoprotein receptor activity in freshly isolated human lymphocytes. J Clin Invest. 1976 Dec;58(6):1465–1474. doi: 10.1172/JCI108603. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Huff M. W., Carroll K. K. Effects of dietary protein on turnover, oxidation, and absorption of cholesterol, and on steroid excretion in rabbits. J Lipid Res. 1980 Jul;21(5):546–548. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Huff M. W., Carroll K. K. Effects of dietary proteins and amino acid mixtures on plasma cholesterol levels in rabbits. J Nutr. 1980 Aug;110(8):1676–1685. doi: 10.1093/jn/110.8.1676. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Kritchevsky D., Tepper S. A., Czarnecki S. K., Klurfeld D. M. Atherogenicity of animal and vegetable protein. Influence of the lysine to arginine ratio. Atherosclerosis. 1982 Feb;41(2-3):429–431. doi: 10.1016/0021-9150(82)90208-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. LOWRY O. H., ROSEBROUGH N. J., FARR A. L., RANDALL R. J. Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem. 1951 Nov;193(1):265–275. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Leren T. P., Hjermann I., Maartmann-Moe K., Beckmann S. L., Leren P., Berg K. Effect of lipid lowering diet on low density lipoprotein receptor activity in freshly isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Acta Med Scand. 1985;218(1):41–49. doi: 10.1111/j.0954-6820.1985.tb08822.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Mistry P., Miller N. E., Laker M., Hazzard W. R., Lewis B. Individual variation in the effects of dietary cholesterol on plasma lipoproteins and cellular cholesterol homeostasis in man. Studies of low density lipoprotein receptor activity and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase activity in blood mononuclear cells. J Clin Invest. 1981 Feb;67(2):493–502. doi: 10.1172/JCI110058. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Redgrave T. G. Dietary proteins and atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis. 1984 Sep;52(3):349–351. doi: 10.1016/0021-9150(84)90066-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Röschlau P., Bernt E., Gruber W. Enzymatische Bestimmung des Gesamt-Cholesterins im Serum. Z Klin Chem Klin Biochem. 1974 Sep;12(9):403–407. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Shorey R. L., Bazan B., Lo G. S., Steinke F. H. Determinants of hypocholesterolemic response to soy and animal protein-based diets. Am J Clin Nutr. 1981 Sep;34(9):1769–1778. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/34.9.1769. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Sirtori C. R., Agradi E., Conti F., Mantero O., Gatti E. Soybean-protein diet in the treatment of type-II hyperlipoproteinaemia. Lancet. 1977 Feb 5;1(8006):275–277. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(77)91823-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Sirtori C. R., Galli G., Lovati M. R., Carrara P., Bosisio E., Kienle M. G. Effects of dietary proteins on the regulation of liver lipoprotein receptors in rats. J Nutr. 1984 Aug;114(8):1493–1500. doi: 10.1093/jn/114.8.1493. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Sirtori C. R., Gatti E., Mantero O., Conti F., Agradi E., Tremoli E., Sirtori M., Fraterrigo L., Tavazzi L., Kritchevsky D. Clinical experience with the soybean protein diet in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. Am J Clin Nutr. 1979 Aug;32(8):1645–1658. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/32.8.1645. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Sundberg E. E., Illingworth D. R. Effects of hypolipidemic therapy on cholesterol homeostasis in freshly isolated mononuclear cells from patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1983 Dec;80(24):7631–7635. doi: 10.1073/pnas.80.24.7631. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Terpstra A. H., van Tintelen G., West C. E. The hypocholesterolemic effect of dietary soy protein in rats. J Nutr. 1982 Apr;112(4):810–817. doi: 10.1093/jn/112.4.810. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Vega G. L., Grundy S. M. In vivo evidence for reduced binding of low density lipoproteins to receptors as a cause of primary moderate hypercholesterolemia. J Clin Invest. 1986 Nov;78(5):1410–1414. doi: 10.1172/JCI112729. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Yashiro A., Oda S., Sugano M. Hypocholesterolemic effect of soybean protein in rats and mice after peptic digestion. J Nutr. 1985 Oct;115(10):1325–1336. doi: 10.1093/jn/115.10.1325. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Zechner R., Dieplinger H., Roscher A., Krempler F., Kostner G. M. The role of lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase for the low density lipoprotein composition and specific binding to the B receptor. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1982 Aug 18;712(2):433–435. doi: 10.1016/0005-2760(82)90365-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. van Raaij J. M., Katan M. B., Hautvast J. G., Hermus R. J. Effects of casein versus soy protein diets on serum cholesterol and lipoproteins in young healthy volunteers. Am J Clin Nutr. 1981 Jul;34(7):1261–1271. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/34.7.1261. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. van Raaij J. M., Katan M. B., West C. E., Hautvast J. G. Influence of diets containing casein, soy isolate, and soy concentrate on serum cholesterol and lipoproteins in middle-aged volunteers. Am J Clin Nutr. 1982 May;35(5):925–934. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/35.5.925. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Clinical Investigation are provided here courtesy of American Society for Clinical Investigation

RESOURCES