![]() |
|
|

,2
* Department of Animal and Dairy Science and
Department of Foods and Nutrition, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602 and ** Department of Cellular Biology and Anatomy, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA 30912
2 To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: cbaile{at}uga.edu.
Genistein, an isoflavone in soybean products, has estrogenic activity and is used as a natural substitute for estrogen replacement therapy in postmenopausal women. Genistein was also shown to decrease fat pad weight in female mice. The primary objective of this study was to determine the effect of genistein on adipose tissue apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and mature adipocytes were treated with 0, 1, 10, 100, and 400 µmol/L genistein and then assayed for apoptosis, whereas only mature adipocytes were assayed for viability. Mature adipocytes treated with genistein demonstrated a dose-related increase in apoptosis. Ovariectomized female mice (9 mo old) were given 0, 150, or 1500 mg/kg genistein in the semipurified phytoestrogen-free casein-based diet for 3 wk (n = 10). After mice were killed, body composition was determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry analysis, and parametrial (PM), inguinal (ING), and retroperitoneal (RP) fat pads were weighed and assayed for apoptosis (% DNA fragmentation). Genistein (1500 mg/kg) reduced food intake (FI) by 14% (P < 0.01) and body weight (BW) by 9% (P < 0.01). Body composition was not significantly affected, but PM and ING weights were decreased 22% (P < 0.05) and 19% (P < 0.07), respectively, by 1500 mg/kg genistein. Apoptosis in ING fat was increased 290% (P < 0.05) by 1500 mg/kg genistein. These findings show that oral genistein treatment can reduce BW, mobilize body fat, and induce apoptosis of adipose tissue in ovariectomized female mice. Thus, genistein may be useful in treating or preventing increased adiposity after menopause.
KEY WORDS: isoflavone adipose tissue 3T3-L1 adipocytes apoptosis weight loss
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
F. Grun and B. Blumberg Minireview: The Case for Obesogens Mol. Endocrinol., August 1, 2009; 23(8): 1127 - 1134. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. Orgaard and L. Jensen The Effects of Soy Isoflavones on Obesity Experimental Biology and Medicine, September 1, 2008; 233(9): 1066 - 1080. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. Rayalam, M. A. Della-Fera, J.-Y. Yang, H. J. Park, S. Ambati, and C. A. Baile Resveratrol Potentiates Genistein's Antiadipogenic and Proapoptotic Effects in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes J. Nutr., December 1, 2007; 137(12): 2668 - 2673. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
H.-K. Kim, M. Della-Fera, J. Lin, and C. A. Baile Docosahexaenoic Acid Inhibits Adipocyte Differentiation and Induces Apoptosis in 3T3-L1 Preadipocytes J. Nutr., December 1, 2006; 136(12): 2965 - 2969. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||