Fermented soybean product (Cheonggukjang) improved some attributes of protein and growth hormone measurements in Sprague-Dawley rats.
We hypothesized that the administration of Cheonggukjang (CKJ) would exert positive effects on factors implicated with growth in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. To test this hypothesis, we measured specific aspects of bone and organ growth in male SD rats that were treated for 6 weeks with 3 concentrations of CKJ. Although the CKJ extract contained high concentrations of flavonoids and phenolic compounds, no significant differences in body length, organ weights, or femur weight were detected between the CKJ- and vehicle-treated groups. However, thicknesses of the epiphyseal growth plate in the proximal femoral epiphysis and the compact bone in the linea aspera were broadest in the femur of the 2 CKJ-treated groups when compared with the vehicle-treated groups. Furthermore, the levels of growth hormone (GH) and calcium ion were higher in the sera of the high-concentration CKJ-treated groups, whereas the expression level of GH receptor was higher in muscle tissue of all CKJ-treated groups and in the liver tissue of the high-concentration CKJ-treated group. In the GH receptor downstream signaling pathway, the phosphorylation levels of Akt and Erk were expressed differently between liver and muscle tissues upon CKJ treatment. However, the phosphorylation level of STAT5 was very similar to the expression level of the GH receptor in all CKJ-treated groups. These results indicate that CKJ extract may increase the thickness of the epiphyseal growth plate and the compact bone of the femur, elevate GH secretion, and stimulate regulation of the GH receptor downstream signaling pathway in the liver and muscle tissues of SD rats.
Department of Biomaterials Science, College of Natural Resources & Life Science/Life and Industry Convergence Research Institute, Pusan National University, Miryang, Republic of Korea.
In Sik
IS
Hwang
Department of Biomaterials Science, College of Natural Resources & Life Science/Life and Industry Convergence Research Institute, Pusan National University, Miryang, Republic of Korea.
Ji Eun
JE
Kim
Department of Biomaterials Science, College of Natural Resources & Life Science/Life and Industry Convergence Research Institute, Pusan National University, Miryang, Republic of Korea.
Young Ju
YJ
Lee
Department of Biomaterials Science, College of Natural Resources & Life Science/Life and Industry Convergence Research Institute, Pusan National University, Miryang, Republic of Korea.
Moon Hwa
MH
Kwak
Department of Biomaterials Science, College of Natural Resources & Life Science/Life and Industry Convergence Research Institute, Pusan National University, Miryang, Republic of Korea.
Jun
J
Go
Department of Life Science & Environment Biochemistry, College of Natural Resources & Life Science, Pusan National University, Miryang, Republic of Korea.
Hong Joo
HJ
Son
Department of Food Science & Technology, College of Natural Resources & Life Science, Pusan National University, Miryang, Republic of Korea.
Dong Sup
DS
Kim
Department of Biomaterials Science, College of Natural Resources & Life Science/Life and Industry Convergence Research Institute, Pusan National University, Miryang, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: dyhwang@pusan.ac.kr.
Dae Youn
DY
Hwang
D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D005269:Femur / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D005285:Fermentation; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D006132:Growth Plate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009132:Muscles / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D010636:Phenols / Q000494:pharmacology; D010766:Phosphorylation; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011986:Receptors, Somatotropin / Q000378:metabolism*; D050799:STAT5 Transcription Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D045730:Soy Foods; D013025:Glycine max / Q000737:chemistry*
D005419:Flavonoids; D010636:Phenols; D011986:Receptors, Somatotropin; D050799:STAT5 Transcription Factor; D013006:Growth Hormone; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D002118:Calcium
Bone growth; Calcium ion; Cheonggukjang; Growth hormone; Growth hormone receptor; Growth plate; Rat; Signaling pathway