Dietary soy beta-conglycinin (7S globulin) inhibits atherosclerosis in mice.

Although beta-conglycinin (7S globulin), a major soy storage protein, stimulates the expression of LDL receptors and the degradation of LDL by hepatocytes in vitro, the in vivo effects of dietary beta-conglycinin on the cardiovascular system are unknown. We assessed the effects of dietary beta-conglycinin and other soy peptide fractions on the development of atherosclerosis in atherosclerosis-susceptible mice. At 6 wk of age, male and ovariectomized female apolipoprotein (apo) E-null mice and LDL receptor-null, apoB transgenic mice were assigned randomly to treatment groups that differed only in the source of dietary protein: 1) casein/lactalbumin, 2) isoflavone-containing soy protein isolate, 3) beta-conglycinin, 4) glycinin (11S globulin, another major soy storage protein), 5) beta-conglycinin-devoid soy protein, and 6) W008 (a peptide fraction produced by hydrolysis and precipitation of soy protein isolate).