Fermented soy bean extract suppresses differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and facilitates its glucose utilization

• Fermented soy bean extract reduced lipid accumulation by suppressing the differentiation of 3T3-L1 adipocytes.
• Fermented soy bean extract improved glucose utilization by facilitating glucose uptake into the adipocytes.
• Fermented soy bean extract may have a potential as a functional food ingredient in improving obesity and related metabolic disorders.

Obesity is a serious health problem which may continuously increase the morbidity and mortality associated with a variety of acute and chronic diseases.This study aimed to examine the antiobesity effect of soy bean extract fermented by Bacillus subtilis MORI (BTD-1) and to elucidate the mechanisms underlying such effects using 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Lipid accumulations were significantly inhibited by BTD-1 treatment, which were accompanied by the decreased expression of CCAAT element binding protein α (C/EBPα) and the increased phosphorylation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) protein expression. In addition, BTD-1 treatment increased the expression of glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) along with significantly increasing glucose uptake into the adipocytes based on results of a 2-deoxy-D-[3H] glucose uptake assay. Our findings suggest that BTD-1 may suppress the differentiation of 3T3-L1 adipocytes and greatly facilitate glucose uptake into the adipocytes. Therefore, BTD-1 has a potential as a functional food ingredient in improving obesity and related metabolic disorders.