Evaluation of cardio-protective effect of soybean oligosaccharides

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether soybean oligosaccharides (SO) protects heart function against myocardium ischemia reperfusion (MIR) injury. Hearts were 20 min global ischemia and 50 min reperfusion. Rats were fed for 30 days with saline (sham and MIR groups) or the SO (200 or 400 mg/kg body weight, daily). At the end of 30 days, the left main coronary artery was occluded for 30 min, followed by 24 h reperfusion, in anesthetized rats. Sham operated animals were subjected to the same surgical procedures, except that the suture under the left anterior descending coronary artery was not tied. Results showed that SO decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) level and increased antioxidant enzymes activities in the SO-treatment group. Pre-treated with SO it showed a significant recovery in cardiac contractile function, reduction in infarct size, and decrease in creatine kinase (CK), aspartate transaminase (AST) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activities. Moreover, SO also significantly increased the expression of p-JAK2 and p-STAT3 proteins in rat heart. However, no significant change in JAK2 and STAT3 levels was observed. Activation of JAK2/STAT3 pathway showed a significant protective role in the SO-treatment group. Perhaps, the altered activation of the JAK2/STAT3 pathway in ischemic myocardium is one mechanism by which SO is cardioprotective.