Description
Glycitein is an aglycone isoflavone found in soy and red clover; it exhibits a wide variety of beneficial properties, including neuroprotective, antioxidative, anticancer, anti-osteoporotic, and anti-atherosclerotic activities. This compound also acts as a phytoestrogen. Glycitein inhibits generation of ROS, increases expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and NADPH quinone reductase, and increases Nrf2-related antioxidative signaling. In vitro, glycitein downregulates expression of matrix metalloproteinases 3 and 9, preventing invasion of glioma cells. Additionally, this compound increases ERK1/2 activity and decreases cell proliferation in prostate cells. In aortic smooth muscle cells, glycitein inhibits DNA synthesis and cell proliferation, attenuating a pathology that occurs in atherosclerosis. In cellular models of Alzheimer’s disease, glycitein also binds to amyloid-β (Aβ) monomers, oligomers, and fibrils, destabilizing Aβ aggregates and preventing fibril assembly. Glycitein also affects bone formation, inhibiting osteoclast generation and decreasing expression of IL-6 and RANKL in bone marrow-derived osteoclasts.
References
Hirohata M, Ono K, Takasaki J, et al. Anti-amyloidogenic effects of soybean isoflavones in vitro: Fluorescence spectroscopy demonstrating direct binding to Aβ monomers, oligomers and fibrils. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2012 Aug;1822(8):1316-24. PMID: 22587837.
Park JS, Jung JS, Jeong YH, et al. Antioxidant mechanism of isoflavone metabolites in hydrogen peroxide-stimulated rat primary astrocytes: critical role of hemeoxygenase-1 and NQO1 expression. J Neurochem. 2011 Dec;119(5):909-19. PMID: 21781119.
Winzer M, Rauner M, Pietschmann P. Glycitein decreases the generation of murine osteoclasts and increases apoptosis. Wien Med Wochenschr. 2010 Sep;160(17-18):446-51. PMID: 20714813.
Lee EJ, Kim SY, Hyun JW, et al. Glycitein inhibits glioma cell invasion through down-regulation of MMP-3 and MMP-9 gene expression. Chem Biol Interact. 2010 Apr 15;185(1):18-24. PMID: 20188714.
Clubbs EA, Bomser JA. Glycitein activates extracellular signal-regulated kinase via vascular endothelial growth factor receptor signaling in nontumorigenic (RWPE-1) prostate epithelial cells. J Nutr Biochem. 2007 Aug;18(8):525-32. PMID: 17156992.
Pan W, Ikeda K, Takebe M, et al. Genistein, daidzein and glycitein inhibit growth and DNA synthesis of aortic smooth muscle cells from stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats. J Nutr. 2001 Apr;131(4):1154-8. PMID: 11285318.
