Monosodium L-glutamate in soup reduces subsequent energy intake from high-fat savoury food in overweight and obese women.

The umami seasoning, monosodium L-glutamate (MSG), has been shown to increase satiety in normal body weight adults, although the results have not been consistent. The satiety effect of MSG in overweight and obese adults has not been examined yet. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of MSG in a vegetable soup on subsequent energy intakes as well as food selection in overweight and obese adult women without eating disorders. A total of sixty-eight overweight and obese women (BMI range: 25·0-39·9 kg/m²), otherwise healthy, were recruited to our study. A fixed portion (200 ml) of control vegetable soup or the same soup with added MSG (0·5 g/100 ml) was provided 10 min before an ad libitum lunch and an ad libitum snack in the mid-afternoon. The control soup had equivalent amount of Na to the soup with added MSG. Energy intakes at the ad libitum lunch and ad libitum snack time after the soup preload were assessed using a randomised, double-blind, two-way cross-over design. The soup with MSG in comparison with the control soup resulted in significantly lower consumption of energy at lunch. The addition of MSG in the soup also reduced energy intake from high-fat savoury foods. The soup with MSG showed lower but no significant difference in energy intake at mid-afternoon. The addition of umami seasoning MSG in a vegetable soup may decrease subsequent energy intake in overweight and obese women who do not have eating disorders.

Targeting Cathepsin B for Cancer Therapies.

Cathepsin B is a member of the papain family of cysteine proteases normally present in the lysosome, but it can translocate and function to degrade components of the extracellular matrix. It exhibits carboxyopeptidase, peptidyldipepidase, and endopeptidase activity. Aberrant overexpression of cathepsin B has been reported in invasive and metastatic cancers, including breast cancer, melanoma and colorectal cancer. It has been shown that oncogenic activation, such as the signaling of the ErbB pathways, can lead to cathepsin B overexpression. The degradation of the extracellular matrix is a key factor for cathepsin B to contribute to development and metastasis of tumors. An example of substrates for cathepsin B is E-cadherin, which is involved in adherens junctions, and the downregulation of E-cadherin in cancer is directly linked to invasion and metastasis. Recent studies also point to a role for cathepsin B in macrophages in the tumor microenvironment. The structure of cathepsin B is crystallographically solved, and several highly selective and potent inhibitors for cathepsin B have been developed. Yet it remains to be a challenge to demonstrate the clinical utility or benefit of any cathepsin B inhibitor. As cathepsin B is required for a cellular process called lysosomal membrane permeabilization (LMP), inhibition of cathepsin B would protect cancer cells from cell death induced by chemotherapeutic agents. It is expected that combining cathepsin B inhibitors with other approaches, such as nanoparticles, to direct the inhibition to the extracellular space may lead to better clinical approaches to treat cancers and metastasis.

Supplementing chicken broth with monosodium glutamate reduces energy intake from high fat and sweet snacks in middle-aged healthy women.

Monosodium L-glutamate (MSG) and inosine monophosphate-5 (IMP) are flavor enhancers for umami taste. However, their effects on appetite and food intake are not well-researched. The objective of the current study was to test their additions in a broth preload on subsequent appetite ratings, energy intake and food choice. Eighty-six healthy middle-aged women with normal body weight received three preload conditions on 3 test days 1 week apart - a low-energy chicken flavor broth (200 ml) as the control preload, and broths with added MSG alone (0.5 g/100 ml, MSG broth) or in combination with IMP (0.05 g/100 ml) (MSG+ broth) served as the experimental conditions. Fifteen minutes after preload administration subjects were provided an ad libitum testing meal which consisted of 16 snacks varying in taste and fat content. MSG and MSG+ enhanced savory taste and broth properties of liking and pleasantness. In comparison with control, the MSG preload resulted in less consumption of total energy, as well as energy from sweet and high-fat snacks. Furthermore, MSG broth preload reduced added sugar intake. These findings were not observed after MSG+ preload. Appetite ratings were not different across the three preloads. Results suggest a potential role of MSG addition to a low-energy broth preload in subsequent energy intake and food choice. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01761045.