Black soybean seed coat extract protects Drosophila melanogaster against Pb toxicity by promoting iron absorption

Black soybean seed coat extract (BSSCE) is a rich source of anthocyanins. This study was aimed at investigating the effects of BSSCE on Lead (Pb) toxicity. Here using Drosophila melanogaster, we show that defects caused by Pb was significantly ameliorated by BSSCE supplementation. Further studies showed that BSSCE attenuated Pbinduced systemic iron deficiency by modulating genes involved in iron absorption in the midgut. Additionally, BSSCE eliminated the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by Pb in the midgut through improving the antioxidant defense system. The protection of BSSCE against Pb was suppressed when dietary iron was restricted. These results suggest that promotion of iron absorption plays a dominant role in protective effects of BSSCE against Pb. The findings indicated that black soybean might be a promising functional food for preventing Pb toxicity or other iron deficiency related diseases, providing novel insight into mechanisms of antioxidants in protecting against heavy metal induced impairment.