Soybean agglutinin facts for kids
Soybean agglutinins (SBA), also called soybean lectins (SBL), are special proteins found in soybeans. They belong to a group of similar proteins called lectins, which are common in beans. SBAs are considered an "antinutrient" because they can attach to and remove important minerals from your body. Even if you cook soybeans for a long time, like boiling them for 20 minutes, more than half of these lectins can still be active.
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What Are Soybean Agglutinins?
Soybean agglutinins are proteins that like to connect with certain sugar structures. They especially link up with sugars called N-acetylgalactosamine and, to a smaller degree, galactose. These connections can be stopped if other sugars, like fucose, are attached to the galactose.
How SBAs Affect the Body
When SBAs are eaten, they can attach to the cells lining your intestines. This can cause some irritation and make the intestine a bit "leaky." This is a main reason why raw soybean meal can cause problems for animals.
Scientists have studied how SBAs affect rats. When rats ate more soybean agglutinin, their bodies showed changes. For example, a substance called aspartate aminotransferase increased in their blood. Their bodies also had less insulin, even though their blood sugar levels stayed the same. Eating soybean agglutinin also caused rats to lose fat. Their small intestine and pancreas grew larger than normal, while their spleen and kidneys grew less.
Uses of Soybean Agglutinins
Even though SBAs can cause some issues, they are also very useful!
Helping with Bone Marrow Transplants
One important use for SBAs is in bone marrow transplantation. Doctors can use SBAs to separate special cells called pluripotent stem cells from human bone marrow. These separated cells are very helpful because they can be used in transplants without causing a serious problem called "graft-versus-host disease." This means they can be used even when the donor and recipient are not a perfect match.
Detecting Stomach Cancer
Scientists have also looked into using SBAs to help find stomach cancer. Because SBAs bind to specific sugar structures, they might be able to help doctors detect cancer cells.
