| Summary: | Soybeans and fermented soy-derived foodstuffs contain many functional components and demonstrate various beneficial effects. In this report, we demonstrate the anti-fatty liver effect of <i>miso,</i> a traditional fermented product made from soybeans and rice molded in <i>Aspergillus oryzae</i> and forming a common part of the Japanese diet. After acclimation for 2 weeks, male and female C57BL/6J mice were fed with a normal diet (ND), a high-fat diet (HFD), a HFD containing 5% <i>miso</i> (HFD+M), or a HFD containing 5% pre-fermented <i>miso</i> (HFD+PFM) for 20 weeks. Although mice in the HFD group developed typical fatty liver, the consumption of <i>miso</i> or PFM significantly ameliorated the progression of fatty liver in female mice. The liver weight and the average nonalcoholic fatty liver disease activity score (NAS) were significantly reduced in the HFD+M and HFD+PFM groups. In addition, leptin and resistin levels in the serum were decreased in the HFD+M and HFD+PFM groups. The progression of fatty liver was also prevented by the consumption of <i>miso</i> or PFM in male mice, although there were no decreases in NAS. Therefore, <i>miso</i> appears to be a potential food to prevent lifestyle-related diseases such as metabolic syndrome.
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