Consuming too much salt is linked not only to hypertension but also to potential impacts on memory, cognition, and mood. Growing evidence connects high salt intake to changes in the brain, which has prompted interest in nutritional strategies that might limit harm. Researchers in Japan have now identified soy compound LPC70 as a potential protective agent against salt-related effects.
Scientists report that LPC70, a soy-derived lysolecithin enriched so that lysophosphatidylcholine makes up more than 70 percent of its phospholipids, can counter some consequences of a high-salt diet in mice. Earlier work associated the ingredient with lower blood pressure and improved cognition under high-salt conditions. The latest study explores how it acts, pointing to shifts in key chemical signaling in the brain and kidneys.
Soy compound LPC70 and prostaglandin signaling
The team focused on prostaglandins, signaling molecules synthesized from arachidonic acid that function like local hormones across tissues. In the cardiovascular system they help regulate vascular tone and blood pressure. In the brain their effects vary by receptor, with pathways that can either protect neurons or contribute to injury, shaping memory, thinking, and emotional responses.
Although prior experiments suggested LPC70 eases salt-related hypertension and cognitive deficits, its mechanism, particularly its influence on prostaglandin pathways, had not been fully defined. To probe this, a group led by Professor Akihiro Mouri and Dr. Hisayoshi Kubota, in collaboration with Dr. Kazuhiro Kagotani, evaluated LPC70 in mice maintained on a high-salt diet.
Dr. Kubota, the study’s first author, measured blood pressure, tracked behavior, and examined molecular markers tied to prostaglandins, clarifying organ-specific effects associated with cardiovascular and cognitive outcomes. Prof. Mouri and Dr. Kubota are based at the Department of Regulatory Science for Evaluation and Development of Pharmaceuticals & Devices and the International Center for Brain Science at Fujita Health University. Dr. Kagotani is affiliated with Tsuji Oil Mills Co., Ltd. and the Tsuji Health and Beauty Science Laboratory at Mie University.
The findings were posted online on May 14, 2026, and appeared in Volume 197 of Neurochemistry International on July 1, 2026. Prof. Mouri said the work emerged from a collaboration with Tsuji Oil Mills Co., Ltd., which develops naturally derived food ingredients, and aimed to clarify how LPC70 coordinates prostaglandin signaling across organs.
Soy compound LPC70 improved blood pressure and memory in mice
As anticipated, mice on a high-salt diet developed elevated blood pressure. The diet also reduced social interaction and impaired recognition of familiar objects, signaling deficits in memory. Overall locomotion and anxiety-like behavior were not substantially altered, indicating selective disruption of higher-order cognitive and social functions.
Supplementation with LPC70 mitigated several of these effects. Blood pressure declined, and performance improved on social interaction and object recognition tasks. These outcomes prompted deeper analysis of changes in the kidneys and brain.
Organ-specific protective effects in kidneys and brain
In the kidneys, a high-salt diet increased cyclooxygenase-2 and the PGE2 receptor EP3, factors implicated in salt-related hypertension. LPC70 reduced these elevations, suggesting it helps correct renal signaling disturbances that influence blood pressure control.
In the prefrontal cortex, excess salt lowered expression of the PGD2 receptor DP1, which supports protective and anti-inflammatory signaling. LPC70 restored DP1 expression without affecting DP2, a receptor linked to potentially harmful neuronal effects. This pattern indicates LPC70 may favor neuroprotective pathways rather than broadly amplifying or suppressing prostaglandin activity, aligning with the observed gains in memory and social behavior.
Arachidonic acid use shifts under soy compound LPC70
The researchers also identified a notable shift involving arachidonic acid. Mice consuming high salt had reduced circulating arachidonic acid. With LPC70, levels of prostaglandins derived from arachidonic acid, including PGE2 and PGD2, increased. The finding suggests LPC70 may enhance prostaglandin synthesis efficiency under high-salt conditions despite lower substrate availability.
Taken together, the results show selective, organ-specific actions. In the kidneys, LPC70 appears to suppress signaling changes linked to hypertension. In the brain, it restores pathways associated with anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects.
Potential of soy compound LPC70 as a functional ingredient
The data indicate LPC70 could be developed as a functional food ingredient to blunt some consequences of excessive salt intake. Its ability to improve blood pressure and cognition in mice raises the possibility of supporting cardiovascular and brain health in salt-heavy diets. The authors caution that the findings are based on animal studies and that clinical research will be required to determine whether similar benefits occur in people.
Prof. Mouri said the study clarifies LPC70’s role in prostaglandin signaling and provides a basis for future clinical trials and dietary approaches aimed at reducing hypertension-related cognitive decline and promoting healthy aging.
Research funding and support
The research was supported by Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (20K07931, 22K07606, 22K11891, and 23H02843). Additional support came from the Fujita Mind-Brain Research & Innovation Center for Drug Generation through Japan’s Peak Research Universities Program (JPJS00420240019) and the Japan Science and Technology Agency FOREST Program (JPMJFR215H). Tsuji Oil Mills Co., Ltd. funded the study, with further backing from the Education and Research Facility of Animal Models for Human Diseases at Fujita Health University, the Smoking Research Foundation, and the Takeda Science Foundation.