• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.33-36
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• 2014

Objective: To estimate the failure rate of medical treatment and to identify variables associated with treatment failure in patients with tubal pregnancy and an initial serum level of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) over 10,000 IU/L. Methods: The inclusion criteria were tubal pregnancy diagnosed using ultrasonography, primary treatment of intramuscular methotrexate injection at one of the four institutions between January 2003 and December 2011, a serum HCG level within two days before treatment >10,000 IU/L, and follow-up data to determine treatment success or failure. Exclusion criteria were other primary treatments besides intramuscular methotrexate injection. The clinicopathologic data of 36 patients were collected and analyzed. Results: Medical treatment failed and surgery was performed in 19 (53%) patients. In univariable analysis, age, parity, and size of the gestational sac were associated with treatment failure, but none of the variables were associated with treatment failure in multivariable analysis. The failure rate in the subgroup with age<33 years and size of gestational sac ${\geq}1.1cm$ was significantly higher than those of the other subgroups (82% vs. 41% [mean of the other subgroups], respectively). Conclusion: Patients with a serum HCG level >10,000 IU/L who received medical treatment had a high failure rate. Among them, patients aged<33 year and with a gestational sac ${\geq}1.1cm$ had an extremely high failure rate.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.199-211
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• 2021

Equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG), produced by the endometrial cups of the placenta after the first trimester, is a specific glycoprotein that displays dual luteinizing hormone (LH)-like and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)-like effects in non-equid species. However, in equidaes, eCG exhibits only LH-like activity. To identify the specific biological functions of glycosylated sites in eCG, we constructed the following site mutants of N- and O-linked glycosylation: eCGβ/αΔ56, substitution of α-subunit⁵⁶ N-linked glycosylation site; eCGβ-D/α, deletion of the O-linked glycosylation sites at the β-subunit, and eCGβ-D/αΔ56, double mutant. We produced recombinant eCG (rec-eCG) proteins in Chinese hamster ovary suspension (CHO-S) cells. We examined the biological activity of rec-eCG proteins in CHO-K1 cells expressing the eLH/CG receptor and found that signal transduction activities of deglycosylated mutants remarkably decreased. The EC₅₀ levels of eCGβ/αΔ56, eCGβ-D/α, and eCGβ-D/αΔ56 mutants decreased by 2.1-, 5.6-, and 3.4-fold, respectively, compared to that of wild-type eCG. The Rmax values of the mutants were 56%-80% those of wild-type eCG (141.9 nmol/10⁴ cells). Our results indicate that the biological activity of eCG is greatly affected by the removal of N- and O-linked glycosylation sites in cells expressing eLH/CGR. These results provide important information on rec-eCG in the regulation of specific glycosylation sites and improve our understanding of the specific biological activity of rec-eCG glycosylation sites in equidaes.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.57-61
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• 2022

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate whether human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) therapy is beneficial for improving semen parameters and clinical hypogonadism symptoms in hypogonadic oligozoospermic or severe oligozoospermic men with low or borderline testosterone levels. Methods: A weekly dose of 250 ㎍ (equivalent to approximately 6,500 IU) of hCG was administered subcutaneously for 3-6 months to 56 hypogonadic oligozoospermic or severe oligozoospermic men. Semen, biochemical, and genetic analyses were performed before the start of treatment followed by analyzing semen parameters every 3 months after the start of therapy. We grouped participants into responders and non-responders depending on positive changes in semen parameters. Results: Out of 56 men, 47 (83.93%) responded, while 9 (16.07%) did not. Upon statistical analysis, it was found that age did not affect the overall outcomes (p=0.292); however, men with higher body mass index (BMI; 28.09±3.48 kg/m²) showed better outcomes than those with low BMI (25.33±3.06 kg/m²) (p=0.042). The duration of therapy (in months) was higher in non-responders than in responders (p=0.020). We found significant improvements in sperm concentration (p=0.006) and count (p=0.005) after 3 months of therapy. Sperm motility and progressive motility were also found to be higher in responders, but did not show statistically significant changes. Conclusion: We conclude that hCG therapy can be beneficial in men with hypogonadic oligozoospermia or severe oligozoospermia.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.51-58
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• 2023

The effective detection of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) is considerably important for the clinical diagnosis of both of early pregnancy and nonpregnancy-related diseases. In this work, a simple and sensitive electrochemical sandwich-type immunosensing platform was designed by synthesizing b-cyclodextrin (CD) functionalized graphene (CD/GN) hybrid as simultaneously sensing platform and signal transducer coupled with rhodamine b (RhB) as probe. In brief, GN offers large surface area and high conductivity, while CD exhibits superior host-guest recognition capability, thus the primary antibody (Ab1) of HCG can be bound into the cavities of CD/GN to form stable Ab1/CD/GN inclusion complex; meanwhile, the secondary antibody (Ab2) and RhB can also enter into the cavities, producing RhB/Ab2/CD/GN complex. Then, by using Ab1/CD/GN as sensing platform and RhB/Ab2/CD/GN as signal transducer (in which RhB was signal probe), a simple sandwich-type immunosensor was constructed. Under the optimum parameters, the designed immunosensor exhibited a considerable low analytical detection of 1.0 pg mL^-1 and a wide linearity of 0.002 to 10.0 ng mL^-1 for HCG, revealing the developed sandwich-type electrochemical immunosensing platform offered potential real applications for the determination of HCG.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.248-258
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• 2022

Objective: This research investigated the effects of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG)-producing peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) on the implantation rate and embryo attachment in mice. Methods: In this experimental study, a DNA fragment of the HCG gene was cloned into an expression vector, which was transfected into PBMCs. The concentration of the produced HCG was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Embryo attachment was investigated on the co-cultured endometrial cells and PBMCs in vitro. As an in vivo experiment, intrauterine administration of PBMCs was done in plaque-positive female mice. Studied mice were distributed into five groups: control, embryo implantation dysfunction (EID), EID with produced HCG, EID with PBMCs, and EID with HCG-producing PBMCs. Uterine horns were excised to characterize the number of implantation sites and pregnancy rate on day 7.5 post-coitum. During an implantation window, the mRNA expression of genes was evaluated using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: DNA fragments were cloned between the BamHI and EcoRI sites in the vector. About 465 pg/mL of HCG was produced in the transfected PBMCs. The attachment rate, pregnancy rate, and the number of implantation sites were substantially higher in the HCG-producing PBMCs group than in the other groups. Significantly elevated expression of the target genes was observed in the EID with HCG-producing PBMCs group. Conclusion: Alterations in gene expression following the intrauterine injection of HCG-producing PBMCs, could be considered a possible cause of increased embryo attachment rate, pregnancy rate, and the number of implantation sites.

• 대한생식의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2002.05a
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• pp.64-65
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• 2002

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.10
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• pp.1374-1377
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• 2004

The present study was conducted to explore the possibilities of estrus induction and superovulation in a native Indian breed of goats called 'Black Bengal'. Forty-two adult non-pregnant females were divided in two groups, of which 18 goats were subjected to a superovulatory treatment comprising of equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG), Prostaglandin (PGF2$\alpha$) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) to induce superovulation. The remaining 24 goats received no treatment and served as controls for the parameter under study as well as recipients for embryo transfer studies. The average duration of estrus was found to be significantly increased in treated goats (34.2${\pm}$3.4 h) compared to controls 3.0${\pm}$2.4 h). The average duration between PGF administration and occurrence of estrus was 2.0${\pm}$5.2 h. After mid ventral laparotomy, superovulatory responses indicated a significant increase in the number of follicles, which was 8.27${\pm}$0.37 in the treatment group compared to 4.16${\pm}$0.17 in the control group. The number of corpora lutea was also significantly increased in treated animals compared to control (2.90${\pm}$0.86 vs. 0.74${\pm}$0.04) respectively per ovary per goat.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.215-217
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• 2011

This is about the successful use of eCG and hCG for producing a Siberian tiger pup born from 10-year-old, primiparous, albino Siberian tiger. From February 2010 to July 2010, natural breeding had been tried three times with no conception. During this period of five months, estrus behaviors appeared to be typically normal and a lot of matings were observed. After consecutive failures, 1000 IU eCG (equine chorionic gonadotropin) were intramuscularly injected on the day showing estrus behavior, followed with an injection of 750 IU hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) 80 hours later. The tiger stopped recurrence of estrus, and a cub, weighed 780 gram, was born alive 104 days after hCG injection. This study is the first report showing the unique, successful use of exogenous hormones as one of artificial breeding programs in the long history of captive breeding of carnivorous zoo animals in Korea.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.149-156
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• 1993

Human chorionic gonadotropin(hCG) and intravenous immunoglobulin(IVIG) treatment were attempted as a novel therapeutic approach for unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion(RSA). Forty-four and 3 women with a history of RSA were treated with hCG and IVIG, respectively, during pregnancy. Of these patients, serum blocking factor assay was performed before and after each treatment, in 15 patients; 12 cases with hCG and 3 cases with IVIG. The results were as follows: 1. Of 44 women who receive hCG during pregnancy, 24 delivered healthy infants at term, 10 patients suffered repeat abortion, and 10 women are still pregnant under 28 weeks. Over all success rate of hCG treatment was 70.6% (24/34). Although there is no statistical significance, absolute serm blocking level was decreased after treatment(N=12). 2. Of 3 women who receive IVIG during pregnancy, all 3 women are still pregnant under 28 weeks. Serum blocking level was increased after treatment, however, this increment was not statistically significant. Although no conclusion could be extracted from the patients who received IVIG, the therapeutic effect of hCG is comparable to that of the other therapeutic regimens, such as allogeneic leukocytes. It was postulated that actual etiology of unknown RSA would be classified as hormonal origin although combined etiologies are common in Korean women.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.169-174
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• 2021

Mutations in the luteinizing hormone/chorionic gonadotropin receptors (LH/CGRs), representatives of the G protein-coupled receptor family, have been rapidly identified over the last 20 years. This review aims to compare and analyze the data reported the activating and inactivating mutations of the LH/CGRs between human, rat, equine and fish, specifically (Japanese eel Anguilla japonica). Insights obtained through detailed study of these naturally-occurring mutations provide a further update of structure-function relationship of these receptors. Specifically, we present a variety of data on eel LH/CGR. These results provide important information about LH/CGR function in fish and the regulation of mutations of the highly conserved amino acids in glycoprotein hormone receptors.