• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.308-312
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• 2003

Various pesticides known or suspected to interfere with steroid hormone function were screened toy effects in leydig cells on catalytic activity and mRNA expression of aromatase. Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) is a widespread environmental pollutant. In this study, we investigated the effect of DDT on testosterone production through aromatase activity and its molecular mechanism in testicular leydig cell, R2C by using radioimmunoassay (RIA). As the results, the potent leydig: cell activator LH increased testosterone production compared to the control. DDT exposure significantly decreased testosterone production in R2C cell. In addition, DDT was found to increase aromatase gene expression and activity in R2C cell in a dose dependent manner. In order to assess whether the suppressive effects of DDT on LH-inducible testosterone (T) production might be influenced by the ER, ICI 182.780 was used, and it was found that these inhibitory effects of DDT were antagonized by ICI 182.780, implying that the estrogen receptor (ER) mediates the suppressive effects of DDT. Furthermore, the inducible effects of DDT on aromatase gene expression might be influenced by the ER, ICI 182.780 was used, and it was found that these enhancing effects of DDT were antagonized by ICI 182.780, implying that the ER mediates the inducible effects of DDT. Our results indicated that DDT inhibition of luteinizing hormone (LH) -inducible T production in R2C cell is mediated through aromatase. However, the precise mechanisms by which DDT enhance in R2C cell remains unknown. The current study suggests the possibility that DDT might act as a modulator aromatase gene transcription.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.145-153
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• 2021

The role of transient receptor potential vanilloid receptor-1 (TRPV1) has been primarily investigated in pain sensory neurons. Relatively, little research has been performed in testicular cells. TRPV1 is abundantly expressed in Leydig cells of young adult mice. This study was conducted to determine the role of the TRPV1 channel in Leydig cells. TRPV1 modulators and testosterone were treated to the mouse Leydig cell line TM3 cells for 24 h. Capsaicin, a TRPV1 activator, dose-dependently induced cell death, whereas capsazepine, a TRPV1 inhibitor, inhibited capsaicin-induced cell death. Testosterone treatment reduced capsaicin-induced cell death. High concentrations of testosterone decreased TRPV1 mRNA and protein expression levels. However, TRPV1 modulators did not affect testosterone production. These results showed that capsaicin induced cell death of Leydig cells and that testosterone reduced capsaicin-induced cell death. Our findings suggest that testosterone may regulate the survival of Leydig cells in young adult mice by decreasing the expression level of TRPV1.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.161-166
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• 2004

The influence of TBTO (Tributyltin-Oxide) at a series of concentrations (0.52, 1.41 and 3.05 $\mu$g/L) for a period of 3 weeks on estradiol-17$\beta$, testosterone and cortisol levels in male Korean rockfish, Sebastes schlegeli was investigated. Compared to the stable concentration of estradiol-17$\beta$, plasma testosterone level was decreased significantly at the 3rd week after TBTO exposure in plasma of fish (＞1.41 $\mu$g/L). The most profound physiological variation in TBTO exposed fish was a dramatic increase in plasma cortisol level at 3rd week. Conclusively, TBTO exposure caused increase level of cortisol as well as alteration of testosterone in the Korean rockfish. These results suggest that TBTO at environmentally relevant (nanomolar) concentrations disrupt endocrine secretions.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.21 no.2 s.60
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• pp.30-35
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• 2006

The purpose of this study finds out the effect of red ginseng extract (1.0g/kg) on TBTO (10, 20, and 40mg/kg) which poisons against some organs like thyroids gland, liver, kidney, testis, ovary, sex hormone activity of rats are examined by gastric tubing for 3 weeks. The weight of each organ in treated group were increased, especially liver in female and those of testis in males were significantly increased at 10, 20 and 40mg/kg (P<0.05, P<0.01). In case of sex hormone activity of each sex, the estradiol activity of female and testosterone activity of males were significantly decreased rather than the control group (P<0.05, P<0.01) According to between the TBTO treated group and 10+ rGe group of the testosterone activity each sex were significantly increased (P<0.01).

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.17-24
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• 1995

The effects of orchildectomy with/without testosterone replacement in wale rats, and ovarectomy with estrogen replacement in female rats on lipid peroxidation were studied in male and female rats fed with diets fortified with 20% w/w, soybean oil or palm oil for 4 months. Serum, liver and heart homogenates were assayed for malonaldehyde and conjugated diene levels. Orchidectomy was found to reduce levels of lipid peroxidation products in the serum, liver and heart. Testosterone replacement did not increase the lipid peroxidation products to levels in the non-orchildectomised rats, while estrogen did not influence lipid peroxidation significantly. Palm oil decreased, but soybean oil increased lipid peroxidation in the liver and heart of both the castrated and sex hormone-replaced male and female rats.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.230-234
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• 2008

Epidemiological studies demonstrate an adverse effect of several environmental and occupational exposures on male sex hormone. Bisphenol A (BPA) is a weak estrogen and a widely used industrial chemical. Epoxy resin painters may be continuously exposed to BPA at high concentrations. The effect of occupational exposure of BPA on male reproduction was examined by measuring the urinary BPA, testosterone and gonadotropic hormones of epoxy resin painters in the shipyard. The painters had significantly higher concentrations of urinary BPA (2.61${\pm}$1.08 ${\mu}g$/g creatinine) than controls (1.38${\pm}$0.5 9 ${\mu}g$/g creatinine). In serum, the testosterone level of painters was significantly decreased but the luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels of painters were significantly higher than controls. Occupational exposure to BPA influences testosterone and gonadotropic hormones in male workers.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.550-558
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• 2004

The effects of postnatal exposure to octylphenol(OP) on the expressions of the steroidogenic enzymes and testosterone production were evaluated. Postnatal male mice (15-day-old) were injected with 2 or 20mg $kg^{-l}$ body weight (BW) of OP for 5 days and sacrificed on postnatal day 21. Testosterone concentration was measured by radioimmunoassay and the expressions of the testicular genes were determined by RT-PCR analyses. Significant reductions in the mean body and testis weight were observed in the OP treated animals. No marked alteration in the histological structure of the testis were observed, however, slight reduction in the seminiferous tubule diameter and the number of Leydig cells and several pyknotic cells could be identified in the 20 mg $kg^{-l}$ BW of the OP treated animals. Serum testosterone concentration was dramatically reduced and the mRNA expressions of the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme (P450scc) and $17\beta$-hydroxylase/Cl7-20 lyase $(P450_{17\alpha})$ were decreased. No significant changes of the gene expressions of the steroidogenic factor-l (SF-I) and estrogen and androgen receptor after the OP treatment showed that the decreased expressions of the steroidogenic enzymes in the present study did not correlate with these genes. Altogether, the present study demonstrates that postnatal treatment of OP inhibits steroidogenesis by decreasing the transcriptional expressions of the StAR and steroidogenic enzymes. The alteration in steroidogenesis may adversely affect the normal development of the testis and sper- matogenesis.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.58 no.3
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• pp.181-189
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• 2014

The aim of this was to evaluate the effects of Rhus Verniciflua Stoke (RVS) extract powder on the endurance capacity for the forced swimming mice. Thirty mice were divided into 3 groups including negative control, 250 (RVS-250) and 500 (RVS-500) mg/kg RVS extract powder groups for 4-times swimming exercises. The swimming times to exhaustion in RVS-250 and RVS-500 mice were prolonged 1.6- and 2.0-fold at 4 weeks compared with negative control mice, respectively. Blood biochemical parameters for AST, ALT, T-CHO and TG were not significantly different between RVS fed or negative control mice. However, blood concentration of creatinine was significantly increased in RVS-250 mice, but not in RVS-500 mice. During the longer swimming exercise in RVS group, blood glucose and lactate levels were significantly decreased, but free fatty acid not changed. And also LDH levels were significantly decreased in RVS groups compared to negative control mice. Hepatic lipid peroxidation was not affected by RVS, but SOD and catalase activity were significantly increased in RVS groups. Interestingly, the levels of testosterone and free testosterone were significantly increased in RVS groups before swimming exercise, but they were not significantly changed among groups after swimming exercise. The present results suggest that RVS extract powders may enhance swimming exercise performance by recovering the exercise-fatigue via reduction of blood LDH activity and by burning blood glucose as an energy source. These results imply that RVS-produced testosterone may act as an energy buster to enhance physical activity.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.200-207
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• 2019

Albizzia julibrissin (AJ) is an herbal medicine that shows low toxicity, promotes promoting blood circulation and mitigates the inflammation and has mild side effects. Benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) is one of the most common diseases that occurs in older males and often results in lower urinary tract symptoms. This study was conducted to evaluate the protective effect of AJ against BPH using LNCaP cells and Sprague Dawley rats treated with testosterone. Treatment with AJ extract reduced the expression of androgen receptor (AR) and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in vitro. In vivo, rats were divided into 6 groups: 1 (Normal Control); 2 (Testosterone propionate (TP) alone); 3 (TP + finasteride); 4 (TP + AJ 10 mg/kg); 5 (TP + AJ 50 mg/kg); 6 (TP + AJ 300 mg/kg). The groups treated with AJ showed reduced the relative prostate weights and BPH-related proteins were altered, with decreased AR, PSA and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) observed by western blot. Histopathological analysis revealed the therapeutic effect of AJ, with a decreased thickness of epithelial cells and reduced level of PCNA and $5{\alpha}$-reductase type 2. These results suggest that AJ extract could ameliorate testosterone-induced benign prostatic hyperplasia.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.483-490
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• 1999

Objectives: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has the feature of excessive LH, hyperandrogenism and disturbance of folliculogenesis. Also, insulin, IGF-I and IGFBP-l are involved in the pathogenesis of PCOS. Various surgical and medical therapies have been used and the action mechanisms are related to the endocrine effect. Laparoscopic ovarian electrocautery or laser vaporization is effective in the restoration of ovulation and normal menstrual cycle with minimal invasive procedure especially in the patients resistant to medical therapy. Clomiphen citrate (CC) is used for the ovulation induction in pcas and the resistance is known to be related to insulin, IGF-I, IGFBP-l levels. This study was performed to evaluate the effect of the laparoscopic laser vaporization on the levels of LH, FSH, testosterone, IGF-I and IGFBP-l and on the ovarian response to clomiphen citrate in patients with CC-resistant PCOS. Materials and Methods: The fasting basal serum LH, FSH, testosterone, IGF-I and IGFBP-l level were measured in 10 PCOS patients with CC-resistance and 7 normal controls with regular menstrual cycle. In PCOS, after laparoscopic $CO_2$ laser vaporization, endocrine levels were measured in 1 week interval for 4 weeks and then compared with preoperative levels. Results: In PCOS group, mean serum LH/FSH ratio, testosterone, IGF-I levels were higher and IGFBP-l level was lower than control. LH/FSH ratio decreased from $2.51{\pm}0.67$ to $1.7{\pm}0.6$ (p<0.05) in 2 weeks, to $0.56{\pm}0.2$ (p<0.01) in 3 weeks and to $1.41{\pm}0.3$ (p<0.01) in 4 weeks after operation. Testosterone level decreased from $1.51{\pm}0.82ng/ml$ to $0.65{\pm}0.34ng/ml$ (p<0.05) in 2 weeks, to $0.56{\pm}0.67ng/ml $(p<0.01) in 3 weeks after operation. IGF-I level also decreased from $436{\pm}47.5{\mu}g/l$ to $187{\pm}38{\mu}g/l$ (p<0.0l) in 1 week, to $167{\pm}42{\mu}g/l$ (p<0.01) in 2 weeks, $179{\pm}55{\mu}g/l$ (p<0.01) in 3 weeks and to $120{\pm}43{\mu}g/l$ (p<0.01) in 4 weeks after operation. IGFBP-l level showed no significant change. In 8 of 10 PCOS patients, ovulation was induced with low dose clomiphen citrate. Conclusion: Laparoscopic $CO_2$ laser vaporization restores normal menstrual cycle and ovulation through endocrine effect of decreasing LH/FSH ratio, testosterone and IGF-I level and increases the response to CC. Therefore it is useful for restoration of normal menstruation and induction of ovulation in CC resistant PCOS patients.