• BMB Reports
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.114-117
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• 2001

Cervi Parvum Cornu is widely used as a hemopoietic, tonifying, growth-promoting, cardiotonic, and immuno-modulating agent in Korea. In order to develop the quality control method of Cervi Parvum Cornu by the identification of the biological source or origin, the molecular approach was applied using PCR (polymerase chain reaction) and PCR-RFLF (PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism) analysis. In the PCR analysis of the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene and cytochrome b gene regions, no distinctive DNA bands from Cervidae (deer) antlers and Rangifer (reindeer) antlers were observed. However, when the amplified products in the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene region were subjected to restriction digestion with TaqI, Cervidae antlers showed an undigested state of 380 by band, differently from two bands of 230 by and 1S0 by from Rangifer antlers. Based on this finding, the base sequences of amplified PCR products in the range of mitochondria) cytochrome b gene from Cervidae antlers and Rangifer antlers were determined and subjected to restriction analysis by various endonucleases. The results showed that antlers from Rangifer species could be simply discriminated with other antlers from 8 Cervidae species (Chinese deer, Russian deer, Hong Kong deer, New Zealand deer, Kazakhstan deer, elk, red deer and Sika deer) by PCR-RFLP analysis using AtuI, HaeIII, HpaII or Sau3AI(MboI) as well as TaqI in the range of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.243-250
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• 2012

The ash content, mineral composition, total phenolics, antioxidant capacity, and neuroprotective effect of the antlers of deer fed with herb-incorporated feedstuff (HFS) or normal feedstuff (NFS) were comparatively evaluated. The contents of ash and mineral of the antler of deer fed with HFS were significantly lower than its counterpart. The ash and mineral contents of deer antlers decreased generally from the upper section toward the tip section. The ratios of Ca/ash, Ca/P, and Ca/Fe of antler of deer fed with HFS were lower than those of antler of deer fed with NFS. Antlers of deer fed with HFS had higher total phenolics, nitrite scavenging capacity, and antioxidant capacity than those of deer fed with NFS. Antlers of deer fed with HFS or NFS showed in vitro neuronal protection of PC-12 cells against oxidative stress in a dose-dependent manner, where antler of deer fed with HFS generally had higher cellular viability than NFS. These results above suggest that the incorporation of the medicinal herbal complex into feedstuff may improve the biological effects of deer antlers.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.12
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• pp.1859-1866
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• 2010

It is reported that about 80% of deer antlers (Cervi Pantotricuhum Cornu) produced in the world are consumed in Korea. Fraudulent replacement or mislabeling of costly deer antlers with cheaper ones, however, is one of the most common problems in the Korean deer antler market. Therefore, there is a continuous need for the development of genetic markers to discriminate between genuine and fraudulent deer antlers. This study was performed to develop a method for the identification and authentication of deer antlers using nucleotide sequence analysis against displacement loop of mitochondrial genome among four deer antlers, Cervus eleaphus sibericus, Cervus eleaphus bactrianus, Cervus eleaphus Canadensis, and Cervus eleaphus, originated from Russia, China, North America and New Zealand, respectively. As a result, multiple-alignment of mitochondrial displacement (D) loop region in 1.2 kb showed that, among the four deer antlers, a deleted sequence of about 70 bps was only found in Cervus elaphus bactrianus from China. Finally, Cervus elaphus bactrianus among nine samples of deer antlers were successfully identified by PCR using primer amplifying deleted D-loop. Cervus elaphus bactrianus was also confirmed from cloning the PCR products and their nucleotide sequence analyses were confirmed. However, no marker to identify Cervus eleaphus sibericus, Cervus eleaphus canadensis and Cervus eleaphus were found in the nucleotide sequences of mitochondrial D-loop. Our results suggest that PCR for deleted D-loop region of mitochondrial DNA are useful for identification and authentication of deer antlers of Cervus elaphus bactrianus originating from China.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.35 no.1 s.136
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• pp.6-15
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• 2004

This study was performed to evaluate the hemopoietic effects of 6 species of deer antlers from origins and parts in vitro. CD34 positive cells were isolated and confirmed the its population by FACS analysis. In a week liquid culture, there was any statistical significance between extracts of three parts of six species of deer antlers in the experiments as colony forming assay, proliferation assay, differentiation assay and observation of morphology. However, after 2 weeks- culture with extracts of three parts of six species of deer antlers, colonies were counted. six species of deer antlers, such as middle part of Korean nippon deer, upper part of Chinese nippon deer, upper part of Newzealand horse deer, middle part of Korea horse deer and middle part of Newzealand red deer, significantly increased the CFU-GM (colony forming unit garnulocyte-macrophage) of CD34 positive cells re1atεd to production of leucocytes such as eosinophil, basophil and neutrophil, while only middle part of Korea horse deer significantly increased the BFU-E (burst forming unit-erythroid) at 1 mg/ml seggesting progenting red blood cells (RBC). In the molecular study with CD34+ cells pretreated with cyclophosphamide, antagonist of hemopoietic activity, upper Part of Korean nippon deer and upper part of Chinese nippon deer effectively increased TPO involved in a late pathway of hematopoiesis just like in ELISA assay of IL-3, TPO and GM-CSF. Taken together, these results indicate exσacts of deer antler had some hemopoietic activity still proposing more clinical study and more basic mechanism research.

• Journal of Evidence-Based Herbal Medicine
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.7-12
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• 2009

Velvet antlers from Cervus elaphus species are one of most famous, expensive and commonly used medicinal materials in traditional oriental medicine. Some distributor had illegal practice of disguising the origin of antlers in Korea market. Therefore, a test to distinguish antler essential to ensure the healthy development of the herbal industry. In this study, the variation in DNA sequences of the mitochondrial ATPase8 and cytochrome-coxidaseI (COI) genes of Cervus elaphus from China, the Republic of Altai, and Canada were evaluated. In addition, the sequence variation among, Rein deer and Cervus elaphus species was also evaluated. Although the sequences of deer from the Republic of Altai and Canada were very similar, polymorphisms that were conserved in each species were observed in the ATPase8 and COI genes. Therefore, these polymorphic markers could be used to distinguish Cervus elaphus antlers from different locations.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2002

Antlers from deer species are alternative animal by-products. Due to the oriental trade, the velvet antler industry is rapidly emerging in North America. The unique biological property of antler wish a deciduous natural phenomenon offers the valuable model of biomedical research. Growing antlers showed different structures according to cell populations consisting of mesenchymes, chondroblasts, chondrocytes and osseous tissues from distal to proximal portions of main beam. Their structures were different from two tissues, cartilage and bone, in growing antlers. Zone of maturing ants calcifying chondrocytes referred as upper section was invaded by osteoblasts indicating the occurrence of endochondral ossification. The cartilaginous tissues were gradually replaced by osseous tissues downward. The bony tissues referred as the middle and base sections in this thesis contained spongy bone and cortical bone structure in the difference of the degree of mineralization antral the thickness of cortical bony in adjacent to outer velvet layer. In addition, the endocrinological regulators such as testosterone, prolactin, growth hormones and other growth factors are actively involved in the unique deciduous nature shown in the growth and development of antler.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.276-282
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• 2008

It is estimated that over 80% of deer antlers produced in the world are consumed in Korea. However, mislabeling or fraudulent replacement of costly antlers with cheaper ones is one of the most common problems in the domestic antler market. Therefore, there is a great need for the development of technology to identify species of antlers. This study was carried out to develop an accurate and reliable method for the identification and authentication of species or subspecies of antlers using DNA sequence analysis and comparison of mitochondrial cytochrome band D-loop region genes among antlers of five deer species, Cervus elaphus sibericus, Cervus elaphus canadensis, Cervus nippon, Cervus elaphus bactrianus and Rangifer tarandus. A variable region of cytochrome band D-loop genes was amplified using PCR with specifically designed primers and sequenced directly. The cytochrome band D-loop region genes showed different DNA sequences between the species of antlers and thus it is possible to differentiate between species on the basis of sequence variation. To distinguish between reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) antlers and other deer antlers, PCR amplicons of the cytochrome b gene were digested with the restriction enzymes NlaIV and TaqI, respectively, which generates a species-specific DNA profile of the reindeer. In addition, samples of 32 sliced antlers labeled Cervus elaphus sibericus from commercial markets were collected randomly and the mt DNA D-loop region of these antler samples was sequenced. Among the antler samples investigated, only 62.5% were from Cervus elaphus sibericus, and others were from Cervus elaphus bactrianus (25.0%), elk (Cervus elaphus canadensis) and reindeer (Rangifer tarandus). Our results suggest that DNA sequencing of mt DNA and PCR-RFLP methods using NlaIV and TaqI enzymes are useful for the identification and discrimination of deer antler species by routine analysis.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.542-551
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• 2017

The quality characteristics of velvet antlers obtained from Formosan sambar deer (Cervus unicolor Swinhoi) (SDVA), harvested from 63 to 81 d during the velvet antler growth period, were evaluated by investigating the relationships between antioxidant levels; including content, activity, and content/activity ratios, and physical properties; including shear force values, color, and Ca content. The hardness of samples from base velvet antler sections increased, and that the color of these samples tended to become reddish-yellow (redder and more yellow), suggesting that the Ca content in the base section of the sample was not ossified yet. Samples from the upper sections of velvet antler showed higher superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) content (3.91 to 1.50 mg/mL, 2.53 to 0.90 mg/mL, and 3.95 to 1.58 mg/mL, respectively) than did samples from the middle and base sections (p<0.05). The activity and content/activity ratios of GPX measured in the upper section were also found to be significantly greater than in the middle and base sections (p<0.05). We further observed that the content and activity of GPX was significantly and negatively correlated with Ca content, shear force values, and the content/activity ratio of this antioxidant (p<0.01). The study findings may serve as a reference index for quality evaluations of velvet antlers of Formosan sambar deer in future.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.8
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• pp.1367-1376
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• 2024

Objective: Parathyroid hormone like hormone (PTHLH), as an essential factor for bone growth, is involved in a variety of physiological processes. The aim of this study was to explore the role of PTHLH gene in the growth of antlers. Methods: The coding sequence (CDS) of PTHLH gene cDNA was obtained by cloning in sika deer (Cervus nippon), and the bioinformatics was analyzed. The quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to analyze the differences expression of PTHLH mRNA in different tissues of the antler tip at different growth periods (early period, EP; middle period, MP; late period, LP). Results: The CDS of PTHLH gene was 534 bp in length and encoded 177 amino acids. Predictive analysis results revealed that the PTHLH protein was a hydrophilic protein without transmembrane structure, with its secondary structure consisting mainly of random coil. The PTHLH protein of sika deer had the identity of 98.31%, 96.82%, 96.05%, and 94.92% with Cervus canadensis, Bos mutus, Oryx dammah and Budorcas taxicolor, which were highly conserved among the artiodactyls. The qRT-PCR results showed that PTHLH mRNA had a unique spatio-temporal expression pattern in antlers. In the dermis, precartilage, and cartilage tissues, the expression of PTHLH mRNA was extremely significantly higher in MP than in EP, LP (p<0.01). In the mesenchyme tissue, the expression of PTHLH mRNA in MP was significantly higher than that of EP (p<0.05), but extremely significantly lower than that of LP (p<0.01). The expression of PTHLH mRNA in antler tip tissues at all growth periods had approximately the same trend, that is, from distal to basal, it was first downregulated from the dermis to the mesenchyme and then continuously up-regulated to the cartilage tissue. Conclusion: PTHLH gene may promote the rapid growth of antler mainly through its extensive regulatory effect on the antler tip tissue.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.277-290
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• 2008

The process of wound repair involves an ordered sequence of events such as overlapping biochemical and cellular events that, in the best of circumstances, result in the restoration of both the structural and functional integrity of the damaged tissue. An important event during wound healing is the contraction of newly formed connective tissues by fibroblasts. The polypeptide growth factors, like transforming growth factor-${\beta}$(TGF-${\beta}$, insulin-like growth factor I (IGF- I) and epidermal growth factor (EGF), play very important mediator roles in the process of wound contraction. Deer antlers, as models of mammalian regeneration, are cranial appendages that develop after birth as extensions of a permanent protuberance (pedicle) on the frontal bone. Antlers contain various growth factors which stimulate dermal fibroblast growth. They are involved in digestion and respiration and are necessary for normal wound healing and skin health. In order to investigate and evaluate the effects of red deer antlers on skin wound site, the speed of full-thickness skin wound healing and the expression of IGF-I, TGF-${\beta}$ and EGF in skin wounds, three groups of skin full-thickness rat models with a high concentration of antler ointment, a low concentration of antler ointment and without antler ointment were compared. At post-injury days 0, 2, 4, 8, 16, 20, 32, 40 and 60, the skin wound area was measured, the expressions of IGF-I, TGF- ${\beta}$ and EGF mRNA were detected by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and collagen formation by sirius red dye and the localization of IGF-I, TGF-${\beta}$ and EGF peptides were inspected by histological immunohistochemical techniques. Wound healing was significantly more rapid in antler treated skins. In addition, the wound treated with a high concentration antler ointment, a low concentration antler ointment, and the control closed completely at post-injury day 40, day 44 and day 60, respectively. Via RT-PCR, the expressions of IGF-I (day 8 and day 16), TGF-${\beta}$(day 8, day 16 and day 20) and EGF (day 4, day 8, day 16, and day 32) were obviously up-regulated in high concentration antler-treated skins compared to control skins. Similar results could be seen in the histological detection of collagen dye and immunohistochemical methods using the corresponding polyclone antibodies of IGF-I, TGF-${\beta}$ and EGF. These results illustrate that antlers stimulate and accelerate the repair of cutaneous wounds.