• BMB Reports
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.448-452
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• 1997

Polyclonal antibody of the boar sperminogen was used to characterize the boar sperm proteinase sperminogen. Boar sperminogen was purified from the acid extracts of the washed epididymal spermatozoa by gel filtration through a Sephadex G-100 column. followed by preparative SDS-PAGE. The sperminogen band was sliced out and was eluted from the gel matrix. The purified sperminogen was used to produce the polyclonal antibody of the boar sperminogen. When characterized on a Western blot, the final preparation of sperminogen appeared as a homogenous protein with a molecular weight of 32 kDa. The relative migration of sperminogen was distinctly different from the major components of the proacrosin-acrosin system as well as all the observable proacrosin activation by-products detected on the Western blot. The sperminogen antibody, however. cross-reacted with the proacrosin-acrosin system.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.304-310
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• 2007

Monocrotophos was administered orally to adult male albino mice at dose level of 3.0 mg/kg body weight/day/mice for 50 days. The treatment has found to affect spermatogenesis as well as the endocrine functions of the testis as indicated by gravimetric, histopathological and biochemical changes. The treatment has caused degenerative changes in the seminiferous tubules and Leydig cells of the testis and regression of the epididymis, seminal vesicle, vas deferens, prostate, Cowper's gland and levator ani. Similarly, cauda epididymal sperm count and sperm motility have shown significant reduction. There was a significant reduction in the protein, glycogen, sialic acid, acid and alkaline phosphatase and increase in cholesterol in the testis of monocrotophos treated mice compared with the control. The causative factors for these changes due to monocrotophos administration were discussed.

• BMB Reports
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.510-513
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• 2000

Boar sperminogen was purified from the acid extracts of the washed epididymal spermatozoa by gel filtration through a Sephadex G-100 column, followed by preparative SDS-PAGE. The 32 kDa sperminogen band was sliced out from the preparative SDS-PAGE and 32 kDa sperminogen was eluted from the gel matrix. The purified 32 kDa sperminogen was subjected to amino acid composition analysis. The amino acid composition of the 32 kDa boar sperminogen showed significant differences from that of either boar proacrosin or ${\beta}-acrosin$, which signifies that 32 kDa sperminogen might not be a breakdown product of proacrosin-acrosin system and that the 32 kDa sperminogen is a different protein from proacrosin-acrosin system.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 1978.09a
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• pp.75-77
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• 1978

It was found that water extract of Panax ginseng strongly inhibited adrenaline-induced lipolysis in isolated fat cells of rat epididymal adipose tissue. An antilipolytic action of the water extract was easily inactivated by treatment with pronase, suggesting that the active principle might be a protein or a peptide. Experiments were designed to purify the antilipolytic substance, or insulin-like substance, of the water extract. The water extract was dialyzed against disti'led water. The outer dialysate was subjected to DEAE-cellulose column chromatography, gelfuaration on sephadex G-50 column, avicel cellulose column chromatography and phospho-cellulose column chromatography, successively. The finally purified substance gave one spot on thin layer chromatography. The molecular weight was found to be around 1000. Experiments are now in progress to elucidate the structure of this insulin-like peptide.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.181-189
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• 2008

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of $Ca^{2+}$, $HCO_3{^-}$ and BSA on the in vitro capacitation-associated protein tyrosine phosphorylation, hyperactivation and acrosome reaction in guinea pig sperm. Caudal epididymal sperm were incubated in four different groups: modified TALP (Tyrode's albumin lactate pyruvate) or TALP without one of the medium constituents ($Ca^{2+}$, $HCO_3{^-}$ and BSA). After incubation for the required time (0 h, 0.5 h, 1 h, 3 h, 5 h, and 7 h), sperm were removed for further experiment. The capacitation effect was assessed by CTC (Chlortetracycline) staining. Western blotting and indirect immunofluorescence were used to analyze the level and localization of tyrosine phosphorylation. The results showed that guinea pig sperm underwent a time-dependent increase in protein tyrosine phosphorylation during the in vitro capacitation and the percentage of protein tyrosine phosphorylated sperm increased from 36% to 92% from the beginning of incubation to 7 h incubation. Also, there was a shift in the site of phosphotyrosine-specific fluorescence from the head of sperm to both the head and the flagellum. Moreover, an absence of $Ca^{2+}$ or $HCO_3{^-}$ inhibited in vitro hyperactivation and acrosome reaction and decreased the phosphorylation of the proteins throughout the period of in vitro capacitation. However, an absence of BSA could not influence these processes if substituted by polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) in the medium.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.223-227
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• 2012

This study examined the effects of corn gluten (CG), wheat gluten (WG), and soybean protein isolate (SPI), as well as their hydrolysates, on weight reduction in rats fed a high-fat diet. Eight-month-old male Sprague-Dawley rats (n=70) were fed a high-fat diet (40% of the calories were fat) for 4 weeks. Rats were then randomly divided into seven groups and were fed isocaloric diets with different protein sources for 8 weeks. The protein sources were casein (control group), intact CG (CG group), CG hydrolysate (CGH group), intact WG (WG group), WG hydrolysate (WGH group), intact SPI (SPI group), and SPI hydrolysate (SPIH group). Body weight gain, adipose tissue weights, lipid profiles in plasma and liver; and hepatic activities of carnitine palmitoyl transferase, fatty acid synthase (FAS), malic enzyme, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase were assessed. The CGH group showed significant weight reduction compared with the other groups. Epididymal fat pad and plasma triglycerides in the CGH group were the lowest and were significantly different than those in the control group. FAS activity in the CGH group was significantly lower than that in the other groups. In conclusion, the CGH diet of these experimental animals demonstrated a weight-reducing effect by lowering the adipose tissue weight and by affecting the activities of hepatic lipogenic enzymes.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.46-61
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• 2024

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: An increasing life expectancy in society has burdened healthcare systems substantially because of the rising prevalence of age-related metabolic diseases. This study compared the effects of animal protein hydrolysate (APH) and casein on metabolic diseases using aged mice. MATERIALS/METHODS: Eight-week-old and 50-week-old C57BL/6J mice were used as the non-aged (YC group) and aged controls (NC group), respectively. The aged mice were divided randomly into 3 groups (NC, low-APH [LP], and high-APH [HP] and fed each experimental diet for 12 weeks. In the LP and HP groups, casein in the AIN-93G diet was substituted with 16 kcal% and 24 kcal% APH, respectively. The mice were sacrificed when they were 63-week-old, and plasma and hepatic lipid, white adipose tissue weight, hepatic glucose, lipid, and antioxidant enzyme activities, immunohistochemistry staining, and mRNA expression related to the glucose metabolism on liver and muscle were analyzed. RESULTS: Supplementation of APH in aging mice resulted in a significant decrease in visceral fat (epididymal, perirenal, retroperitoneal, and mesenteric fat) compared to the negative control (NC) group. The intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test and area under the curve analysis revealed insulin resistance in the NC group, which was alleviated by APH supplementation. APH supplementation reduced hepatic gluconeogenesis and increased glucose utilization in the liver and muscle. Furthermore, APH supplementation improved hepatic steatosis by reducing the hepatic fatty acid and phosphatidate phosphatase activity while increasing the hepatic carnitine palmitoyltransferase activity. Furthermore, in the APH supplementation groups, the red blood cell (RBC) thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and hepatic H₂O₂ levels decreased, and the RBC glutathione, hepatic catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activities increased. CONCLUSIONS: APH supplementation reduced visceral fat accumulation and alleviated obesity-related metabolic diseases, including insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis, in aged mice. Therefore, high-quality animal protein APH that reduces the molecular weight and enhances the protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score has potential as a dietary supplement for healthy aging.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.11-27
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• 2014

Objectives This study was designed to evaluate the effects of Ephedra Sinica and Fibrosum Gypsum extract on obesity by using 3T3-L1 cells and high fat diet rats. Methods In vitro, Ephedra Sinica and Fibrosum Gypsum extract (50, 100, 200, $500{\mu}g/ml$) were added in 3T3-L1 cells. Cytotoxicity was measured by MTT assasy. Adipocyte differentiation was measured by Oil Red O staining, GPDH activity and $C/EBP{\alpha}$ protein expression. In vivo, Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 5 groups : Normal diet group (Normal group), taken high fat diet and no treatment group (Control group), taken high fat diet and orally administered Ephedra Sinica and Fibrosum Gypsum extract daily (Group I: 50 mg/kg, Group II: 100 mg/kg, Group III : 200 mg/kg, oral). For 6 weeks of administration, body weight and the amount of food intake were measured once a week. After administration, blood analysis (AST, ALT, T-Bilirubin, BUN, RBC, Hb, HCT), serum lipid level (triglyceride, Total cholesterol, HDL, LDL), serum leptin level, epididymal adipose tissue weight and histological finding of liver were estimated. Results In vitro, The cytotoxicity was not significant. 3T3-L1 cell's differentiation was significantly decreased in Oil Red O staining, GPDH activity and $C/EBP{\alpha}$ protein expression. In vivo, Body weight and the amount of food intake, AST, ALT, Total cholesterol, TG, LDL, serum leptin, epididymal adipose tissue weight showed significant decrease in group I, group II and group III. There were no significant difference in T-bilirubin, BUN, RBC, Hb and HCT between all groups. HDL showed significant increase in group I, group II and group III. In histological finding of liver tissue, there were decreased adiposity and cytopathic effect in group I, group II and group III. Conclusions It is suggested that Ephedra Sinica and Fibrosum Gypsum extract can be used in the treatment of obesity.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.286-292
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• 2009

In this study, we investigated the anti-obese activity of HPJ extract in C57BL/6J mice. The C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into five groups: normal control group (Con), high fat diet control group (HFD), treatment groups with HPJ at 125 mg/kg (HPJ125), 250 mg/kg (HPJ250), or 500 mg/kg (HPJ500). To induce an obesity, mice were fed by a high fat diet for 6 weeks, and mice were administered with HPJ extract once a day for 8 weeks. At the end of treatment, we examined the effect of HPJ extract on body weight, plasma lipid, and lipogenic enzymes. HPJ extract was found to lower whole body and epididymal adipose tissue weights and lowered plasma levels of glucose, insulin, triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) and leptin, compared to those in HFD group. Histological analyses of the liver and fat tissues of mice treated with HPJ extract revealed significantly decreased number of lipid droplets and decreased size of adipocytes compared to the HFD group. In addition, HPJ extract preserved the morphological integrity of pancreatic islets. To elucidate an action mechanism of HPJ extract, Western blot and RT-PCR were performed using epididymal adipose tissues. HPJ extract up-regulated the levels of phosphorylated adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and its substrate, acetyl-CoA carboxylasse (ACC). HPJ extract also attenuated lipogenic gene expressions of sterol regulatory element-binding protein $1{\alpha}$ (SREBP$1{\alpha}$), fatty acid synthase (FAS), sterol-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1) and glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT) in dose-dependent manners. In contrast, expressions of lipolytic genes such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-$\alpha$ (PPAR-${\alpha}$) and CD36, and fatty acid $\beta$-oxidation gene, carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 (CPT-1) were increased. These results suggest that HPJ extract ameliorates obesity through inhibiting synthesis of lipogenic enzymes as well as stimulating fatty acid oxidation resulting from activation of AMPK, and HPJ extract could be developed as a potential therapeutic agent for obese patients.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.12
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• pp.1566-1577
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• 2010

Nandrolone, 19-nortestosterone, is a synthetic androgenic-anabolic steroid promoting muscle growth. Nandrolone is also present in pig meat and sera at non-negligible levels. A number of scientific reports have suggested a positive relationship between incidence of infertility and increased meat consumption in humans. The present study was designed to determine out the effect of feeding nandrolone on the testis of the male reproductive tract. Mixtures of food and nandrolone at different concentrations (0.005 ppm and 0.5 ppm) were supplied to pubertal male rats for 6 weeks. Body weight was recorded every week during the entire experimental period. At the end of the treatment, the testis, epididymis, and epididymal fat were collected and weighted. Sperm numbers in the caudal epididymis were counted. Differential gene or protein expression of steroidogenic enzymes in the testes among experimental groups was determined by semi-quantitative real-time PCR or western blotting analysis, respectively. Histological changes of the testis induced by nandrolone treatment were examined by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Immunohistochemical analysis was employed to detect changes in the localization of steroidogenic enzymes in the testes among experimental animals. There were no significant changes on body, testis, epididymis, and epididymal fat weights among experimental groups. A significant increase of caudal sperm number was found in the 0.5 ppm nandrolone-treated group. Histological examination of the testes noted a high frequency of germ cell sloughing in seminiferous tubules of 0.5 ppm nandrolone-treated rats. Even though transcript levels of $3{\beta}$-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD) I, $17{\beta}$-HSD4, and $17{\alpha}$-hydroxylase were influenced by nandrolone treatments, protein levels of all molecules examined in the present study were not significantly affected. Immunohistochemical analysis showed no visible changes in the localization of steroidogenic enzymes in the testes among experimental groups. The current study showed that oral intake of nandrolone in male rats for 6 weeks did not cause significant damage to the testis. It is considered that a feeding effect of nandrolone on male fertility would not be remarkable.