• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.281-289
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• 1997

The study was designed to investigate the effects of progesterone and estrogen on the uterus of rats by immunohistochemical methods using Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA) antibody. Eighteen female rats(Wistar), weighing initially about 300g, were ovariectomized. These rats were divided into four groups, progesterone-treated group, estrogen-treated group, estrogen+progesterone-treated group, and control group, progesterone-treated group was injected with 1mg of progesterone per rat per day for 2 days and estrogen-treated group with $20{\mu}g$ of $17{\beta}-estradiol$ for 3 days and estrogen+progesterone-treated group with $17{\beta}-estrdiol$ for 3 days and then with progesterone for 2 days as above. In gross findings, the uteri were markedly hypertrophied by estrogen treatment but were not affect in size by progesterone treatment. Immunohistochemical investigation was performed on the cell types with higher appearance of PCNA positive reaction cells in four groups. The groups with higher appearance of the stromal cells were ordered as estrogen-treated group, progesterone-treated group, estrogen+progesterone-treated group, and control group. The muscle cells were ordered as progesterone-treated group, estrogen-treated group, estrogen+progesterone-treated group, and control group. Positive reaction cells of the stromal cells were total 4.6 times higher than those of muscle cells. Therefore, the affect of the hypertrophy on the uterus by estrogen was larger than those of progesterone and affect on the uterus by stromal cells were larger than those of muscle cells. The group with more PCNA positive reaction cells of luminal epithelial cells were ordered as control group, progesterone-treated group, estrogen+progesterone-treated group, and estrogen-treated group, and glandular epithelial cells were ordered as estrogen+progesterone-treated group, progesterone-treated group, control group, and estrogen-treated group. It was suggested that estrogen and progesterone did not affect on the proliferating cells of luminal epithelial cells and affection of progesterone on the development of glandular epithelial cell was larger than that of estrogen.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.54-62
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• 2002

Objectives : This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of Amydae Carapax (AC) on parameter related to bone metabolism in ovariectomized rats. Methods : We measured alkaline phosphatase activity and contents of estrogen, calcium, hydroxyproline, osteocalcin, calcitonin and parathyroid hormone after the ovariectomized rats were treated with AC for 30 days. Results : Serum estrogen, calcium and calcitonin contents in ovariectomized rats significantly decreased, but increased after AC treatment. [Significant increase of serum alkaline phosphatase activity, parathyroid hormone activity and osteocalcin content in ovariectomized rats was remarkably decreased by AC treatment. Increase of urinary calcium and hydroxyproline content in ovariectomized rats was decreased by AC treatment.] Conclusions : These results shows that AC has the ability to counteract abnormal calcium metabolic processes due to sex hormone inequality, promoting bone absorption and inhibiting bone formation.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.65-71
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• 2001

The key targets of endocrine disruptors are nuclear hormone receptors, which bind to steroid hormones and regulate their gene transcription. A yeast-based steroid hormone receptor gene trascription assay was previously developed for the evaluation of chemicals with endocrine modulating activity. The yeast transformants used in this assay contain the human estrogen receptor along with the appropriate steroid response elements upstream of the $\beta$-galactosidase reporter gene. We tried to evaluate several natural and synthetic steroids of their potential to interact directly with the steroid receptor. Some putative endocrine disruptors, including nonylphenol, are weakly estrogenic. But the combined treatment oj these chemicals with di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) significantly increased the $\beta$-galactosidase activity in the yeast transformant. These results suggest that we also have to consider the synergistic effects of endocrine disruptors. In this study, we showed that yeast-based bioassay is a valuable tool for screening potential endocrine disruptors and quantitative determination of estrogenicity. And the possibility that the estrogen receptor binds multiple environmental chemicals adds another level of complexity to the interaction between the endocrine disruptors and the human hormone system.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.993-1005
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• 1996

This study was implemented in order to investigate the effects of dietary calcium-salt, estrogentreatment, and estrogen/calcium treatment on bone metabolism. Ovariectomized rats were used as animal models. Female Sprague-Dawley rats with a body weight of 250~280g were underwent ovariectomy or sham-operation. The ovariectomized rats were divided into 9 different experimental groups including the saline-treated group, the estrogen-treated group, the high calcium salt-treated group, and the estrogen/calcium treated groups and fed for 6 weeks. Creatinine and hydroxyproline in urine were analyzed. Creatinine, calcitonin, osteocalcin, alkaline phosphatase and parathyroid hormone in plasma were also determined. The results of the experiment are as follows : The ovariectomy caused a significant increase in the level of food intake, food effciency ratio and body weight gain in comparison with sham-operation. The overall food intake, food effciency ratio and body weight gain were significantly decreased by estrogen. The ovariectomized animals developed obesity as a result of increased food intake. In addition, estradiol injections suppressed food intake with a concomitant loss in body weight. The level or urinary hydroxyproline, as an indicator or bone resorntion, was higher in the ovariectomized rats compared to sham-opertion, while these decresed in the estrogen/calcium treated group. Parathyroid hormone and calcitonin in the plasma, that were used as the indicator of calcium homeostasis, parathyroid hormone higher in the ovariectomized rats compared to sham-operation. It was lowered by estrogen and high calcium treated groups; thus, estrogen and estrogen/calcium treated groups were decreased by 32% compared to saline treated group. Osteocalcin and alkaline phosphatase which are indicators of bone formation, were significantly higher in ovariectomized group, while this showed to be decreased in the estrogen and the ostrogenicalcium treated groups. Estrogen and estrogen/calcium in ovariectomized rats resulted in lower bone loss. However, estrogen treated group its gradual reduction showed little effect on bone loss, while the gradual reduction of estrogen had a preventive effect on bone loss when the treatment was combined with calcium intensification.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.173-180
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• 2005

Purpose:We investigated the effect of menopausal duration on cognitive function using adjunctive hormone replacement therapy(HRT) in postmenopausal women with depression. Method:Twelve postmenopausal women with depressive disorder were enrolled. Six patients having menopausal duration of less than 3 years was assigned to the short duration group and six patients of more than 3 years to the long duration group. Each patient was treated with conjugated equine estrogen(1.25mg) plus medroxyprogesterone(5mg) for 8 weeks. Cognitive performance was measured by the Verbal Memory Test, Visual Memory Test, Trail Making Test, Digit Symbol Test, and Attention Shift Test. The Beck Depression Inventory was used for evaluation of depressed mood. The reproductive hormone levels were also measured. Results:The long duration group showed the lower performance only in Trail Making Test B compared with the short duration group at baseline. After 8 weeks, the long duration group performed significantly better in the Trail Making Test B compared with the short duration group. The differences in change of depressive mood and gonadal hormone level between two groups were not significant. Conclusion:Menopausal duration before HRT may influence the effect of estrogen on cognition in some cognitive domains. This might be related with estrogen receptor hypersensitivity which induced by the longer estrogen deficiency.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.15-22
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• 2006

Many of endocrine disrupting chemicals induce effects via interaction with hormone receptors and responsive elements in target cells. We investigated endocrine disrupting effects of some food additives and contaminants including BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin, propionic acid, sorbic acid, benzoic acid, CPM, aflatoxin B1, cadmium chloride, genistein, TCDD and PCBs in yeast transformants expressing human steroid hormone receptors along with steroid responsive elements. The response limit of genetically recombinant yeast to $17{\beta}$-estradiol, testosterone and progesterone was $1{\times}10^{-16},\;1{\times}10^{-12}\;and\;1{\times}10^{-13}M$, respectively. BHT induced weak transcriptional activity in estrogen sensitive yeast, while BHA and sorbic acid interacted weakly with androgen receptor/responsive element. CPM induced transcriptional activities in all types of yeasts sensitive to steroid hormones. Zearalenone and genistein induced high transcriptional activation in estrogen sensitive yeast with relative potencies almost $10^8$ folds lower than $17{\beta}$-estradiol. TCDD induced transcriptional activation weakly in estrogen- and progesterone- sensitive yeasts. This study elucidated that recombinant yeast is a sensitive and high-throughput system and can be used for the direct assessment on chemical interactions with steroid receptors and responsive elements. Also, the present study raises the requirement of evaluation on the endocrine disrupting effects of BHT, BHA, sorbic acid, CPM and TCDD for their transcription activity in yeast screening system though weak in intensity.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.215-221
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• 2017

Ginseng has been used in China for at least two millennia and is now popular in over 35 countries. It is one of the world's popular herbs for complementary and alternative medicine and has been shown to have helpful effects on cognition and blood circulation, as well as anti-aging, anti-cancer, and anti-diabetic effects, among many others. The pharmacological activities of ginseng are dependent mainly on ginsenosides. Ginsenosides have a cholesterol-like four trans-ring steroid skeleton with a variety of sugar moieties. Nuclear receptors are one of the most important molecular targets of ginseng, and reports have shown that members of the nuclear receptor superfamily are regulated by a variety of ginsenosides. Here, we review the published literature on the effects of ginseng and its constituents on two main sex steroid hormone receptors: estrogen and androgen receptors. Furthermore, we discuss applications for sex steroid hormone receptor modulation and their therapeutic efficacy.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.205-212
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• 2009

Known as a female hormone, estrogen, performs important functions, and the activities of the hormone are mediated via the estrogen receptor. The principal objective of the present study was to assess the effects of a estrogen receptor agonist in male reproductive organs. In this study, the estrogen receptor alpha agonist, PPT, was injected subcutaneously into adult male mice. The effects of PPT on the murine reproductive system were histologically assessed at 3,5, and 8 weeks after treatment. In the treatment group, reductions were observed in the weight of the body, testis and epididymis. Microscopic examination revealed a reduction in seminiferous tubular diameter in the testis, and epithelial cell height in the epididymis during the experiment. 8 weeks after treatment, spermatogenesis was not detected, nor was the lumen of the seminiferous tubules. In the fertility test, 1 week after PPT injection, the fertilizing ability of males was decreased, and on the 2nd and 3rd weeks, complete infertility was observed. In conclusion, the injection of high concentrations of PPT into adult males induced physiological changes, including infertility, and also induced morphological changes, including a reduction in the height of epithelial cells within the reproductive system.

• BMB Reports
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• v.44 no.7
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• pp.423-434
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• 2011

A female hormone, estrogen, is linked to breast cancer incidence. Estrogens undergo phase I and II metabolism by which they are biotransformed into genotoxic catechol estrogen metabolites and conjugate metabolites are produced for excretion or accumulation. The molecular mechanisms underlying estrogen-mediated mammary carcinogenesis remain unclear. Cell proliferation through activation of estrogen receptor (ER) by its agonist ligands and is clearly considered as one of carcinogenic mechanisms. Recent studies have proposed that reactive oxygen species generated from estrogen or estrogen metabolites are attributed to genotoxic effects and signal transduction through influencing redox sensitive transcription factors resulting in cell transformation, cell cycle, migration, and invasion of the breast cancer. Conjuguation metabolic pathway is thought to protect cells from genotoxic and cytotoxic effects by catechol estrogen metabolites. However, methoxylated catechol estrogens have been shown to induce ER-mediated signaling pathways, implying that conjugation is not a simply detoxification pathway. Dual action of catechol estrogen metabolites in mammary carcinogenesis as the ER-signaling molecules and chemical carcinogen will be discussed in this review.

• BMB Reports
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.225-229
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• 2018

In humans, hormonal regulation is crucial for the preparation of uterine environment leading to either successful implantation or menstrual cycle. Estrogen is a pivotal female steroid hormone that regulates the uterine dynamics along with progesterone in the estrous and menstrual cycles in humans. Estrogen signals act via nuclear estrogen receptor or membrane-bound receptor. The membrane-bound estrogen receptor plays a crucial role in the rapid response of estrogen in the uterine epithelium. Recently, RASD1 has received attention as a novel signal transducer of estrogen in various systems including female reproductive organs. In this review, we discuss the regulation of estrogen and RASD1 signaling in the uterus and also provide insights into RAS as a novel signaling molecule in repeated implantation failure.