• Animal Bioscience
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• 제35권3호
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• pp.399-409
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• 2022

Objective: Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is the central hormone involved in mammalian reproduction, maturation at puberty, and gamete production that mediates its function by control of follicle growth and function. The present study investigated the mutations involved in the regulation of FSH receptor (FSHR) activation. Methods: We analyzed seven naturally-occurring mutations that were previously reported in human FSHR (hFSHR), in the context of equine FSHR (eFSHR); these include one constitutively activation variant, one allelic variant, and five inactivating variants. These mutations were introduced into wild-type eFSHR (eFSHR-wt) sequence to generate mutants that were designated as eFSHR-D566G, -A306T, -A189V, -N191I, -R572C, -A574V, and -R633H. Mutants were transfected into PathHunter EA-parental CHO-K1 cells expressing β-arrestin. The biological function of mutants was analyzed by quantitating cAMP accumulation in cells incubated with increasing concentrations of FSH. Results: Cells expressing eFSHR-D566G exhibited an 8.6-fold increase in basal cAMP response, as compared to that in eFSHR-wt. The allelic variation mutant eFSHR-A306T was not found to affect the basal cAMP response or half maximal effective concentration (EC₅₀) levels. On the other hand, eFSHR-D566G and eFSHR-A306T displayed a 1.5- and 1.4-fold increase in the maximal response, respectively. Signal transduction was found to be completely impaired in case of the inactivating mutants eFSHR-A189V, -R572C, and -A574V. When compared with eFSHR-wt, eFSHR-N191I displayed a 5.4-fold decrease in the EC₅₀ levels (3,910 ng/mL) and a 2.3-fold decrease in the maximal response. In contrast, cells expressing eFSHR-R633H displayed in a similar manner to that of the cells expressing the eFSHR-wt on signal transduction and maximal response. Conclusion: The activating mutant eFSHR-D566G greatly enhanced the signal transduction in response to FSH, in the absence of agonist treatment. We suggest that the state of activation of the eFSHR can modulate its basal cAMP accumulation.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• 제20권4호
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• pp.297-305
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• 1997

A new serum-free defined medium was developed that supports the growth of normal rat mammary epithelial cells. Mammary organoids from the glands of female F344 rats were cultured in a serum-free medium. Monolayer culture colonies developed within a week and remained viable for months in culture. Upon subculture of one-week-old primary colonies, almost the same morphology of colonies was developed. The scrape loading/dye transfer technique showed that most of colonies that developed in a serum-free medium containing EGF, human transferrin, insulin, and hydrocortisone (basal serum-free medium, BSFM) failed to show cell-cell communication. However, colonies cultured in BSFM supplemented with prolactin, $E_2$, and progesterone (complete hormone serum-free medium, CHSFM) showed cell-cell communication at 14 days of primary culture or of subculture. By flow cytometry with FITCPNA and PE-anti-Thy-1.1 monoclonal antibody, we distinguished four RMEC subpopulations in cultures in both media: Thy-1.1+ cells, PNA+ cells, cells negative to both reagents and cells positive to both reagents. It is likely that combined prolactin, cortisol, and insulin in CHSFM stimulate terminal differentiation of clonogenic cells.

• 약학회지
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• 제58권1호
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• pp.21-27
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• 2014

We have developed 8 peptide derivatives as potential MC1R antagonists and their inhibitory effects on ${\alpha}$-MSH induced cell growth in cultured normal human melanocytes (NHM) were investigated. From these experiments, the two most potent peptide derivatives, 5-phenylvaleric acid-(D)His-Arg-Trp-$(Lys)_6NH_2$ (P 6) and 5-phenylvaleric acid-(D)His-Arg-Trp-$(Lys)_9NH_2$ (P 7) were selected for further studies. In ${\alpha}$-MSH depleted NHM cells, we have found that the treatment with 1 ${\mu}M$ of these two peptide derivatives, P 6 and P 7, inhibited the cell proliferation induced by the addition of 1 nM ${\alpha}$- MSH by 70% and 72%, respectively. In NHM cells without previous ${\alpha}$-MSH depletion, 1 ${\mu}M$ treatment in the presence of 10 nM ${\alpha}$-MSH resulted in 70% (P 6) and 80% (P 7) decrease in cell growth and 64% (P 6) and 71% (P 7) reduction in melanin synthesis, respectively. The peptide derivatives P 6 and P 7 were proved to have no apparent cytotoxicity and inhibited the elevation of intracellular cAMP concentration triggered by ${\alpha}$-MSH. In conclusion, our data suggest that the peptide derivatives reported in this study, 5-phenylvaleric acid-(D)His-Arg-Trp-$(Lys)_6NH_2$ (P 6) and 5-phenylvaleric acid-(D)His- Arg-Trp-$(Lys)_9NH_2$ (P 7) strongly antagonize ${\alpha}$-MSH, inhibit cell proliferation and melanin synthesis, and lower the intracellular cAMP concentration, hence have a promising potential as a novel skin lightening agent.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권11호
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• pp.5903-5908
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• 2012

Objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate the combined effects of exemestane and aspirin on MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. Methods: Antiproliferative effects of exemestane and aspirin, alone and in combination, on growth of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells were assessed using the MTT assay. Synergistic interaction between the two drugs was evaluated in vitro using the combination index (CI) method. The cell cycle distribution was analyzed by flow cytometry and Western blotting was used to investigate the expression of cyclooxygenase-1, cyclooxygenase-2 and Bcl-2. Results: MTT assays indicated that combination treatment obviously decreased the viability of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells compared to individual drug treatment (CI<1). In addition, the combination of exemestane and aspirin exhibited a synergistic inhibition of cell proliferation, significantly arrested the cell cycle in the $G_0/G_1$ phase and produced a stronger inhibitory effect on COX-1 and Bcl-2 expression than control or individual drug treatment. Conclusion: These results indicate that the combination of exemestane and aspirin might become a useful method to the treatment of hormone-dependent breast cancer. The combination of the two inhibitors significantly increased the response as compared to single agent treatment, suggesting that combination treatment could become a highly effective approach for breast cancer.

• 대한화장품학회지
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• 제40권4호
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• pp.413-421
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• 2014

코르티코트로핀분비인자(Corticotropin-releasing factor)는 스트레스 반응에 관여하는 호르몬으로, 최근 스트레스가 탈모와 같은 피부질환에 영향을 미친다는 보고들이 많아지고 있다. 보고에 따르면, 사람 모낭 배양에서 코르티코트로핀분비인자는 길이생장을 억제하며, 모낭의 조기퇴행을 유도하고 모기질각질형성세포(hair matrix keratinocyte)의 세포사멸을 촉진시킨다. 본 연구에서는 코르티코트로핀분비인자가 모발성장과 모주기조절에 핵심적으로 역할하는 모유두세포에 미치는 영향에 대해 알아보고자 했다. 시상하부-뇌하수체-부신축의 주요 스트레스호르몬들인 코르티코트로핀분비인자, 부신피질자극호르몬, 그리고 코르티솔을 사람 모유두세포에 처리하였다. 흥미롭게도, 코르티코트로핀분비인자가 모발성장과 관련된 사이토카인(KGF, Wnt5a, $TGF{\beta}-2$, Nexin)의 발현을 변화시키는 것을 관찰하였으며, 세포 내 cAMP의 수준을 증가시켰고, 수용체의 발현을 억제시켰다. 이러한 변화는 수용체의 길항제인 antalarmin과 astressin2B, 또는 PKA 억제제의 전처리로 인해 막을 수 있었다. 코르티코트로핀분비인자는 cAMP/PKA경로를 통해 POMC의 발현을 유도하는데, 사람 모유두세포에서도 이 호르몬의 처리가 POMC mRNA의 발현을 증가시키는 것을 확인할 수 있었으나 부신피질자극호르몬의 변화는 western blot으로는 확인할 수 없었다. 이러한 결과들을 바탕으로, 코르티코트로핀분비인자가 그 수용체를 통해 사람 모유두세포 내 모발성장 관련 사이토카인의 발현을 조절함을 확인하였으며, 이는 코르티코트로핀분비인자의 수용체 길항제가 스트레스성 탈모환자를 위한 치료제 혹은 화장품 소재로써 활용될 수 있음을 보여준다.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제30권1호
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• pp.65-75
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• 2003

Objectives: To investigate the role of TGF (Transforming growth factor-$\beta$) involved in the paracrinic communication during decidualization between UEC (uterine epithelial cells) and USC (uterine stromal cells), we have employed a co-culture system composed of human endometrial epithelial and stromal cells in defined hormonal conditions. Design: In the co-culture, endometrial epithelial cells cultured in the matrigel-coated cell culture insert are seeded on top of the endometrial stromal cells cultured within a collagen gel. The co-culture was maintained for 48 hours under the following hormonal conditions: progesterone dominant condition (100 nM P4 and 1 nM E2) or estrogen-dominant condition (100 nM E2 and 1 nM P4). 10 ng/ ml HGF and/or 10 ng/ml TGF-$\beta$1 are added. Methods: RT-PCR is utilized to detect mRNAs quantitatively. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunohistochemical staining are utilized to detect proteins in the tissue. Results: Prolactin mRNA is expressed in the co-cultured stromal cells under the progesterone dominant condition. TGF-$\beta$1 and its receptors are expressed in both the co-cultured epithelial and stromal cells irrespective of the steroid present, which is in contrast with no or negligible expression of TGF-$\beta$1 or its receptor in cells separately cultured. Both estrogen and progesterone significantly elevate the concentration of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in the conditioned medium of the co-culture with the value of 4, 325 pg/ml in E2-dominant and 2, 000 pg/ml in P4-dominant condition compare to 150 pg/ml in no hormone. In separately cultured stromal cells, administration of HGF induces the expression of TGF receptor 1 in both hormonal conditions, but induction of TGF receptor 2 is only manifest in the P4-dominant condition. Administration of TGF-$\beta$ and HGF directly induce the decidualization marker prolactin mRNA in separately cultured stromal cells. Conclusion: It is likely that steroid hormones induces prolactin mRNA indirectly by promoting the cell to cell communication between the stromal and the epithelial cells. TGF-$\beta$ and HGF are two possible paracrine mediators in the human endometrial decidualization.

• 한국산학기술학회논문지
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• 제22권6호
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• pp.542-549
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• 2021

본 연구의 목적은 재조합 인간 상피세포 성장인자(hEGF)의 발현 확인 및 정제의 용이성을 위해 단백질의 N-말단에 융합된 부분을 제거하기위하여 기존의 고가의 효소를 사용하지 않고 간단한 화학처리로 융합 태그를 절단하면서도 여전히 친화성 크로마토그래피로 정제가 가능한 재조합 hEGF의 경제적이며 공정이 단순화된 제조법을 제공하는 것이다. 인간 상피세포 성장 인자는 인간 세포 성장 및 증식에 매우 중요한 호르몬이며 이 단백질에 대한 발현 및 정제에 관한 많은 연구가 보고 되었다. 본 연구에서는 hEGF 유전자를 대장균 코돈에 최적화 하였으며 N-말단에 Hydroxylamine에 의한 절단이 가능한 Asparagine과 Glycine이 발현되도록 포함하여 설계하였다. 제조한 DNA를 대장균 발현 벡터인 pRSET_A에 삽입하여 발현용 균주 BL21 (DE3)에 형질전환 시켰으며 재조합 융합 단백질은 대장균에서 샤페론 벡터 pG-Tf2와 성공적으로 공발현 되었다. 발현된 융합 단백질은 Ni-NTA 컬럼 크로마토그래피로 정제한 후 Hydroxylamine으로 처리해 N-말단 융합부분을 제거하였으며 SDS-PAGE를 통해 확인하였다. ELISA 분석 결과 재조합 EGF의 활성이 상업용 hEGF와 92% 이상 유사한 것으로 나타났으며 피부 섬유아세포의 세포증식을 촉진하는 것으로 확인 되었다.

• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.229-235
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• 2011

Sloan-Kettering virus gene product of a cellular protooncogene c-Ski is an unique nuclear pro-oncoprotein and belongs to the Ski/Sno proto-oncogene family. Ski plays multiple roles in a variety of cell types, it can induce both oncogenic transformation and terminal muscle differentiation when expressed at high levels. Ski protein is implicated in proliferation/differentiation in a variety of cells. The alternative fate of granulosa cells other than apoptosis is to differentiate to luteal cells, however, it is unknown whether Ski is expressed and has a role in granulosa cells undergoing luteinization. Thus, the aim of this study was, by means of immunohistochemical methods, to locate Ski protein in the rat ovaries during ovulation and corpora lutea (CL) formation to predict the possible involvement of Ski in luteinization. In addition, we performed to examine whether the initiation of luteinization with luteinizing hormone (LH) directly regulates expression of Ski in the luteinized granulosa and luteal cells after ovulation by in vivo models. In order to examine the expression pattern of Ski protein along with the progress of luteinization, follicular growth was induced by administration of equine chorionic gonadtropin to immature female rat, and luteinization was induced by human chorionic gonadtropin treatment to mimic luteinizing hormone (LH) surge. While no Ski-positive granulosa cells were present in preovulatory follicle, Ski protein expression was induced in response to LH surge, and was maintained after the formation of corpus luteum (CL). These results indicate that Ski is profoundly expressed in the luteinized granulosa cells and luteal cells of CL during luteinization, and suggest that Ski may play a role in luteinization of granulosa cells.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• 제37권6호
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• pp.423-430
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• 2004

This study was performed to evaluate the effect of red-yeast-rice on bone metabolism in overiectomized (OVX) rats. Forty female Sprague-Dawley rats (body weight 210 $\pm$ 5 g, 9 weeks old age) were divided into two groups. One group were OVX, and the other group received sham operation (SHAM), and received either control diet (20％ casein) or a red-yeast-rice power supplemented diet (0.1％) for 9 weeks. And then each rat group was further divided into control diet (casein 20％) and red-yeast-rice powder supplemented (0.1％) diet group. All rats were fed on experimental diet and deionized water ad libitum for 9 weeks. Bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) were measured using PIXImus (GE Lunar Co, Wisconsin, USA) in spine and femur on 5, 9 weeks after feeding. The serum and urine concentrations of Ca and P were determined. Bone formation was measured by serum osteocalcin and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) concentrations. And bone resorption rate was measured by deoxypyridinoline (DPD) crosslinks immunoassay and corrected for creatinine. Serum osteocalcin, growth hormone, IGF-l and calcitonin were analyzed using radioimmunoassay kits. Urinary Ca and P excretion were not significantly different among the groups. Within the OVX group, the red-yeast-rice group had a lower crosslinks value than the casein group. Therefore the red-yeast-rice supplemented groups had a lower bone resorption ratio than the casein group in the ovariectomized rats. And, the red-yeast-rice group had significantly higher IGF-l hormone than casein group in ovariectomized rats. The red-yeast-rice group had higher spine bone mineral content than those of control group within the OVX groups. This study was an important first step in establishing that the observed beneficial effects of red-yeast-rice on bone, and this study also established the need for a study on the long-term effect of this supplement in a human.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권24호
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• pp.10797-10801
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• 2015

Background: To explore the molecular mechanisms of metastatic osteosarcoma (OS) by using the microarray expression profiles of metastatic and non-metastatic OS samples. Materials and Methods: The gene expression profile GSE37552 was downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus database, including 2 human metastatic OS cell line models and 2 two non-metastatic OS cell line models. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by Multtest package in R language. In addition, functional enrichment analysis of the DEGs was performed by WebGestalt, and the protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks were constructed by Hitpredict, then the signal pathways of the genes involved in the networks were performed by Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) automatic annotation server (KAAS). Results: A total of 237 genes were classified as DEGs in metastatic OS. The most significant up- and down-regulated genes were A2M (alpha-2-macroglobulin) and BCAN (brevican). The DEGs were significantly related to the response to hormone stimulus, and the PPI network of A2M contained IL1B (interleukin), LRP1 (low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1) and PDGF (platelet-derived growth factor). Furthermore, the MAPK signaling pathway and focal adhesion were significantly enriched. Conclusions: A2M and its interactive proteins, such as IL1B, LRP1 and PDGF may be candidate target molecules to monitor, diagnose and treat metastatic OS. The response to hormone stimulus, MAPK signaling pathway and focal adhesion may play important roles in metastatic OS.