• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.788-795
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• 2009

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a key regulator of angiogenesis under various physiological and pathological conditions. We found that the VEGF isoforms VEGF120, VEGF164, and VEGF188 were expressed in the bovine mammary gland and bovine mammary epithelial cells (bMECs). Expression of VEGF in the mammary gland was significantly higher during the lactation period than during the dry period. Although dexamethasone or prolactin alone had little effect on the expression of VEGF, that in dexamethasone-treated cells was significantly induced after additional treatment with prolactin. Furthermore, the VEGF expression induced by the combination of dexamethasone and prolactin was reduced by PD98059 in a dose-dependent manner. This combination also stimulated the phosphorylation of p44/p42 MAP kinase in these cells. These results strongly suggest that the combination of dexamethasone and prolactin stimulates VEGF expression in bMECs via p44/p42 MAP kinase.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.771-776
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• 2001

A pregnant-induced clone was identified by differential screening from a cDNA library of bovine mammary gland. The clone was identified as a cDNA encoding a polyadenylate binding protein 1 (PABP). The cDNA clone had a total length of 1,911 nucleotides coding for 636 amino acids. The nucleotide sequence of the bovine PABP was 95% and 94% identical to those of human and mouse species, respectively. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequences of bovine PABP with those of human species showed 100% identity. Induction of the PABP mRNA was observed in bovine mammary tissues at pregnant 7 and 8 months compared to virgin, lactating and involuted states. Expression of the PABP gene was examined in mammary epithelial HC11 cells at proliferating, differentiated and apoptotic conditions. The mRNA levels of PABP gene were similar between proliferating and differentiated cells, but expression levels were very low in apoptotic cells compared to other conditions. Results demonstrate that the PABP gene is induced during pregnancy at which stage mammary epithelial cells are actively proliferating.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.119-124
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• 1994

Experiments were performed to determine age-associated changes in ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) gene and Ha-ras cellular oncogene expression in tissues of female rats. In the kidney, ODC mRNA levels did not show age-associated changes, while ODC enzyme activities were decreased with advancing age from 3 to 10 months. These results suggest that post-transcriptional mechanism (s) are involved in the age-dependent decrease in renal ODC enzyme activity. In addition, we found no correlation between testosterone-induced renal ODC expression and DNA methylation pattern. Ha-ras mRNA levels in brain decreased as animals aged from 3 to 6 months, while renal Ha-ras mRNA levels were not influenced by age. Results demonstrate the age-dependent expression of Ha-ras in a tissue-specific manner.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.9
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• pp.1201-1204
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• 2000

We examined expression patterns of imc-415 gene in mammary gland and in HC11 mammary epithelial cells in culture. mRNA levels of imc-415 gene were higher at pregnancy and involution stages of mouse mammary gland compared with lactation period. Expression of imc-415 gene was induced with serum starvation or treatment with Fas monoclonal antibody in HC11 mammary epithelial cells in culture.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.410-417
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• 2016

During the lactation cycle of the bovine mammary gland, autophagy is induced in bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMECs) as a cellular homeostasis and survival mechanism. Interferon gamma ($IFN-{\gamma}$) is an important antiproliferative and apoptogenic factor that has been shown to induce autophagy in multiple cell lines in vitro. However, it remains unclear whether $IFN-{\gamma}$ can induce autophagy and whether autophagy affects milk synthesis in BMECs. To understand whether $IFN-{\gamma}$ affects milk synthesis, we isolated and purified primary BMECs and investigated the effect of $IFN-{\gamma}$ on milk synthesis in primary BMECs in vitro. The results showed that $IFN-{\gamma}$ significantly inhibits milk synthesis and that autophagy was clearly induced in primary BMECs in vitro within 24 h. Interestingly, autophagy was observed following $IFN-{\gamma}$ treatment, and the inhibition of autophagy can improve milk protein and milk fat synthesis. Conversely, upregulation of autophagy decreased milk synthesis. Furthermore, mechanistic analysis confirmed that $IFN-{\gamma}$ mediated autophagy by depleting arginine and inhibiting the general control nonderepressible-2 kinase (GCN2)/eukaryotic initiation factor $2{\alpha}$ ($eIF2{\alpha}$) signaling pathway in BMECs. Then, it was found that arginine supplementation could attenuate $IFN-{\gamma}$-induced autophagy and recover milk synthesis to some extent. These findings may not only provide a novel measure for preventing the $IFN-{\gamma}$-induced decrease in milk quality but also a useful therapeutic approach for $IFN-{\gamma}$-associated breast diseases in other animals and humans.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.958-964
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• 2004

This study examined the effects of maternal calcium intake levels on mineral metabolism during pregnancy and lactation. Five week-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were fed normal Ca (NCa, 0.5%) and low Ca (LCa, 0.15%) diets for 5 weeks during preconception. The low Ca intake group was divided into three groups and fed low Ca (0.15%), normal Ca (0.5%) and high Ca (1.5%) diets for 6 weeks during pregnancy and lactation. All of the rats were mated with normal male rats. The control group was consistently fed a normal Ca diet for 11 weeks. Pups were adjusted to 10 per dam. After weaning, dams and their weaned rats were sacrificed. We measured total protein, albumin, alkaline phosphatase and mineral content in serum and weight, length, breaking force, ash and mineral content in bone and kidney. There was no significant difference in weight gain and food intake among the groups. Serum total protein and albumin were in the normal range but slightly decreased with a low Ca diet during preconception. Calcium supplementation above normal level increased bone weight, Ca content and breaking force in femur of maternal and their weaned rats. However, high maternal Ca intake significantly decreased Mg and Fe contents in maternal serum and bone and Mg and Zn contents in serum of weaned rats. Also, it induced Ca, P and Mg deposit in maternal kidney. Our experimental results suggest that Ca deficiency during preconception may deteriorate bone status of mother and their offsprings. Moreover, high Ca supplementation during pregnancy and lactation may lead to disturb mineral metabolism in bone and other tissues.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.97-104
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• 2005

To investigate apoptosis in HC11 mammary epithelial cells, we compared the gene expression profiles of actively growing and serum-starved apoptotic cells using a mouse apoptosis gene array and $^{33}P$-labeled cDNA prepared from the RNA of the two cultures. Analysis of the arrays showed that expression of several genes such as clusterin, secreted frizzled related protein mRNA (sFRP-1), CREB-binding protein (CBP), and others was higher in the apoptotic cells whereas expression of certain genes including survivin, cell division cycle 2 homolog A (CDC2), and cyclin A was lower. These expression patterns were confirmed by RT-PCR and/or Northern analyses. We compared the expression of some of these genes in the mouse mammary gland under various physiological conditions. The expression levels of genes (clusterin, CBP, and M6P-R) up-regulated in apoptotic conditions were higher at involution than during lactation. On the other hand, genes (Pin, CDC2) downregulated in apoptotic conditions were relatively highly expressed in virgin and pregnant mice. We conclude that certain genes such as clusterin, sFRP-1, GAS1 and CBP are induced in apoptotic mammary epithelial cells, and others are repressed. Moreover, the apoptosis array is an efficient technique for comparing gene expression profiles in different states of the same cell type.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.339-348
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• 1996

A new composite antibiotic, SM-101 (sulbactam·metampicillin), was at dose levels of 0, 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg/day administered intravenously to pregnant and subsequently delivered Sprague-Dawley rats from day 17 of gestation to day 21 of lactation. Effects of test agent on dams and growth, behaviour and mating performance of Fl offspring were examined. In dams, one death occurred at 1000 mg/kg. The increase in kidney weight of the 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg group was found. In F1 offspring, both delayed incisors eruption and decreased body weight were observed in females of the 1000 mg/kg group. The increase in the weights of liver and kidney was found in males of the 1000 mg/kg group. No treatment-related abnormalities were observed in each treated group in terms of behaviour and reproductive performance. In F1/F2 fetuses, no drug-induced abnormalities occurred at all doses tested. The results show that the no effect dose level (NOEL) of SM-101 is under 250 mg/kg/day for dams and 500 mg/kg/day for F1 offspring, and over 1000 mg/kg/day for F1/F2 fetuses.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.651-657
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• 1995

The antioxidative activity of each fraction in human milk was examined using H2O2 and FeSO4-induced lipid peroxidation of mouse liver homogenate in order to elucidate the antioxidative substances of human milk. High molecular weight(~>20KD) fraction had more antioxidative effect on lipid peroxidation than low molecular weight(~ <20KD) fraction. Furthermore, the changes of antioxidative enzyme activities were estimated during lactation to study the roles of human milk. The human milk showed high activities of catalase, glutathione(GSH) peroxidase and GSH S-transferase. These results suggest that the antioxidative activities may mostly be attributed to high molecular weight fraction containing catalase, GSH peroxidase and GSH S-transferase.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.467-474
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• 2019

Exposure to lead during pregnancy is a risk factor for the development of psychiatric disorders in the offspring. In this study, we investigated whether exposure to low levels of lead acetate (0.2%) in drinking water during pregnancy and lactation causes behavioral impairment and affects the expression of proteins associated with neurodevelopment. Lead exposure altered several parameters in rat offspring compared with those unexposed in open-field, social interaction, and pre-pulse inhibition tests. These parameters were restored to normal levels after clozapine treatment. Western blot and immunohistochemical analyses of the hippocampus revealed that several neurodevelopmental proteins were downregulated in lead-exposed rats. The expression was normalized after clozapine treatment (5 mg/kg/day, postnatal day 35-56). These findings demonstrate that downregulation of several proteins in lead-exposed rats affected subsequent behavioral changes. Our results suggest that lead exposure in early life may induce psychiatric disorders and treatment with antipsychotics such as clozapine may reduce their incidence.