• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.261-269
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• 2004

Although the biological functions of metallothioneins (MTs) are still being investigated, they have been suggested to be involved in detoxification of heavy metals, scavenging of free radicals, and protection against alkylating agents. MTs have been reported to be induced in most of animal tissues by heavy metals such as zinc, copper, mercury and cadmium, and the proteins have binding affinities to the metals. However, the presence or induction of MTs was reported not to be clear in leydig cells, which produce testosterone for the maturation of spermatozoa in male testes. In this study, we investigated the inducibility of metallothionein isomers by cadmium in cultured mouse leydig cells. Total RNA was extracted from the near confluent grown leydig cells and RT-PCR was Performed using the Primers which were synthesized on the basis of MT-1, 2, 3 and 4 cDNA from GenBank database. As results, MT-1 and MT-2 mRNA were found to be expressed in cadmium non-treated control cells and MT 1 mRNA expression was dose-dependent when leydig cells were treated with cadmium chloride. But MT-3 which is known to be brain specific and MT-4 which is another isoform of metallothionein, were not expressed. Other genes induced or depressed in cadmium treated leydig cells were also identified by microarray techniques.

• BMB Reports
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.379-386
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• 2003

A mutant herpes simplex virus 1, mtHSV, was constructed by inserting the E. coli beta-galactosidase gene into the loci of icp34.5, the apoptosis-inhibiting gene of HSV. The mtHSV replicated in and lysed U251 (human glioma cells), EJ (human bladder cells), and S-180 (mice sarcoma cells), but not Wish (human amnion cells) cells. With its intact tk (thymidine kinase) gene, mtHSV exhibited susceptibility to acyclovir (ACV), which provided an approach to control viral replication. An in vivo test with mtHSV was conducted in immune-competent mice bearing sarcoma S-180 tumors, which were treated with a single intratumoral injection of mtHSV or PBS. Tumor dimensions then were measured at serial time points, and the tumor volumes were calculated. Sarcoma growth was significantly inhibited with prolonged time and reduced tumor volume. There was microscopic evidence of necrosis of tumors in treated mice, whereas no damage was found in other organs. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that virus replication was exclusively confined to the treated tumor cells. HSV-1 DNA was detected in tumors, but not in the other organs by a polymerase chain reaction analysis. From these experiments, we concluded that mtHSV should be a safe and promising oncolytic agent for cancer treatment.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.119-126
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• 2011

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) deletion is a well-known marker for oxidative stress and aging, and contributes to harmful effects in cultured cells and animal tissues. mtDNA biogenesis genes (NRF-1, TFAM) are essential for the maintenance of mtDNA, as well as the transcription and replication of mitochondrial genomes. Considering that oxidative stress is known to affect mitochondrial biogenesis, we hypothesized that ionizing radiation (IR)-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) causes mtDNA deletion by modulating the mitochondrial biogenesis, thereby leading to cellular senescence. Therefore, we examined the effects of IR on ROS levels, cellular senescence, mitochondrial biogenesis, and mtDNA deletion in IMR-90 human lung fibroblast cells. Young IMR-90 cells at population doubling (PD) 39 were irradiated at 4 or 8 Gy. Old cells at PD55, and H2O2-treated young cells at PD 39, were compared as a positive control. The IR increased the intracellular ROS level, senescence-associated ${\beta}$-galactosidase (SA-${\beta}$-gal) activity, and mtDNA common deletion (4977 bp), and it decreased the mRNA expression of NRF-1 and TFAM in IMR-90 cells. Similar results were also observed in old cells (PD 55) and $H_2O_2$-treated young cells. To confirm that a increase in ROS level is essential for mtDNA deletion and changes of mitochondrial biogenesis in irradiated cells, the effects of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) were examined. In irradiated and $H_2O_2$-treated cells, 5 mM NAC significantly attenuated the increases of ROS, mtDNA deletion, and SA-${\beta}$-gal activity, and recovered from decreased expressions of NRF-1 and TFAM mRNA. These results suggest that ROS is a key cause of IR-induced mtDNA deletion, and the suppression of the mitochondrial biogenesis gene may mediate this process.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.585-590
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of oral-administered sex hormone for hybrid sturgeon, bester juvenile. The bester juveniles (2 months after hatching) were received a diet containing various doses of $17\alpha$-methyltestosterone (MT) or estradiol-$17\beta$ ($E_2$) for 6 months. Somatic growth of bester sturgeon juvenile did not show significant differences between experimental and control groups (27.9-30.5 cm; 125.1-161.7 g), although survival percentages showed a decreasing tendency in MT-treated animals. By histological examination, germ cells were recorded as smooth type in MT-treated fish and uneven type of germinal epithelium in $E_2$-treated animals. Their sex ratios were 5:4:1 (male: female: undifferentiation) in control and low dose of MT-treated fish (1 mg/kg), and 9:1:0 in fish treated with high dose of MT (10 mg/kg), whereas the ratios were reversed by both low and high doses of $E_2$ treatment, recorded as 2:8:0. Gonadal areas were not significantly differed in all trials (424,600.4 - 1,039,656.3 ${\mu}m^2$). Total number of germ cells, number of germ cells per gonadal areas and number of germ cells per area were significantly higher to 144.7-148.7 cells/section, 374.0-408.5 $cells/mm^2$ and 1,599.5-1,670.9 $cells/mm^2$ in $E_2$ treatment than those of others (30.4-63.9 cells/section, 148.4-226.9 $cells/mm^2$ and 850.0-1,050.6 $cells/mm^2$), respectively. And somatic growth according to their gender was not significantly differed between male and female.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.529-533
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• 2011

Metallothioneins (MT) are a group of low-molecular weight, cysteine-rich, intracellular proteins that are encoded by a family of genes containing at least 10 functional isoforms in human. The expression and induction of these proteins is associated with protection against DNA damage, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. Many studies have shown increased expression of MT in various human tumors, whereas MT is down-regulated in certain tumors such as hepatocellular carcinoma and liver adenocarcinoma. Hence, the expression of MT is not universal to all human tumors but may depend on the differentiation status and proliferative index of tumors, along with other tissue factors and gene mutations. Using Northern blot analysis, we found that laminin induced expression of MT-1 in HSG and PC12 cells, which can be differentiated by laminin, but had no effect on MB-231, MDA-435, and PC-3 cells, which cannot be differentiated by laminin. In addition, we analyzed the expression level of the MT-1 gene in five prostate cancer cell lines possessing different metastatic potential. The expression of MT-1 in normal and less malignant cells (RWPE-1 and WPE1-NA22) was high and up-regulated by laminin, whereas the expression of MT-1 in WPE1-NB14, WPE1-NB11, and WPE1-NB26 cells (malignant) was extremely low and not elevated by laminin. These results suggest that the MT-1 gene is involved in laminin-mediated differentiation and affects the metastatic potential of tumor cells.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.15-36
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• 2007

Objective : This study was to investigate the effects of several herbs on the levels of MT1 and MT2 melatonin receptors Methods: It was investigated the effects of several herbs such as WEDL, WEZV, WEFO, WEOC on the levels of MT1 and MT2 melatonin receptors using C6 glial cell model. ${\beta}-estradiol$ treatment, as a positive control group, under non-cytotoxic condition. Results : 1. The water extracts of Dimocarpus long (WEDL) induced the levels of MT2 melatonin receptor expression in a concentration-dependent manner without altering the levels of MT1 melatonin receptor expression. 2. The treatment with the water extract of Zizyphus vulgaris (WEZV) induced the levels of MT1 melatonin receptor expression and the levels of MT2 melatonin receptor expression was not affected. 3. The levels of MT1 as well as MT2 melatonin receptor expression were markedly up-regulated in the water extract of Fossilia ossis (WEFO) and the water extract of Ostreae caro (WEOC)-treated C6 cells. 4. The combination treatment with WEDL and WEZV induced not only the levels of MT1 melatonin receptor expression but also MT2 melatonin receptor expression, but the synergic effects of the combination treatment with WEFO and WEOC were not detected in C6 cells. Conclusion : The study provides important new insights into the possible mechanisms on the regulation of melatonin receptor synthesis by WEDL, WEZV, WEFO and WEOC.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.455-460
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• 1998

This study was designed to investigate the distributions of the positive cells in rat spleens by two monoclonal antibodies of MT1 and MB2. The spleens of immature 10 rats (Sprague Duwely, approximately 200gm) were collected and paraffin-embedded sections of spleens were stained with immunohistochemical methods. Higher proportions of MT1-positive cell number in spleens were ordered as marginal zone(8.5~18.1%), red pulp(2.1~8.8%) and periarterial lymphoid sheath(0~1.6%) in white pulp, and those of MB2-positive cell number are ordered as the central area of the periarterial lymphoid sheath(100%), red pulp(29.1~45.0%), marginal zone(15.2~30.4%), and peripheral area of periarterial lymphoid sheath(2.3~3.5%). The positive cells by MB2 are more numerous in number than by MT1. The above results were concluded that the positive cells by above two monoclonal antibodies were scattered throughout the red pulp and marginal zone, but in the central area of the periarterial lymphoid sheath, the MB2-positive cells only were present.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.317-322
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• 2016

Mitochondrial biogenesis is a complex process requiring coordinated expression of nuclear and mitochondrial genomes. The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma co-activator 1-alpha (PGC-$1{\alpha}$) is a key regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis, and it controls mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) replication within diverse tissues, including muscle tissue. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on mtDNA copy number and PGC-$1{\alpha}$ promoter activity in $C_2C_{12}$ muscle cells. mtDNA copy number and mRNA levels of genes related to mitochondrial biogenesis such as PGC-$1{\alpha}$, nuclear respiratory factor 1 (NRF1) and mitochondrial transcription factor A (Tfam) were assayed by quantitative real-time PCR. The PGC-$1{\alpha}$ promoter from -970 to +412 bp was subcloned into the pGL3-basic vector, which includes a luciferase reporter gene. Both EPA and DHA significantly increased mtDNA copy number, dose and time dependently, and up-regulated mRNA levels of PGC-$1{\alpha}$, NRF1, and Tfam. Furthermore, EPA and DHA stimulated PGC-$1{\alpha}$ promoter activity in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that EPA and DHA may modulate mitochondrial biogenesis, which was partially associated with increased mtDNA replication and PGC-$1{\alpha}$ gene expression in $C_2C_{12}$ muscle cells.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.33-41
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• 2003

Microspore-derived cell lines resistant to 5-methyltryptophan (5MT, a tryptophan analog) or S-(2-aminoethyl)-L-cysteine (AEC, a Iysine analog) were selected in rice by in vitro mutagenesis. For selection of 5MT or AEC resistant cell lines, suspension-cultured cells were irradiated with gamma rays. Thirteen 5MT resistant cell lines were selected and they were able to grow stably at 2 times higher 5MT concentration. A feedback insensitive form of anthranilate synthesis, the pathway specific control enzyme for tryptophan synthesis, was detected from the 5MT resistant lines. Contents of the free amino acids in five resistant lines (MR12-1 to MR12-5) showed a 7.4 to 46.6 times greater level than that in the control culture. Tryptophan, phenylalanine, and tyrosine levels in the shikimate pathway were 28.1 and 22.5 times higher in MR12-3 and MR12 4, respectively, than that measured in the control cells. Four AEC resistant cell lines were isolated from cultures grown on medium containing 1 mM AEC, They were able to grow stably with 2 mM AEC, while sensitive calli were inhibited by 0.5 mM AEC. Aspartate kinase activities of the resistant lines were insensitive to the natural inhibitor, Iysine, and accumulated 2.2 to 12.9-fold higher levels of free Iysine than that of the control cells. Especially, the levels of aspartate, asparagine, and methionine in the aspartate pathway showed higher accumulation in the AEC resistant lines than that in the control cells.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.111-122
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• 2009

Cadmium (Cd) is known to exert gonadotoxic and spermiotoxic effects. The present study was performed to investigate the morphological effects and metallothionein (MT) expression by zinc pretreatment in the course of time of cadmium-induced testicular injury in rat. Fifty male Spraque-Dawley rats weighing 160~180 g were divided into two groups : saline-pretreated cadmium group and zinc-pretreated cadmium group. Rats of two groups received subcutaneous injection of saline and 100 mg/kg $ZnSO_4$ at 0, 2, 5 and 8 hrs intervals respectively. Cadmium chloride (4.5 mg/kg $CdCl_2$) was administrated intraperitoneally at 2 hrs after zinc injection and rats were killed 0, 12, 24, 48 and 72 hrs later. Testicular tissue damages, interstitial (Leydig) cells status and MT expression were determined using hematoxylin-eosin stained sections and a computerized image analysis system on sections immunostained with a mouse anti-metallothionein respectively. Zinc pretreatment was significantly reduced testicular damages in five pathological categories after cadmium administation. The number of surviving interstitial cells was significantly higher in the zinc-pretreated group than in the saline-preatreated group at 48 and 72 hrs after cadmium administration. Non-damaged testis showed the positivity of MT staining in spermatogenic cells, Sertoli cells and endothelium of blood vessel, but not in the Leydig cells. The positivity of MT staining in saline-pretreated group was significantly reduced at 24 hrs after cadmium administration, whereas zinc-pretreated group showed strong MT positive staining similar to the 0 hr by 42 hrs after cadmium administration. In damaged testis, MT positive staining was also observed in the Leydig cells of both groups. These results suggest that a major preventive effect of zinc against cadmium-induced testicular toxicity may be due to its ability to reduce the cytotoxicity of cadmium in spermatogenic cells and Leydig cells by inhibiting the susceptibility of the testis to cadmium but not MT production by cadmium.