• 농업과학연구
• /
• 제48권4호
• /
• pp.1003-1013
• /
• 2021

Thioredoxin (TRX) protein is an antioxidant responsible for reducing other proteins by exchanging cysteine thiol-disulfide and is also known for its anti-allergic and anti-aging properties. On the other hand, epidermal growth factor (EGF) is an important material used in the cosmetics industry and an essential protein necessary for dermal wound healing facilitated by the proliferation and migration of keratinocytes. EGF also assists in the formation of granulation tissues and stimulates the motility of fibroblasts. Hence, genetically modified soybeans were developed to overexpress these industrially important proteins for mass production. A single-dose oral-toxicity-based study was conducted to evaluate the potential toxic effects of TRX and EGF proteins, as safety assessments are necessary for the commercial use of seed-specific protein-expressing transgenic soybeans. To achieve this rationale, TRX and EGF proteins were mass purified from recombinant E. coli. The single-dose oral-toxicity tests of the TRX and EGF proteins were carried out in six-week old male and female Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice. The initial evaluation of the single-dose TRF and EGF treatments was based on monitoring the toxicity signatures and mortality rates among the mice, and the resultant mortality rates did not show any specific clinical symptoms related to the proteins. Furthermore, no significant differences were observed in the weights between the treatment and control groups of male and female ICR mice. After 14 days of treatment, no differences were observed in the autopsy reports between the various treatment and control groups. These results suggest that the minimum lethal dose of TRX and EGF proteins is higher than the allowed 2,000 mg·kg^-1 limit.

• Animal cells and systems
• /
• 제10권4호
• /
• pp.227-231
• /
• 2006

Micro-deletions at specific loci of the Y chromosome have been observed frequently in male infertility patients, suggesting that genes in these regions are involved in male germ cell development. DAZ is a representative male infertility gene at the AZFc locus of the Y chromosome. Since DAZ contains an RNA binding motif along with so-called a DAZ domain, it was proposed to participate in RNA metabolism during spermatogenesis. A mouse gene homologous to the human DAZ gene has been cloned and named Dazl (DAZlike). Dazl is autosomal and expressed in the testis and also at a low level in the ovary. Male mice homozygous for the Dazl null allele have small testes with a few spermatogonia and almost complete absence of germ cells beyond the spermatogonial stage, suggesting the requirement of Dazl for entry or progression through meiosis. However, its exact cellular functions have not been understood yet. In order to investigate cellular functions of Dazl, we decided to isolate candidate interacting protein genes of the mouse Dazl, using yeast two-hybrid screening. A number of candidate Dazlinteracting proteins have been isolated, such as Bprp, Acf, Hgs, Murr1, Nbak3 and Ranbp9, but dynein light chain 1 (Dlc1) was most predominant. A strong interaction of Dazl with Dlc1 suggests that Dazl might function as an mRNA adaptor to the dynein motor complex.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
• /
• 제21권3호
• /
• pp.237-247
• /
• 2017

Mammalian spermatogenesis occurs in a precise and coordinated manner in the seminiferous tubules. One of the attempts to understand the detailed biological process during mammalian spermatogenesis at the molecular level has been to identify the testis specific genes followed by study of the testicular expression pattern of the genes. From the subtracted cDNA library of rat testis prepared using representational difference analysis (RDA) method, a complimentary DNA clone encoding type III member of a DnaJ family protein, DnaJC18, was cloned (GenBank Accession No. DQ158861). The full-length DnaJC18 cDNA has the longest open reading frame of 357 amino acids. Tissue and developmental Northern blot analysis revealed that the DnaJC18 gene was expressed specifically in testis and began to express from postnatal week 4 testis, respectively. In situ hybridization studies showed that DnaJC18 mRNA was expressed only during the maturation stages of late pachytene, round and elongated spermatids of adult rat testis. Western blot analysis with DnaJC18 antibody revealed that 41.2 kDa DnaJC18 protein was detected only in adult testis. Immunohistochemistry study further confirmed that DnaJC18 protein, was expressed in developing germ cells and the result was in concert with the in situ hybridization result. Confocal microscopy with GFP tagged DnaJC18 protein revealed that it was localized in the cytoplasm of cells. Taken together, these results suggested that testis specific DnaJC18, a member of the type III DnaJ protein family, might play a role during germ cell maturation in adult rat testis.

• 한국수정란이식학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국수정란이식학회 2002년도 국제심포지엄
• /
• pp.109-109
• /
• 2002

In recent reports, the multiple reproductive defects such as cryptorchidism, hypospadias, epididymal cysts, low sperm counts, and testicular cancers are increased in humans, and these changes were doubted by the chemicals with estrogenic or antiandrogenic activities in our environment. To compare the effects of neonatal exposure of di (n-butyl) phthalate and flutamide on the development of reproductive organs and to identify the specific mechanisms of these abnormalities related to the male reproducton, Sprague-Dawley neonate male rats were injected subcutaneously during 5-14 days after birth with corn oil (control), flutamide (0.05, 0.1, and 0.5 mg/animal) and DBP (5, 10, and 20 mg/animal). Animals were killed at 31 (immature) and 42 (pubertal) days of age respectively and blood was collected from abdominal aorta for serum testosterone analysis. Testes, epididymides, seminal vesicles, ventral prostate, levator ani plus bulbocavernosus muscle (LABC), cowpers glands and glans penis were weighed. Expression of steroid hormone receptors (AR and ER) was examined in the testes and ventral prostate. At 31 days of age, ventral prostate, seminal vesicles, LABC, and cowpers glands significantly decreased in the flutamide (0.5 mg/animal) and DBP (20 mg/animal), but serum testosterone levels were not changed. Flutamide slightly delayed the testes descent at the high dose (0.5 mg/animal), but DBP did not show any significant effect on the testes descent at all doses. DBP and flutamide decreased the expression of AR protein in the testes but did not affect the expression of ERa and ER protein in the testes. At 42 days of age, ventral prostate, seminal vesicles, and cowpers glands weights were still significantly decreased at the high dose of flutamide (0.5 mg/animal) and DBP (20 mg/animal), but the weights of testes and epididymides were not different. Serum testosterone decreased significantly in DBP treated animals and slightly, not significantly, in flutamide group. While DBP still significantly decreased the expression of AR protein in testis, flutamide recovered from downregulation of AR protein and did not affect the expression of ERa and ER protein in the testes. Based on these results, flutamide and DBP have shown several similar patterns in reproductive abnormalitis, but some marked differences which may be caused by different acting mechanism.

• Animal cells and systems
• /
• 제3권3호
• /
• pp.311-317
• /
• 1999

Prolactin (PRL) was reported to be locally synthesized in many brain areas including the hypothalamus, thalamus (TH) and hippocampus (HIP). In the pituitary lactotrophs, PRL synthesis is dependent upon a pituitary-specific transcription factor, Pit-1. In the present study, we attempted to identify Pit-1 or Pit-1-like protein in brain areas known as the synthetic sites of PRL. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Northern blot analysis showed the same Pit-1 transcripts in brain areas such as the medial basal hypothalamus (MBH), preoptic area (POA), TH, and HIP with the Pit-1 transcripts in the anterior pituitary (AP). Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) was run with nuclear protein extracts from brain tissues using a double strand oligomer probe containing a putative Pit-1 binding domain. Shifted bands were found in EMSA results with nuclear proteins from MBH, POA, TH and HIP. Specific binding of the Pit-1-like protein was further confirmed by competition with an unlabeled cold probe. Antisense Pit-1 oligodeoxynucleotide (Pit-1 ODN), which was designed to bind to the Pit-1 translation initiation site and block Pit-1 biosynthesis, was used to test Pit-1 dependent brain PRL transcription. Two nmol of Pit-1 ODN was introduced into the lateral ventricle of a 60-day old male rat brain. RNA blot hybridization and in situ hybridization indicated a decrease of PRL mRNA signals by the treatment of Pit-1 ODN. Taken together, the present study suggests that Pit-1 may play an important role in the transcriptional regulation of local PRL synthesis in the brain.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• 제28권1호
• /
• pp.31-36
• /
• 2009

Centrobin/Nip2 was initially identified as a centrosome protein that is critical for centrosome duplication and spindle assembly. In the present study, we determined the expression and subcellular localization of centrobin in selected mouse tissues. Immunoblot analysis revealed that the centrobin-specific band of 100 kDa was detected in all tissues tested but most abundantly in the thymus, spleen and testis. In the testis, centrobin was localized at the centrosomes of spermatocytes and early round spermatids, but no specific signal was detected in late round spermatids and elongated spermatids. Our results also revealed that the centrosome duplication occurs at interphase of the second meiotic division of the mouse male germ cells. The centrobin protein was more abundant in the mitotically active ovarian follicular cells and thymic cortex cells than in non-proliferating corpus luteal cells and thymic medullary cells. The expression pattern of centrobin suggests that the biological functions of centrobin are related to cell proliferation. Consistent with the proposal, we observed reduction of the centrobin levels when NIH3T3 became quiescent in the serum-starved culture conditions. However, a residual amount of centrobin was also detected at the centrosomes of the resting cells, suggesting its role for maintaining integrity of the centrosome, especially of the daughter centriole in the cells.

• Animal cells and systems
• /
• 제15권2호
• /
• pp.147-154
• /
• 2011

Animal cell cultures generally require a nutrient-rich medium supplemented with animal serum. Adult bovine serum contains a variety of nutrients including inorganic minerals, vitamins, salts, proteins and lipids as well as growth factors that promote animal cell growth. To evaluate the potential use of gender-specific bovine serum (GSBS) for cell culture, the biochemical properties of male serum (MS), female serum (FS) and castrated-male serum (CMS) were investigated. Overall, the chemical profile of GSBS was similar to that of bovine references except for glucose, creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase and potassium. FS showed elevated total protein and sodium concentrations compared to MS and CMS. Proteins present in MS, FS and CMS but absent in fetal bovine serum (FBS) were selected by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and identified by peptide mass fingerprinting. Some of the identified proteins are known to be involved in immune responses and the others have unknown physiological roles. Moreover, it was found that some proteins such as alpha-2-macroglobulin appeared to be gender-specific with higher contents in FS. Insulin and testosterone was significantly higher in MS, and $17{\beta}$-estradiol and estrone were higher in FS, as compared to the other sera. Taken together, the results indicate that each GSBS has a different ratio of components. Differences in serum constituents may affect cell cultures in a different manner and could be beneficial, depending on the specific aim of cell cultures.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• 제26권2호
• /
• pp.225-230
• /
• 1999

In mouse, the heat shock protein 70-2 (hsp70-2) is found to have special function in spermatogenesis. Based on the observation, the hypothesis that human hspA2 (human gene; 98.2% amino acid homology with hsp70-2) might have important function in spermatogenesis in human testes was proposed. To test the hypothesis, we examined the expression of hspA2 in human tissues. Expression vector pDMC4 for expression of the human hspA2 protein using pTricHisB (invitrogen, USA) was constructed and the expressed hspA2 protein was cross-reacted with antiserum 2A raised against mouse hsp70-2 protein. Based on the cross-reactivity, we determined the expression level of hspA2 protein in human tissues by western blot analysis using the antiserum 2A. We demonstrated that antiserum 2A antibodies detected human hspA2 protein with specificity which was produced in the E.coli expression system. On Western blot analyses, significant hspA2 expression was observed in testes with normal spermatogenesis, whereas a low level of hspA2 was expressed in testis with Sertoli-cell only syndrome. Also, a small amount of hspA2 was detected in breast, stomach, prostate, colon, liver, ovary, and epididymis. These results demonstrate that the hspA2 protein is highly expressed in male specific germ cells, which in turn suggests that hspA2 protein might playa specific role during meiosis in human testes as suggested in the murine model. However, further studies should be attempted to determine the function of hspA2 protein in human spermatogenesis.

• 한국동물학회지
• /
• 제28권4호
• /
• pp.237-244
• /
• 1985

非姙娠 女子, 姙娠된 女子 및 正常인 男子의 血漿蛋白質을 SDS/polyacrylamide 젤 電氣泳動으로 分析하였다. 分子量 10,000에서 110,000 dalton 사이의 正常인 男子와 非姙娠 女子의 血漿蛋白質의 패턴은 同一하였다. 本 硏究에서 非姙娠 女子와 姙娠된 女子의 血漿蛋白質을 比較하였을 때 새로운 band들이 나타나지는 않았지만 어떤 蛋白質 band들은 姙娠의 初期, 中期 및 末期에 따라서 量的으로 增加 EH는 減少되었다. 各 band들의 分子量을 測定한 結果 分子量 76,000 dalton 以上의 蛋白質들이 姙娠中 增加 또는 減少되어 짐을 알 수 있었다. 즉 分子量 86,00 dalton의 蛋白質은 姙娠 中期 까지는 增加되지 않았으나 姙娠 末期에는 增加되었다. 分子量 91,000-105,000 dalton 사이의 蛋白質들은 姙娠의 期間이 길어짐에 따라 대체로 量이 增加되었다. 反面에 分子量 94,000 dalton의 蛋白質은 姙娠 中期 까지는 量이 若干 減少 되었으나 末期에는 오히려 增加되었다. 그리고 分子量 99,000 dalton의 蛋白質은 姙娠 初期까지는 變化가 없었으나 中期에서 末期로 감에 따라 漸次的으로 增加되었다. 그러므로 우리들은 姙娠된 女子 血漿의 蛋白質 패턴을 調査함으로써 姙娠의 期間을 알 수 있음을 提示하는 바이다.

• 한국양식학회지
• /
• 제8권1호
• /
• pp.1-19
• /
• 1995

난황형성 중인 암 참돔의 혈청 내에는 암 특이혈청단백질이 존재하고 있음이 Ouchterlony의 면역확산 검정과 면역 전기영동에 의하여 밝혀졌으며, 이러한 암 특이혈청단백질은 암 $\cdot$수 혈청과 난추출액의 면역학적인 조사에 의해 난황단백 전구체임이 밝혀졌다. 또한 난추출액으로부터 정제된 난황단백질은 난황전구체와 공통의 항원성이 있음도 면역학적인 조사에 의하여 알 수 있었다. 변형한 효소면역측정법의 타당성을 조사하였다. 일정 비율로 희석한 성숙중인 암 혈청의 흡광도 곡선은 난황단백질의 표준곡선과 평행하였다 본 효소면역측정법의 평균 회수율은 $109\pm5.6\%$이었으며, $10\%$ 이내의 assay내 변동계수 범위는 $31\~1,000ng/ml$이었다. 생식소의 성숙 단계에 대한 혈장내의 난황단백전구체의 양과의 관계를 조사하기 위하여 휴지기후기(1월)부터 난황형성기(4월)까지 난황단백질에 대한 항체를 이용한 효소면역측정법에 의하여 혈장 난황단백전구체의 양을 측정하였다. 난황단백전구체의 양은 난황형성 전기인 2월부터 증가하기 시작하여, 난황형성기(3월부터 4월) 동안에는 난이 성장하면서 계속 증가하였다 2월부터 혈장내의 난황단백전구체의 양이 암$\cdot$수에 따라 현저하게 차이가 났다. 따라서 참돔 친어의 성 구분은 효소면역 측정법에 의하여 2월부터는 명확히 할 수 있다