• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제4권2호
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• pp.237-242
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• 2000

흰쥐 시상하부에서 합성ㆍ분비되어 뇌하수체 전엽에서의 growth hormone (GH) 분비를 촉진하는 growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH)이 시상하부 이외 조직들 (extrahypothalamic tissues)인 태반, 생식소, 그리고 뇌하수체 전엽에서도 발현됨이 보고되었다. 본 연구는 흰쥐 뇌하수체 전엽에서 발현되는 GHRH의 기능을 조사하기 위해 i)세포 배양을 시행하면서 GHRH의 세포내 함량, 분비 그리고 세포분획법 (cell-fractionation)을 사용하여 분리한 뇌하수체 세포 유형별로 GHRH 함량을 방사면역측정법으로 조사하였고, ii)체외배양 중인 뇌하수체 전엽세포의 증식에 미치는 GHRH의 효과를 측정하기 위해 [$^3$H] thymidine incorporation assay를, 그리고 iii) GHRH의 세포분열 촉진 효과와 세포내 c-fos 유전자 발현과의 상관관계를 조사하기 위해 northern blot analysis를 시행하였다. GHRH 방사면역측정법을 시행한 결과 상당량의 GHRH-like 분자들이 흰쥐 뇌하수체 전엽내에 존재하고, 체외 세포배양시 분비됨을 관찰하였다. 세포분획을 사용한 실험에서 GHRH 함량은 gonadotrope, somatotrope, lactotrope 그리고 thyrotrope 순으로 나타났다. 이 러한 결과는 흰쥐 뇌하수체 전엽에서 생성된 GHRH가 국부적인 조절인자, 특히 상이한 유형의 세포들 간의 상호조절 (cross-talk)을 통해 뇌하수체 전엽에서의 세포분열과 분화, 그리고 기능조절에 관여할 가능성을 보여주었다. GHRH는 체외 배양중인 뇌하수체 전엽세포의 [$^3$H] thymidine incorporation을 농도의존적으로 증가시켰으며, 이러한 GHRH의 세포분열 촉진 효과는 예상대로 세포내 oncogene 활성 의 증가를 통해 일어나는 것임을 c-fos northrn blot으로 확인하였다. 결론적으로, 본 연구는 흰쥐 뇌하수체 전엽에서 합성되는 GHRH가 paracrine 또는 autocrine 기작으로 GH의 분비 촉진 이외에도 세포분열의 조절함을 시사하는 것이다.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제2권2호
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• pp.189-196
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• 1998

Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone (GHRH)은 척추동물의 시상하부로부터 합성, 분비되어 시상하부-뇌하수체간의 문맥계를 통해 뇌하수체 전엽에 작용하여 Growth Hormone (GH)의 분비를 촉진한다. 시상하부에서 발현되는 일부 Releasing Hormone 들이 여러 시상하부외 조직에서도 검출되고 조직특이적인 기능을 수행한다는 사실이 여러 연구자들에 의해 밝혀졌다. 이러한 사실들을 배경으로 본 연구자는 GHRH가 흰쥐의 뇌하수체 전엽과 뇌하수체로부터 유래된 종양세포주들에서 발현될 가능성을 조사하였다. GHRH 펩타이드와 mRNA의 존재와 구조를 규명하기 위하여 뇌하수체와 배양 세포를 사용하여 GHRH immunocytochemistry, 방사면역측정법, GHRH PCR과 RNase protection assay를 시행하였다. Immunocytochemistry의 결과 gonadotrope (대형)와 somat-olactotrope (중간형)로 추정되는 세포들에서 GHRH 염색이 나타났고, Somatolactotrope성 종양세포인 GH3 cell 추출물에서 immunoreactive GHRH가 방사면역측정법으로 검출되었다. 3'rapid amplification of cDNA end (3'-RACE)를 시행한 결과, 흰쥐 뇌하수체에 GHRH transcript가 존재하고, 그 3'end 부분이 다른 조직내의 GHRH와 동일함을 확인하였다. GHRH RT-PCR에서도 뇌하수체와 종양세포주들인 $\alpha$T3 cell (gonadotrope성)과 GH3 cell에서 예상 산물들이 증폭되었다. RNase protection assay를 시행한 결과 난소절제에 의해 뇌하수체내 GHRH 유전자 발현이 증가됨을 확인하였다. 이상의 결과는 GHRH가 뇌하수체 전엽의 gonadotrope와 somatotrope에서 발현되고, paracrine 또는 autocrine조절물질로 작용하여 GH 분비 외에도 뇌하수체 전엽 세포들의 분화와 분열등에 관여함을 시사한다.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제22권9호
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• pp.1243-1253
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• 2012

뇌하수체 전엽에서 성장호르몬의 생산과 분비는 세포의 분열과 분화 그리고 이동을 조절하는 몇 가지 천연물질에 의해 유도된다. 따라서 발효과정을 통해 제조된 청국장이 성장호르몬의 대사에 미치는 영향을 평가하기 위하여 성장호르몬 분비능과 반응성을 뇌하수체 세포와 성장호르몬 표적세포에서 관찰하였다. 6가지 종류의 콩 품종으로 제조된 청국장 추출물 중에서, 대원, 대풍, 태광의 3종류 청국장 추출물은 5 mg/ml 농도에서 GH3 세포로부터 성장호르몬의 분비를 촉진하였다. 비록 세포 생존능은 이러한 추출물에 의해 유의적인 변화가 유도되지 않았으나, 성장호르몬의 분비량은 청국장 추출물의 농도에 의존적으로 증가하였다. 또한 성장호르몬의 표적 기관으로부터 유래된 MG63과 HepG2 세포는 GH3로부터 수집된 조건적 배양액에 의해 유의적으로 활성화되었다. 또한 이러한 세포에서 STAT5 발현은 대원 청국장 추출물을 처리 후, 15분 혹은 30분부터 세포질에서 유의적으로 증가하였으며, p-STAT5는 핵에서 30분 혹은 60분부터 증가하였다. 따라서 이러한 결과는 3가지 종류의 청국장 추출물은 성장호르몬의 분비를 촉진시키며, 청국장의 조건적 배양액은 성장호르몬 표적세포에서 신호전달을 유도함을 제시하고 있다.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.307-313
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• 2006

The development of in vitro assays has been recommended to screening and testing the potential endocrine disruptors (EDs). These assay systems focus only on identifying the estrogenic or antiestrogenic activity of EDs, whereas a few studies have been carried out to screen the thyroid hormone (TH) disruptors. The aim of this study was to evaluate a test system to detect TH disruptors using rat pituitary tumor $GH_3$ cells. The test system is based on the TH-dependent increase in growth rate. As expected, L-3,5,3-triiodothyronine ($(T_3)$ markedly induced a morphological change in $GH_3$ cells from flattened fibroblastic types to rounded or spindle-shaped types. $T_3$ stimulated $GH_3$ cell growth in a dose-dependent manner with the maximum growth-stimulating effect being observed at a concentration $1{\times}10^9M$. In addition, $T_3$ increased the release of growth hormone and prolactin into the medium of the $GH_3$ cells culture. Using this assay system, the TH-disrupting activities of bisphenol A (BPA) and its related compounds were examined. BPA, dimethy/bisphenol A (DMBPA), and TCI-EP significantly enhanced the growth of $GH_3$ cells in the range of $1{\times}10^{-5}M\;to\;1{\times}10^{-6}M$ concentrations. In conclusion, this in vitro assay system might be useful for identifying potential TH disruptors. However, this method will require further evaluation and standardization before it can be used as a broad-based screening tool.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제23권3호
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• pp.269-275
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• 1996

Biosynthesis and secretion of anterior pituitary hormones are under the control of specific hypothalamic stimulatory and inhibitory factors. Among them, Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone (GHRH) is the major stimulator of pituitary somatotrophs activating GH gene expression and secretion. Human GHRH is a polypeptide of 44 amino acids initially isolated from pancreatic tumors, and the gene for the hypothalamic form of GHRH is organized into 5 exons spanning over 10 kilobases (kb) on genomic DNA and encodes a messenger RNA of 700-750 nucleotides. Several neuropeptides classically associated with the hypothalamus have been found in the extrahypothalamic regions, suggesting the existence of novel sources, targets and functions. GHRH-like immunoreactivity has been found in several peripheral sites, including placenta, testis, and ovary, indicating that GHRH may also have regulatory roles in peripheral reproductive organs. Furthermore, higher molecular weight forms of the GHRH transcripts were identified from these organs (1.75 kb in testis; 1.75 and >3 kb in ovary). These tissue-specific expression of GHRH gene suggest the existence of unique regulatory mechanism of GHRH expression and function in these organs. In fact, placenta-specific and testis-specific promoters for GHRH transcripts which are located in about 10 kb upstream region of hypothalamic promoter were reported. The use of unique promoters in extrahypothalamic sites could be refered in a different control of GHRH gene and different functions of the translated products in these tissues. Somatotrophs and lactotrophs have been thought to be derived from a common bipotential progenitor, the somatolactotrophs, which give origins to either phenotypes. Although the precise mechanism responsible for the lactotroph differentiation in the anterior pituitary gland has not been yet clalified, there are several candidators for the generation of lactotrophs. In human, the presence of GHRH peptides with different size from authentic hypothalamic form in the normal anterior pituitary and several types of adenoma were demonstrated. Recently our group found the existence of immunoreactive GHRH and its transcript from the normal rat anterior pituitary (gonadotroph> somatotroph> lactotroph), and the GHRH treatment evoked the increased proliferation rate of anterior pituitary cells in vitro. The transgenic mouse models clearly shown that GHRH or NGF overexpression by anterior pituitary cells induced development of pituitary hyperplasia and adenomas particularly GH-oma and prolactinoma. Taken together, we hypothesize that the pituitary GHRH could serve not only as a modulator of hormone secretion but as a paracrine or autocrine regulator of anterior pituitary cell proliferation and differentiation. Interestingly enough, the expression of Pit-1 homeobox gene (the POU class transcription factor) was confined to somatotrophs, lactotrophs and somatolactotrophs in which GHRH receptors are expressed commonly. Concerning the mechanism of somatolactotroph and lactotroph differentiation in the anterior pituitary, we have focused following two possibilities; (1) changes in the relative levels or interactions of both hypothalamic and intrapituitary factors such as dopamine, VIP, somatostatin, NGF and GHRH; (2) alterations of GHRH-GHRH receptor signaling and Pit-1 activity may be the cause of lactotroph differentiation or pituitary hyperplasia and adenoma formation. Extensive further studies will be necessary to solve these complicated questions.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• 제26권11호
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• pp.929-936
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• 2003

Methanol extract (MeOH), n-hexane (Hx), chloroform ($CHCl_3$), ethyl acetate (EA), butanol (BuOH) and aqueous ($H_2O$) fractions of Eucommiae Cortex including geniposidic acid (GA), geniposide (GP) and aucubin (AU) were tested for their therapeutic efficacy on osteoporosis. The contents of GA, GP and AU in the cortex and leaf of Eucommia ulmoides Oliver were quantified by HPLC. The effect of Eucommiae Cortex on the induction of growth hormone (GH) release was studied by using rat pituitary cells. The proliferation of osteoblast-like cells increased by herbal extracts was assayed using a tetrazolium (MTT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and [$^3H$]-proline incorporation assays. The inhibition of osteoclast was studied by using the coculture of mouse bone marrow cells and ST-2 cells. As a result, the GA, GP and AU were present in the cortex more than in the leaf of E. ulmoides Oliver. The MeOH (1mg/mL), Hx, $CHCl_3$ and EA fractions (each 20 $\mu$ g/mL) had potent induction of GH release. The $CHCl_3$ exhibited the potent proliferation of osteoblasts. The AU, GP and GA were increased proliferation of osteoblasts. In addition, GA ($IC_{50}: 4.43{\times}10^{-7}$M), AU and GP were significantly inhibited proliferation of osteoclast. In summary, it is thought that the components in a part of the fractions of Eucommiae Cortex participate in each step of mechanism for activating osteoblast to facilitate osteogenesis, and suppress osteoclast activity to inhibit osteolysis.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• 제17권6호
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• pp.1235-1239
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• 2008

To study the health promoting effects of medicinal plants, 30 medicinal plants commonly available in Korea have been evaluated for their antioxidant compounds and antioxidant and antiproliferative activities. Total polyphenolics and flavonoids in the methanolic extracts were measured by spectrophotometric methods and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical scavenging activities and chelating effects have been determined for antioxidant activities. Moreover, the effects of medicinal plants on cell proliferation of intestinal (Caco-2) and pituitary (GH3) tumor cells were investigated using thiazolyl blue terazolium bromide (MIT) assay. The methanolic extracts of Pueraria thunbergiana and Artemisiae asiatria contained the highest total polyphenolic and flavonoid contents, respectively. P. thunbergiana exhibited the highest antioxidant activities. A. asiatria showed the strongest antiproliferative activity against Caco-2 and Ponciruc trifoliata Rafin and Lophathrum gracile Bronghiart exhibited the highest activities against GH3. Although there was positive correlation between ABTS radical scavenging activity and polyphenolic contents ($R^2=8189$), no relationship was found between antiproliferative and antioxidant activities.