• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제19권5호
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• pp.435-440
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• 2015

This study aimed to investigate the effect of pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide (PACAP) on the pacemaker activity of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) in mouse colon and to identify the underlying mechanisms of PACAP action. Spontaneous pacemaker activity of colonic ICC and the effects of PACAP were studied using electrophysiological recordings. Exogenously applied PACAP induced hyperpolarization of the cell membrane and inhibited pacemaker frequency in a dose-dependent manner (from 0.1 nM to 100 nM). To investigate cyclic AMP (cAMP) involvement in the effects of PACAP on ICC, SQ-22536 (an inhibitor of adenylate cyclase) and cell-permeable 8-bromo-cAMP were used. SQ-22536 decreased the frequency of pacemaker potentials, and cell-permeable 8-bromo-cAMP increased the frequency of pacemaker potentials. The effects of SQ-22536 on pacemaker potential frequency and membrane hyperpolarization were rescued by co-treatment with glibenclamide (an ATP-sensitive $K^+$ channel blocker). However, neither $N^G$-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, a competitive inhibitor of NO synthase) nor 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-${\alpha}$]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ, an inhibitor of guanylate cyclase) had any effect on PACAP-induced activity. In conclusion, this study describes the effects of PACAP on ICC in the mouse colon. PACAP inhibited the pacemaker activity of ICC by acting through ATP-sensitive $K^+$ channels. These results provide evidence of a physiological role for PACAP in regulating gastrointestinal (GI) motility through the modulation of ICC activity.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제39권3호
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• pp.95-106
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• 2012

It has been revealed that multiple cohorts of tertiary follicles develop during some animal estrous cycle and the human menstrual cycle. To reach developmental competence, oocytes need the support of somatic cells. During embryogenesis, the primordial germ cells appear, travel to the gonadal rudiments, and form follicles. The female germ cells develop within the somatic cells of the ovary, granulosa cells, and theca cells. How the oocyte and follicle cells support each other has been seriously studied. The latest technologies in genes and proteins and genetic engineering have allowed us to collect a great deal of information about folliculogenesis. For example, a few web pages (http://www.ncbi.nlm. nih.gov; http://mrg.genetics.washington.edu) provide access to databases of genomes, sequences of transcriptomes, and various tools for analyzing and discovering genes important in ovarian development. Formation of the antrum (tertiary follicle) is the final phase of folliculogenesis and the transition from intraovarian to extraovian regulation. This final step coordinates with the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis. On the other hand, currently, follicle physiology is under intense investigation, as little is known about how to overcome women's ovarian problems or how to develop competent oocytes from in vitro follicle culture or transplantation. In this review, some of the known roles of hormones and some of the genes involved in tertiary follicle growth and the general characteristics of tertiary follicles are summarized. In addition, in vitro culture of tertiary follicles is also discussed as a study model and an assisted reproductive technology model.

• Animal cells and systems
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• 제4권2호
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• pp.173-179
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• 2000

Evidence suggested that atypical antipsychotics (APs) such as clozapine show less side effects than those of typical APs such as haloperidol and sulpiride. However, little is known about chronic effects of these drugs on changes in gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) mRNA expression and luteinizing hormone (LH) immunoreactivity. Male rats were divided into water-, haloperidol-, sulpiride-, and clozapine-treated groups, and these drugs were administered orally for 4 weeks. The changes in the expression of GnRH mRNA and the LH immunoreactivity were determined in the hypothalamus and pituitary, respectively, using in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. GnRH mRNAs were clearly expressed in the water-treated control vats. This was significantly reduced by the chronic treatments with the typical APs, especially with haloperidol, but not with atypical APs clozapine. Likewise, LH immunoreactivity was clearly stained in the control group. While its immunoreativity was significantly reduced by the chronic APs treatments, clozapine treatment showed only slight attenuation. The results show that the atypical APs clozapine has less side effects in the gonadal function than the typical APs haloperidol and the sulpiride. These results suggest that clozapine is a safer drug than the typical APs, at least in the reproductive system.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제7권1_2호
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• pp.3-10
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• 1980

뇌하수체의 성선자극 홀몬 분비 세포는 혈액내 estradiol양의 변화에 따라 LH와 FSH를 분비하므로써 주기적인 변화를 보인다. 성선 자극 홀몬의 분비는 성선 자극 홀몬을 합성하고 보유하는 두가지 형태의 능력의 크기에 의하여 조절되며 이들을 조절하는 것은 시상하부에서 분비되는 황체형성 홀몬-분비 홀몬(LH-RH)과 난소에서 분비되는 estradiol이다. LH-RH는 성선 자극 홀몬 분비세포에 작용하여 성선 자극 홀몬 합성, 저장 및 분비를 촉진시키며 estradiol은 LH-RH의 기능을 확대하고 LH-RH가 self-priming효과를 나타내도록 유도하기도 하며 LH-RH의 성선 자극 홀몬 분비 기능을 저해하기도 한다. Estradiol은 기저성 성선 자극 홀몬을 분비시키기 위하여 negative feedback작용을 하고 배란성 성선 자극 홀몬을 분비시키기 위하여는 positive feedback작용을 하며 feedback작용 부위는 시상하부 및 뇌하수체 전엽이다. 또한, estradiol이 feedback작용을 하여 성선 자극 홀몬의 분비를 조절하는 데는 LH-RH뿐만 아니라 중추신경-시상하부에서 분비되는 dopamine, norepinephrine, prostaglandin등이 참여한다.

• 한국생물물리학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국생물물리학회 1999년도 학술발표회 진행표 및 논문초록
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• pp.58-58
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• 1999

The paraventricular nucleus (PVN) is a complex structure comprised of several different populations of cells divided into two main groups, the magnocellular (type I) neurons which secrete vasopressin and oxytocin and the parvocellular (type II) neurons which regulate hormone secretion from the anterior pituitary.(omitted)

• 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.

• BMB Reports
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• 제40권6호
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• pp.966-972
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• 2007

Pituitary tumor transforming gene (PTTG1) is widely detected in many tumors. Increasing evidence reveals that PTTG1 is associated with cell proliferation, cellular transformation and apoptosis. However, the functions of PTTG1, especially its role in DNA damage-induced apoptosis, remain largely unclear. In this report, we used UV irradiation to induce apoptosis in HeLa cells to examine the role of PTTG1 in UV-induced apoptosis by RNAi-mediated knockdown and overexpression of PTTG1. RNAi-mediated knockdown of PTTG1 expression increased and overexpression of PTTG1 decreased the UV-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, UV irradiation decreased PTTG1 mRNA and protein expression. These effects were found to be mediated by JNK pathway. Therefore, PTTG1 had an important anti-apoptotic role in UV-induced apoptosis and this role was mediated by JNK pathway. These results may provide important information for understanding the exact role and the regulation mechanism of PTTG1 in UV-induced apoptosis.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제6권1호
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• pp.6-12
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• 2006

Background: The Hypothalamo-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis is an important regulator for the body's stress response. As a primary stress responsive system, HPA-axis secretes various neurotransmitters, hormones, and cytokines, which regulates the immune system. Natural killer (NK) cell which is plays an important role in the innate immune response, is specially decreased their numbers and loose cytolytic activity in response to stress. However, the effect of HPA-axis secreted proteins on NK cell activity has not been defined. Herein, we studied the effect of adrenal secreted adiponectin on NK cell cytotoxicity. Adiponectin which is well-known metabolic control protein, plays important roles in various diseases, including hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, inflammatory disorders, and cancer. Methods: Signal sequence trap was used to find stress novel secretory protein from HP A-axis. Selected adiponectin was treated mouse mature primary NK cells and then examined the effect of adiponectin to NK cell cytotoxicity and cytokine expression level. Results: We found that adiponectin which is secreted from adrenal gland, suppress IL-2 induced NK cell cytotoxicity. And also investigated cytolytic cytokines are suppressed by adiponectin. Conclusion: These data suggest that adiponectin inhibites NK cell cytotoxicity via suppression of cytotoxicity related target gene.

• BMB Reports
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• 제40권6호
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• pp.979-985
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• 2007

Induction of growth hormone (GH) by Glycyrrhizae Radix (GR), one of the most popular herbal medicine, and its major ingredients were studied in rat pituitary cells in vitro and in vivo assay. The MeOH extract and the n-hexane (HX) fraction of GR induced rat GH (rGH) release up to 1.89 times ($0.34{\pm}0.04 nM$) and 4.59 times ($0.83{\pm}0.03 nM$), compared to the basal level (p < 0.05). Among many ingredients isolated and purified from GR both glycyrrhetinic acid and glycyrrhizin induced significantly rGH release compared to the control (p < 0.05). After an intravenous injection of rat growth hormone releasing hormone (rGHRH) ($10{\mu}g$/kg) as positive control, in SD rats, $T_{max}$ of plasma rGH level was 10 min, $C_{max}$ was $3.84{\pm}0.01 nM$ (n = 3), and enhanced plasma rGH level returned to the baseline in 90 min. Both $AUC_{0-90}$ (area under the curve) of plasma rGH level after HX fraction and that after rGHRH administration were increased significantly from the basal level, respectively (p < 0.01). In conclusions, HX fraction is the most active fraction of MeOH extract of GR in rGH induction.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제10권1호
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• pp.22-36
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• 2000

The mammary gland contains a subpopulation of epithelial cells with large proliferative potentials which are the likely targets for carcinogens. These clonogenic cells can proliferate and differentiate into functional glandular structures. Multicellular secretory alveolar units (AU) develop from these clonogens in grafts of monodispersed rat mammary epithelial cells (RMEC) in gland-free mammary fat pads in intact recipient F344 rats co-grafted with mammotropic hormone-secreting pituitary tumors (MtT F4). Multicellular nonsecretory ductal units (DU) develop in grafts of monodispersed RMEC in gland-free fat pads in adrenalectomized recipient WF rats co-grafted with MtT W10. However, this effect were reversed by hydrocortisone replacement therapy. RMEC were isolated from appropriate donor rats as monodispersed mixed cells or, alternatively, RNA＋ cells were sorted by flow cytometry of mixed RMEC stained with FITC-RNA and PE-anti-Thy-1.1 monoclonal antibody. We grafted mixed or sorted PNA+ cells in gland-free mammary fat pads in recipient rats that were endocrinologically manipulated to induce AU or DU. Cells were also isolated from these AU or DU as mixed or sorted RNA＋ cells and sub-transplanted in recipient rats treated appropriately to induce AU or DU, respectively. Cells obtained from AU in grafts gave rise to clonal AU and from DU in grafts to DU on sub-transplantation in appropriate recipients. When adrenalectomized recipient WF rats co-grafted with MtT W10 received daily subcutaneous injections of hydrocortisone for periods of 21 days following the PHA＋ cell transplantation, AU, instead of DU, were developed. The histologies of these secondary AU and DU were not different from those of the primary AU and DU. Casein and laminin proteins were demonstrated by immunocytochemical staining of primary and secondary AU. Electron micrographs also demonstrated that AU were composed of secretory cells with milk protein in the cytoplasm. DU were composed of little or non-secretory ductal epithelial cells. These AU and DU also secreted large amounts of lipids. Clonogenic cells were more common in DU than in AU. Thus, AU and DU contain persistent subpopulations of clonogenic stem-like cells.