• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.2 no.1 s.2
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• pp.41-48
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• 1966

The author studied the adrenotropic receptors of the non-pregnant uteri of the rabbit and rat, using epinephrine (alpha and beta activator), phenoxybenzamine(alpha blocking agent) and nethalide (beta blockade), and obtained the following results: 1. The spontaneous motility of isolated non-pregnant uteri from rabbits were stimulated by epinephrine, whereas that of isolated non-pregnant rat uterus was inhibited by epinephrine. 2. Both alpha and beta adrenergic receptors were present in the uterine muscle of both animals. 3. In the non-pregnant rabbit uterus, alpha receptors were predominant, whereas in the non -pregnant rat uterus, beta receptors preponderated over alpha receptors.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.157-168
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• 2013

The objective of this study was to characterize the adverse effects of Ahnjon-Yichun-Tang during early pregnancy. Following successful mating, female Sprague-Dawley rats were given Ahnjon-Yichun-Tang(AYT) extract by oral administration daily with dose of 150mg (n=10), 300mg(n=10), 450mg(n=10) for 20 days of pregnancy. The rats in Control group(n=10) were orally administrated with Saline. All pregnant rats of Ahnjon-Yichun-Tang-treated and Control groups were sacrificed on day 20 of pregnancy. The pregnancy outcome was determined and the internal and reproductive organs of pregnant rat were observed. The fetuses were examined for the presence of various developmental toxic endpoints and stained with alcian blue and alizarin red S, and observed skeletal malformations. The results obtained in this study represent that there is no significant changes between Control and Ahnjon-Yichun-Tang-treated groups in body weight, organ weight, blood chemistry values, hematological values and pregnancy indexes of pregnant rat. The skeletal malformation of fetus was not observed as well. These results suggest that oral administration of Ahnjon-Yichun-Tang does not produce either maternal or developmental toxicity.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.503-508
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• 2014

Spontaneous myometrial contraction (SMC) in pregnant uterus is greatly related with gestational age and growing in frequency and amplitude toward the end of gestation to initiate labor. But, an accurate mechanism has not been elucidated. In human and rat uterus, all TRPCs except TRPC2 are expressed in pregnant myometrium and among them, TRPC4 are predominant throughout gestation, suggesting a possible role in regulation of SMC. Therefore, we investigated whether the TRP channel may be involved SMC evoked by mechanical stretch in pregnant myometrial strips of rat using isometric tension measurement and patch-clamp technique. In the present results, hypoosmotic cell swelling activated a potent outward rectifying current in G protein-dependent manner in rat pregnant myocyte. The current was significantly potentiated by $1{\mu}M$ lanthanides (a potent TRPC4/5 stimulator) and suppressed by $10{\mu}M$ 2-APB (TRPC4-7 inhibitor). In addition, in isometric tension experiment, SMC which was evoked by passive stretch was greatly potentiated by lanthanide ($1{\mu}M$) and suppressed by 2-APB ($10{\mu}M$), suggesting a possible involvement of TRPC4/5 channel in regulation of SMC in pregnant myometrium. These results provide a possible cellular mechanism for regulation of SMC during pregnancy and provide basic information for developing a new agent for treatment of premature labor.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.42-49
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• 1999

The reproductive effect of $Telazol^{\circledR}$ was studied in pregnant rats. Two different doses (20 or 40 mg/kg/day) were injected on days one of 3, 5 or 8 of pregnancy and 3 consecutive days of 3~5 or 5~7 in pregnant rats. On days 8 or 21, the rats were anesthetized, the cesarean section was performed, the uterus was carefully examined, and the numbers of corpora lutea, implantation sites and viable fetuses, fetal and placental weights and pre-and post-implantation losses in rats were surveyed. Simultaneously the concentrations of sodium and potassium of the plasma, uterine and amniotic fluids were determined. And gestation period in pregnant rats, postnatal offspring survival and body weight gains were evaluated. Administration of $Telazol^{\circledR}$ did not exert a bad influence upon body weight gains in pregnant rats. Reproductive indices were normal. The concentrations of sodium and potassium of the plasma, uterine and amniotic fluids in pregnant rats remained unchanged. Gestation period of rats, postnatal offspring survival and body weight gains were normal. It is concluded that $Telazol^{\circledR}$ is devoided of significant adverse reproductive effects in pregnant rats.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.141-145
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• 1995

The effect of splenectomy on the concentration of progesterone in pregnant wistar rats showing 4-day regular estrous cycles more than two cycles were investigated. The day after mating with the same male animal was designated day 0 of pregnancy. Splenectomy was conducted on day 0 (early-S), 6 (middle-S) and 13 (late-S) of pregnant rat, respectively. Blood sample were collected at day 1, 7, 14 and 21 of pregnancy. Concentraton of serum progesterone was determined by emzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using specific antibodies and emzyme conjugate(progesterone peroxidase labeled). In normal pregnant rats, serum progesterone concentrations were increased significantly (P<0.05) on day 7 and 14 of pregnancy compared with on day 1 of pregnancy and then dramatically decreased on day 21. However in early and middle splenectomized rats, progesterone concentrations were significantly (P<0.05) decreased on day 7 and 14 of pregnancy compared with same day of normal rats. These observations indicate that luteotropic action and steroidogenesis by corpus luteum of ovary may be regulated by splenocytes in rat.

• Korean Journal of Exercise Nutrition
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.73-84
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• 2012

Thyroid hormones are important for the development of the brain including the cerebellum. In the present study, we investigated the effect of treadmill exercise on the survival of Purkinje neurons and the activation of astrocytes in the cerebellar vermis of hypothyroidism-induced rat pups. On the day of perinatal 14, pregnant rats were divided into two groups (n = 5 in each group): the pregnant control group and the pregnantmethimazole (MMI)-treated group. For the induction of hypothyroidism in the rat pups, MMI was added to the drinking water (0.02% wt/vol), from the day of perinatal 14 to postnatal 49. After delivery, male rat pups born from the pregnant control group were assigned to the control group. Male rat pups born from the MMI-treated group were divided into the hypothyroidism-induction group, the hypothyroidism-induction with treadmill exercise group, and the hypothyroidism-induction with thyroxine (T4) treatment group (n = 10 in each group). The rat pups in the exercise group were forced to run on a treadmill for 30 min once a day for 4 weeks, starting on postnatal day 22. In the hypothyroidism-induced rat pups, motor coordination was reduced and Purkinje cell death and reactive astrocytes in the cerebellar vermis were increased. Treadmill exercise enhanced motor coordination, increased the survival of Purkinje neurons, down-regulated reactive astrocytes, and enhanced brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and receptor tyrosine kinase B (TrkB) expressions in the hypothyroidism-induced rat pups. These results suggest that treadmill exercise has beneficial effects in terms of protecting against thyroid dysfunction by increasing T3 and T4 and the related protein, BDNF, as well as TrkB, inhibition on astrocyte activation and the reduction of Purkinje cell loss regarding the cerebellum in hypothyroidism rat pups.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.124-131
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• 2021

Objective: Approximately 30% of preeclamptic pregnancies exhibit abnormal liver function tests. We assessed liver injury-associated enzyme levels and circulating transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) levels in an arginine vasopressin (AVP)-induced pregnant Sprague-Dawley rat model. Methods: Pregnant and non-pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats (n=24) received AVP (150 ng/hr) subcutaneously via mini-osmotic pumps for 18 days. Blood pressure was measured, urine samples were collected, and all animals were euthanized via isoflurane. Blood was collected to measure circulating levels of TGF-β1-3 isomers and liver injury enzymes in pregnant AVP (PAVP), pregnant saline (PS), non-pregnant AVP (NAVP), and non-pregnant saline (NS) rats. Results: The PAVP group showed significantly higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure than both saline-treated groups. The weight per pup was significantly lower in the AVP-treated group than in the saline group (p<0.05). Circulating TGF-β1-3 isomer levels were significantly higher in the PAVP rats than in the NS rats. However, similar TGF-β1 and TGF-β3 levels were noted in the PS and PAVP rats, while TGF-β2 levels were significantly higher in the PAVP rats. Circulating liver-type arginase-1 and 5'-nucleotidase levels were higher in the PAVP rats than in the saline group. Conclusion: This is the first study to demonstrate higher levels of TGF-β2, arginase, and 5'-nucleotidase activity in PAVP than in PS rats. AVP may cause vasoconstriction and increase peripheral resistance and blood pressure, thereby elevating TGF-β and inducing the preeclampsia-associated inflammatory response. Future studies should explore the mechanisms through which AVP dysregulates liver injury enzymes and TGF-β in pregnant rats.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.41-48
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• 1991

The present investigation has been undertaken to elucidate the functional role of ovarian steroids on the mechanism of oviduct differentiation during early embryonic development in rat. The activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALPase) was measured in the oviduct tissue under different steroids treatment regime on day 9 pregnancy. The ALPase activity of the oviduct of pseudopregnant rat was compared with that of normal pregnant rat. The results of day 9 pregnancy rat oviduct clearly demonstrated that $17{\beta}-estradiol$ and progesterone were effective in pseudopregnant rat oviduct. In the ovary intact group the ALPase activity was similar in both of normal and pseudopregnant oviduct, but in the $17{\beta}-estradiol$ treated group the ALPase activity in normal pregnancy was significantly higher than that in pseudopregnancy. The effect of estradiol on the normal pregnant rat oviduct was apparently found on day 3 and day 9 pregnancy. This study, therefore, clearly demonstrates that $17{\beta}-estradiol$ is much potent in oviduct tissue differentiation. It is suggested that absence of $17{\beta}-estradiol$ effect on pseudopregnant rat oviduct is due to there is no embryo passing througth the oviduct.

• BMB Reports
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• v.42 no.10
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• pp.679-684
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• 2009

Fenofibrate has been proven to reduce adiposity. Since gestation produces an increase in white adipose tissue (WAT) mass, we comparatively studied this drug-effect in virgin and pregnant rats. Fenofibrate reduced lumbar WAT weight in both pregnant and virgin rats. Fenofibrate treatment did not modify plasma free fatty acid (FFA) concentration in virgin rats, it greatly increased it in pregnant animals. Remarkable differences between the two groups were obtained for two proteins related to fatty acid oxidation and esterification and storing. Respectively, the mRNA levels of carnitine palmitoyltransferase I (CPT-I) were increased by the fenofibrate only in the virgin rats and a similar finding was observed for the expression of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK). These findings indicate that fenofibrate reduces adiposity in pregnant and virgin rats through different mechanisms: a) in virgin rats, by promoting fatty acid oxidation; and b) in pregnant rats, by enhancing fatty acid output.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.241-249
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• 2009

Although extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ entry through the voltage-dependent $Ca^{2+}$ channels plays an important role in the spontaneous phasic contractions of the pregnant rat myometrium, the role of the T-type $Ca^{2+}$ channels has yet to be fully identified. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of the T-type $Ca^{2+}$ channel in the spontaneous phasic contractions of the rat myometrium. Spontaneous phasic contractions and $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ were measured simultaneously in the longitudinal strips of female Sprague-Dawley rats late in their pregnancy (on day 18 ${\sim}$ 20 of gestation: term=22 days). The expression of T-type $Ca^{2+}$ channel mRNAs or protein levels was measured. Cumulative addition of low concentrations (< 1 ${\mu}M$) of nifedipine, a L-type $Ca^{2+}$ channel blocker, produced a decrease in the amplitude of the spontaneous $Ca^{2+}$ transients and contractions with no significant change in frequency. The mRNAs and proteins encoding two subunits (${\alpha}$ 1G, ${\alpha}$ 1H) of the T-type $Ca^{2+}$ channels were expressed in longitudinal muscle layer of rat myometrium. Cumulative addition of mibefradil, NNC 55-0396 or nickel induced a concentration-dependent inhibition of the amplitude and frequency of the spontaneous $Ca^{2+}$ transients and contractions. Mibefradil, NNC 55-0396 or nickel also attenuated the slope of rising phase of spontaneous $Ca^{2+}$ transients consistent with the reduction of the frequency. It is concluded that T-type $Ca^{2+}$ channels are expressed in the pregnant rat myometrium and may play a key role for the regulation of the frequency of spontaneous phasic contractions.