• Development and Reproduction
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.231-236
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• 2000

Recent studies have clearly shown that the expression of genes for gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and its receptor in the rat reproductive organs including ovary, testis, placenta uterus and mammary gland. Moreover, luteinizing hormone (LH) classically known to be a main target product of GnRH in anterior pituitary has been found in rat gonads. These findings suggested the presence of local circuit composed of GnRH and LH in the rat gonads. The present study was undertaken to elucidate whether the genes for LH and its receptor are expressed in rat mammary gland. Expression of LH and its receptor genes in the rat mammary gland was demonstrated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and specific LH radioimmunoassay (RIA). The LH${\beta}$ transcripts in the mammary gland from cycling rats contained the pituitary type of LH${\beta}$ exons 1~3 encoding the entire LH${\beta}$ polypeptide but lacked the rat testis-specific LH${\beta}$ exon(s). Presence of ${\alpha}$ -subunit transcripts in the rat mammary gland were determined by RT-PCR. The cDNA fragments encoding exons 2~7 of rat LH receptor transcripts were amplified in both rat ovary and mammary gland samples. We could detect the GnRH expression in mammary gland from cycling virgin rats, and this result disagreed with previous report that mammary GnRH expression is occured in lactating rats only. Considerable amounts of immunoreactive LH molecules with good RIA parallelism in standard curve were detected in crude extracts from the rat mammary gland, indicating that the immunoreactive LH materials in the gland might be identical to authentic pituitary LH. To our knowledge, the present study demonstrated for the first time the expression of LH subunits and LH receptor in the rat mammary gland. Our findings suggested that the mammary gland might be the novel source and target of LH and the mammary LH could be act as a local regulator with auto-and/or paracrine manner under the regulation of local GnRH.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.465-474
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• 1998

This study was examined on the effect of ex-vivo immunotherapy in 7, 12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced rat mammary carcinogenesis. Sprague-Dawley female 40 rats were divided into Jour groups. As a positive control, Group I was intubated with DMBA, 5 mg /100 g body weight and single dose, at experimental onset. Group II was treated ex-vivo immunotherapy with polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (Poly I : C) and Group III was treated with Interleukin-2 (IL-2). Group IV was negative control. All rats were sacrificed at 16 weeks after DMBA intubation. Mammary gland wet weight, dry fat free tissue weight, incidence of tumor, and the number of lobules, alveolar buds, terminal end buds, and terminal ducts were examined. Morphological changes of the mammary gland after treated with DMBA were analyzed by whole mount and histopathological method. As results, the induced mammary tumors of Group I, II and III were 60%, 33% and 0%, respectively. Histopathological types of induced-mammary tumors were adenoma, adenocarcinoma and carcinosarcoma. In analysis of the whole mount method, the number of the terminal end buds, terminal ducts and lobules were significantly lower in Group II (p<0.01) and III (p<0.01) than DMBA alone treated Group I. In microscopic observation, hyperplastic alveolar nodules were significantly lower in Group III than Group I (p<0.01). In conclusion, IL-2 had strong inhibitory effect on the mammary gland tumorigenesis induced by DMBA in rats. Whole mount method may be a useful technique to assess the mammary carcinogenesis. Moreover, hyperplastic alveolar nodules were very sensitive parameter to assess the mammary carcinogenesis.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.375-383
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• 1994

The human growth hormone (hGH) gene uder the control of the rat $\beta$-casein promoter gene was designed to produce transgenic mouse expressed hGH gene in only mammary gland. One hundred seventy two eggs microinjected were transferred to the oviducts of pseudopregnants and 43 offspring were delivered. By Southern blotting hybridization, 3 were transgenic with rat $\beta$-casein/hGH gene. The copy numbers of three transgenic founder were 1, 5, and 15, respectively. A radioimmunoassay was developed to quantitate the amount of expression of the hGH gene in mammary gland of transgenic mice. The amount of hGH was 13.3ng/ml in the lactating milk of one transgenic line, showing predominantly higher than 3.0ng/ml in milk of control mice. Therefore, our findings suggested that $\beta$-casein promoter may induce the tissue specific expression of structural gene.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.241-249
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• 1988

In order to investigate the morphological characteristics of dendritic cells in the mammary gland of the mouse (C57 BL/6), rat(W), rabbit and cat, the fine structures of the dendritic cells have been observed by the electron microscope. The results obtained were summarized as follows: The dendritic cells with the well-developed processes had an irregular shape, and lacked the desmosome. The pinocytotic vesicles and tubular invaginations of the cell membrane were frequently observed, and the mitochondria with the well-developed cristae were located in the restricted region in the cytoplasm of the dendritic cells. The nuclei of dendritic cells were indented, In the mice and rats, the dendritic cells had a few Langerhans cell granules(Birbeck granules). From the above results, it is confirmed that the ATPase-positive dendritic cells in the mammary gland are the Langerhans cells.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.37-44
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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. Rat mammary epithelial cells (RMEC) were isolated and characterized in vitro. By flow cytometry of RMEC stained with fluorescein isothiocyanate-peanut agglutinin(PNA) and phycoerythrin anti-Thy-1.1 monoclonal antibody, it was possible to four cell subpopulations from 7-8 week old F344 female rat mammary glands: cells negative to both reagents (B-), PNA-positive cells (PNA+), Thy-1.1-positive cells (Thy-1.1+), and cells positive to both reagents (B+). When single PNA+ cells were isolated and cultured in Matrigel with irradiated (∼50 Gray) 3T3 fibroblast feeder layer, they gave rise to multicellular clonal structures of three types: alveolar, foamy alveolar, and squamous colonies. The developed structures were similar to the mammary glands in vivo. These results suggest that some of PNA+ cells possesses many of the characteristics of multipotent clonogenic stem-like cells.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.10 no.1
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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.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.447-457
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• 1990

In order to observe the distribution of mast cell on the stages of the mammary carcinogenesis, the numerical changes of mast cells in the mammary tumor development in rats treated with DMBA and compound 48/80 have been investigated by the light microscope. The results observed were summarized as follows: The appearance of tumor were not observed during the whole experimental period in the rats of the control group received injection of sterile saline, but tumors appeared in 100% of the animals, the tumor induction time that represented the number of days elapsing between the 3rd DMBA administration until a first tumor became $10{\times}10mm$ in diameter was $42.5{\pm}4.7$ days and the mean number of tumor masses per rat was $3.4{\pm}1.2$ in the DMBA treated group. And the majority of the DMBA-induced mammary neoplasms were appeared cervical mammary gland and thoracic mammary gland. The histological findings of mammary carcinoma were recognized adenocarcinoma in the DMBA treated group. Mast cells were distributed within the adipose tissues and the interglandular connective tissue in the control, but found to be randomly dispersed within the tumor cell masses, in the connective tissues adjacent to the periphery of the tumor, the adipose tissues and the subcutaneous tissues contiguous to the region of tumor development in the DMBA treated group. Numerical alterations of mast cells were observed in the mammary tumors that separated into three major classes of tumors: hyperplasia, atypical hyperplasia and carcinoma. The number of mast cells were distributed in the connective tissues adjacent to the mammary gland was $45.3{\pm}3.4$ cells in the control group, but was $50.2{\pm}4.9$ cells, $126.7{\pm}10.5$ cells and $340.3{\pm}19.2$ cells according to each stages of mammary tumorigenesis in the DMBA treated group.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.175-180
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• 2001

The ectopic expression of gonadotropin releasing hormone(GnRH and luteinizing hormone(LH) in several tissues is a quite intriguing phenomenon. Recently, the presence of GnRH and its receptor has been clearly demonstrated in rodents and human mammary gland. In this context, one can postulate that the presence of local circuit composed of GnRH and LH in the gland. The present study was undertaken to elucidate whether there is a correlation between the LH expression in rat mammary gland and physiological status during the process of mammary differentiation. LH contents in mammary gland from cycling to weaning rats were measured by radioimmunoassay(RIA). In cycling rats, changes of the LH level in both serum and mammary gland showed similar pattern as the highest level in proestrus and the lowest level in diestrus II stage. While the serum LH levels were fluctuated from pregnant through involution stage, a sharp decline of mammary LH contents was observed in the lactating rats. This decrement was recovered in involuting rats to the level of proestrus stage. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Southern blot analyses demonstrated that the transcriptional activities of the mammary LH and GnRH were increased from diestrus I stage to estrus stage, and the increased levels were maintained in pregnant, lactation and involution stages. To test the hypothesis that the alteration in mammary LH expression might be steroid-dependant, ovariectomy(OVX) and steroid supplement model was employed. As expected, supplement of estradiol(E$_2$) after OVX remarkably decreased serum LH level compared to that in serum from vehicle-only treated rats. Likewise, administration of E$_2$ significantly reduced the mammary LH content. The present study demonstrated that (i) the LH expression in mammary gland could be altered by some physiological parameters such as estrous cycle, pregnancy, lactation and involution, and (ii) ovarian steroid especially estrogen seems to be one of major endocrine factors which are responsible for regulation of mammary LH expression.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.710-719
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• 2001

Several amino acid transport systems in mammary gland have been characterized during the last few years. These systems may be divided into two broad categories based on whether they are sodium-dependent or $Na^{+}$-independent, and each of these categories is subdivided into 3 groups depending on whether the systems prefer zwitterionic, cationic or anionic substrates. The zwitterion preferring transport processes in mammary gland are $Na^{+}$-dependent system A and $Na^{+}$-independent systems L and T. System $y^{+}$ is a $Na^{+}$-independent transporter of cationic amino acids and $X_{AG^{-}}$ is a $Na^{+}$-dependent system for anionic amino acids. A ($Na^{+}+Cl^{-}$)-dependent system, selective for $\beta$-amino acids has been reported in rat mammary tissue. In addition, there is yet another class of transporters that have still broader specificity. The $Na^{+}$-dependent systems $BCl^{-}$-dependent and $BCl^{-}$-independent and $Na^{+}$-independent system $y^{+}L$ have been reported to mediate the transport of zwitterionic as well as cationic amino acids. Each system has been characterized with respect to its substrate specificity, affinity, kinetics and ion-dependence. Transport of amino acids by mammary tissue is regulated by i) the intracellular substrate concentration, ii) lactogenic hormones and iii) milk stasis. Four of the above transport systems (i.e. A, L, $y^{+}$ and $BCl^{-}$-independent) are up-regulated by lactogenic hormones (insulin, cortisol and prolactin) in mammary gland.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.175-175
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• 2001

This experiment tested whether in utero and lactational exposure to 4-nonylphenol (NP) alters mammary gland differentiation in the female offspring rat. Pregnant Sprague Dawley rats were administered NP (l0, 100 mg/kg), atrazine (l00 mg/kg), pesticide demonstrating antiestrogenic activity in mammary gland development, or vehicle (0.5% methyl cellulose) by oral gavage from gestation day 15-19.(omitted)