• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.322-336
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• 2021

Objective: Endometriosis is a chronic debilitating inflammatory condition characterized by the presence of endometrial tissues outside the uterine cavity. Pelvic soreness and infertility are the usual association. Due to the poor effectiveness of the hormone therapy and the high incidence of recurrence following surgical excision, there is no single effective option for management of endometriosis. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent stromal cells studied for their broad immunoregulatory and anti-inflammatory properties; however, their efficiency in endometriosis cases is still a controversial issue. Our study aim was to evaluate whether adipose tissue-derived MSCs (AD-MSCs) could help with endometriosis through their studied anti-inflammatory role. Methods: Female Wistar rats weighting 180 to 250 g were randomly divided into two groups: group 1, endometriosis group; established by transplanting autologous uterine tissue into rats' peritoneal cavities and group 2, stem cell treated group; treated with AD-MSCs on the 5th day after induction of endometriosis. The proliferative activity of the endometriosis lesions was evaluated through Ki67 staining. Quantitative estimation of interferon γ, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, IL-10, and transforming growth factor β expression, as well as immunohistochemical detection of CD68 positive macrophages, were used to assess the inflammatory status. Results: The size and proliferative activity of endometriosis lesions were significantly reduced in the stem cell treated group. Stem cells efficiently mitigated endometriosis associated chronic inflammatory reactions estimated through reduction of CD68 positive macrophages and the expression of the proinflammatory cytokines. Conclusion: Stem cell therapy can be considered a novel remedy in endometriosis possibly through its anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative properties.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.37-43
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• 2013

Cynomorium songaricum (CS) has been used in traditional Korean medicine in treating male impotence and sexual dysfunction. We investigated the effects of aqueous CS extract on the reproductive activity of golden hamsters whose spermatogenetic capacity is active in summer and inactive in winter. The animals were divided into 5 groups: long photoperiod (LP) control, short photoperiod (SP) control, and SP animals treated with low, middle, or high concentrations of CS. The animals were orally ingested with low (0.5 g/kg), middle (1.0 g/kg), or high (2.5 g/kg) concentrations of the aqueous extracts for 8 weeks on the daily basis. The control animals received the vehicle. As results, the LP control animals showed active testicular function but SP control animals displayed remarkably reduced testicular weights. The outcomes of the reproductive activity from low and middle concentrations of CS treatments were identical and marked as low dose. The consequences were a partial blocking of regressing activity by SP. On the other hand, the animals treated with high dose of CS extract showed remarkable significance in comparison to the SP control, indicative of a complete blocking effect of the CS on the regressing testes by SP. There were a dose-dependent effects of the CS on the sexual function. These results suggest that the CS extract promotes the male fertility by strengthening the spermatogenesis in the golden hamsters.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.395-408
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• 2013

Environmental condition can induce changes in early life-history traits in order to maximise the ecological fitness. Here I investigated how temperature change and variation in human aquatic activity/behaviour affect early life-history consequences in fish using a dynamic-state-dependent model. In this study, I developed a general fish's life-history model including three life-history states depend-ing on foraging activity, such as body mass, mass of reproductive tissue (i.e., gonadal development) and accumulated stress (i.e., cellular or physiological damage). I assumed the level of foraging activity maximises reproductive success-ultimately, fitness. The model predicts that growth rate, development of reproductive tissues and damage accumulation are greater in higher temperature whereas higher human aquatic activity rapidly reduced the growth rate and development of reproductive tissue and increased damage accumulation. While higher foraging activity in higher temperature is less affected by human aquatic activity, the foraging activity in lower temperature rapidly declined with human aquatic activity. Moreover, lower survival rate in higher temperature or human aquatic activity was independent on mortality rate due to human aquatic activity or mortality rate when foraging activity, respectively. However, the survival rate in lower temperature or human aquatic activity was dependent on these mortality rates. My findings suggest that including of early life-history traits in relation to climate-change and human aquatic activity on the analysis may improve conservation plan and health assessment in aquatic ecosystem.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.215-221
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• 2017

Bitter melon (Momordica charantia, MC) has been used in traditional Korean medicine in treating diabetes. In addition, some reports were emerged, showing the antifertility activities of MC in mammals. We investigated the effects of ethanolic MC extract on the reproductive activity of golden hamsters whose spermatogenetic capacity is controlled by their photoperiods. The animals were divided into 4 groups: long photoperiod (LP) control, short photoperiod (SP) control, and LP animals treated with MC. The animals were orally ingested with low (0.03 g/kg) or high (0.15 g/kg) concentrations of the ethanolic extracts for 8 weeks on the daily basis. The control animals received the vehicle. The animals were then mated with age-matched females, experienced pregnancy. As results, the LP control animals showed active large testes but SP control animals displayed remarkably reduced testes. The animals treated with both concentrations of MC extracts demonstrated large testes, indicating fertile activity as animals in LP. LP control animals had litters as expected, but SP controls had no litters at all. MC extract showed the same results as LP animals in generating offsprings. These results suggest that the MC extract does not change the photoperiodic influence on reproductive activity of male golden hamsters.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Environmental Toocicology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.57-69
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• 2003

It is well known that many pesticides possess hormonal activity, and affect the developments of wildlife and mammals including human. Currently, pyrethroid insecticides are in worldwide use to control in and outdoor pests, providing potential far environmental exposure. Hormonal activities of these pyrethroid insecticides, however, have been little studied, and the developmental effects of them were no reported. Therefore, we firstly examined the potential estrogenic activities of some pyrethroid insecticides (permethrin, cypermethrin, tetramethrin, deltamethrin, sumithrin, fenvalerate and bioallethrin) by immature rat uterotrophic assay, luciferase reporter gene assay and Calbindin-D$\sub$9k/ (CaBP-9k) gene expression assay. Uterine wet weights were increased by permethrin and the permethrin-induced weights were inhibited by ICI 182780 in the uterolrophic assay. On the other hand tetramethrin significantly reduced uterine and vaginal wet weights, and also inhibited the E2-induced weight increases at all doses tested. Cypermethrin and sumithrin had a tendency to increase uterine weights, although not statistically significant. Permethrin and cypermethrin dose-dependently increased the luciferase activity in reporter gene assay. Northern blot analysis showed that permethrin induced CaBP-9k mRNA expression whereas tetramethrin inhibted. Subsequent studies were conducted to investigate the possible developmental effects of four pyrethroid insecricides (permethrin, cypermethrin, sumithrin and teramethrin). Either diethlbestrol (DES) or 17${\beta}$ -estradiol (E2) was used as a reference control in this study. Pyrethroid insecticides were administered to Sprague Dawley rats via subcutaneous injection at 6 to 18 days of gestation or 1 to 5 days after birth. In utero treatment of permethrin (10mg/kg/day) in female rat resulted in significant increases in uterine and ovarian weights while significant decreases in serum E2 concentration, uterine and ovarian ER${\alpha}$ mRNA levels. Sumithrin and permethrin led to acceleration in vaginal opening of female rat, while delay in preputial separation of male after neonatal treatment. Anogenital distances of PND 18 were significantly reduced in sumthrin-treated, and permerhrin-treated male rats after neonatal treatment. All the pyrethroid insecticides tested caused significant increases in uterine weights on PND 18, while significant reductions in the first diestrus phase when neonataly treated. In addition, exposure to pyrethroids in neonatal period led to significant reduction in relative brain weight in female rat on PND 18, but its weight was recovered in diestrus phase. In summary, Our experimental data demonstrate the possibilities of developmental effects of pyrethroid insecticides via estrogenic or antiestrogenic activity.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
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• 2001.05a
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• pp.122-122
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• 2001

Flupyrazofos is a new type of pyrazole organophosporus insecticide, which has a high activity against the diamond-back moth (Plutella xylostella). The potential of this agent to induce developmental toxicity was investigated in the Sprague-Dawley rat.(omitted)

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.223-227
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• 2009

This study was carried out on the ark shell Scapharca broughtonii in order to examine if organotin compounds, which are known to induce reproductive abnormalities in gastropods, have the same affect on bivalves. The research was conducted during seven weeks in spring season through a field transplantation experiment in one reference area (Ra) and two organotin-polluted areas (Opa) near a shipyard complex. Sex ratio in the Ra was 1:1.6 (female:male). Sex ratio in Opa I and Opa II were 1:0.49 and 1:1.03, respectively, illustrating slightly higher proportion of females. Gonad activity exhibited a sequence of Opa II>Ra>Opa I. Intersex individuals of 3.33% (n=4/120) were confirmed in Opa. Intersex gonads were observed only in females. The results show that organotin compounds caused reproductive disruption in Scapharca broughtonii.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.70-76
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• 2004

Petroleum ether, benzene and alcohol extracts of the seeds of C. juncea were tested for antiimplantation and pregnancy interruption activities in female albino rats. Of these three extracts, the alcohol extract was found to be the most effective in causing antiimplantation and pregnancy interruption activities. These adverse effects on fertility are reversible upon withdrawal of the extract treatments. The alcohol extract was found to possess estrogenic activity. After subjecting to preliminary phytochemical screening, the alcohol extract showed positive tests for alkaloids, steroids, glycosides, saponins, flavonoides, fixed oils, phenols and tannins.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Food Hygiene and Safety Conference
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.191-194
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• 2001

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
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• 2003.10b
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• pp.149-149
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• 2003

It is well known that many pesticides possess hormonal activity, and thus have been classified as endocrine disruptors. Currently, pyrethroid insecticides are in worldwide use to control in door pests, providing potential for environmental exposure. A few studies of hormonal activities of these pyrethroid insecticides, however, have been reported, and are controversial between studies.(omitted)