• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.46-65
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• 2013

Purpose: Generally menstrual disorder caused by functional deficiency of ovary is not treated clinically because it manifests as normal process of growth. In this study we collected experimental group having several or severe menstrual disorder and we tried to find out whether there is any relationship between menstrual disorders and the function of Thoroughfare and Conception vessels or not. Methods: First, this study was researched to learn the meaning and the symptoms of 'the emaciation of Thoroughfare and Conception vessels', and to learn the relationship between menstrual disorders and 'the emaciation of Thoroughfare and Conception vessels' through literature review. And we set up a experimental group who have two or more menstrual disorders or severe degree of menstrual disorders(N=97) and control group who don't have menstrual disorders(N=97) as a result of the menstruation survey. Afterwards we conducted the DSOM in both experimental group and control group. Results and Conclusions: The meaning of 'the emaciation of Thoroughfare and Conception vessels' is deficiency of qi and blood from the Thoroughfare and Conception vessels. As a result, the female reproductive system is difficult to be worked properly with deficiency of skin, muscles, bone, and vessels. Symptoms of the emaciation of Thoroughfare and Conception vessels are classified into drying, skinny body, feeling of cold, menstrual disorders, pain and personality traits. In this study, severity of drying, skinny body, feeling of cold, menstrual disorders, pain and personality traits is significantly higher in experimental group than in control group. Like this, symptoms of 'the emaciation of Thoroughfare and Conception vessels' appear with menstrual disorders because disorder of circulation is occurred by qi and blood deficiency of Thoroughfare and Conception vessels. It is appropriate to identify this case as 'the emaciation of Thoroughfare and Conception vessels' pattern and necessary to treat actively through regulating qi and blood in advance.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.292-301
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• 2010

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is a pituitary glycoprotein hormone that is encoded by separate alpha- and betasubunit genes. It plays a key role in stimulating and regulating ovarian follicular development and egg production in chicken. FSH signal transduction is mediated by the FSH receptor (FSHR) that exclusively interacts with the beta-subunit of FSH, but characterization of prokaryotic expression of the FSHb gene and its effect on the expression of the FSHR gene in local chickens have received very little attention. In the current study, the cDNA fragment of the FSHb gene from Dagu chicken was amplified using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and inserted into the pET-28a (+) vector to construct the pET-28a-FSHb plasmid. After expression of the plasmid in E. coli BL21 (DE3) under inducing conditions, the recombination protein, $FSH{\beta}$ subunit, was purified and injected into the experimental hens and the effect on the mRNA expression levels of the FSHR gene was investigated. Sequence comparison showed that the coding region of the FSHb gene in the local chicken shared 99%-100% homology to published nucleotides in chickens; only one synonymous nucleotide substitution was detected in the region. The encoded amino acids were completely identical with the reported sequence, which confirmed that the sequences of the chicken FSHb gene and the peptides of the $FSH{\beta}$ subunit are highly conserved. This may be due to the critical role of the normal function of the FSHb gene in hormonal specificity and regulation of reproduction. The results of gene expression revealed that a recombinant protein with a molecular weight of about 19 kDa was efficiently expressed and it was identified by Western blotting analysis. After administration of the purified $FSH{\beta}$ protein, significantly higher expression levels were demonstrated in uterus, ovary and oviduct samples (p<0.05). These observations suggested that the expressed $FSH{\beta}$ protein possesses biological activity, and has a potential role in regulation of reproductive physiology in chickens.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.19-24
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• 2005

The low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5 (LRP5) highly expressed in many tissues, including hepatocytes and pancreatic beta cells, can bind to apolipoprotein E. To evaluate in vivo roles of LRP5, we generated LRP5-deficient mice. LRP5 genomic DNA was isolated from TT2 embryonic stem (ES) cells. Targeting vector was constructed to disrupt an exon 18 of the mouse LRP5 gene and transfected into ES cells. Three homologous recombinants at LRP5 locus were identified from 178 G418-resistant clones. Chimeric males generated by morula aggregation technique were mated to C57BL/6 female mice. After achieving germ-line transmission, LRP5+/- females were crossed with LRP5+/- males to obtain LRP5-deficient mice. One line of mice lacking LRP5 gene was confirmed by Southern blotting. Such knock-out mice may serve as an effective animal model to study in vivo function of LRP5 gene.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2007

The nonobese diabetic / severe combined immune deficiency (NOD/SCID) has been used for determination of proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells as xenotransplantation animal model. In this study, we transplanted porcine hematopoietic cells from bone marrow into NOD/SCID mice via intravenous injection to confirm the activity of differentiation and proliferation for porcine hematopoietic cells in vivo. Interestingly, we observed the result of high efficiency with pig T lymphocytes in hematopoietic organs, liver, spleen lymph node, and bone marrow in NOD/SCID mice. The porcine $CD3^{+}$ T cells were detected with $5.4{\pm}1.9%$ in bone marrow, $15.4{\pm}7.3%$ in spleen, $21.3{\pm}1.4%$ in liver, and $33.5{\pm}32.8%$ in lymph node of NOD/SCID mice at 6 weeks after trans-plantation Furthermore, immunohistochemical analysis showed the high engraftment of porcine T lymphocytes in spleen of NOD/SCID mice. Our data suggest that NOD/SCID mice are excellent animal model to determinate the generation md function of pig T lymphocytes.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.323-333
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• 2009

Parabens are alkyl esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid, which are widely used in foods, cosmetics, and pharmaceutic products as preservatives. Absorbed parabens are metabolized fastly and excreted. Actually human body is exposed to complex mixture of parabens. Safety assessment at various toxicological end points revealed parabens have a little acute, subacute and chronic toxicities. Some reports have argued that as parabens have estrogenic activity, they are associated with the incidence of breast cancer through dermal absorption by cosmetics. There is an inference that antiandrogenic activity of parabens may give rise to a lesion of male reproductive system, but also there is an contrary. At cellular level, parabens may inhibit mitochondrial function of sperms and androgen production in testis, but also there is an contrary. Parabens seem to have little or no toxicity in embryonic development. Parabens can cause hemolysis, membrane permeability change in mitochondria and apoptosis, suggesting cellular toxicity of parabens. Parabens evoked endocrine disruption in several fish species and have toxic effect on small invertebrates and microbes. Therefore, the toxicity of parabens should be considered as a potentially toxic chemical in the freshwater environment. In conclusion, though parabens may be considered as a low toxic chemical, more definite data are required concerning the endocrine disrupting effect of parabens on human body and aquatic animals according to route and term of exposure as well as the residual concentration of parabens.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.29-34
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• 2010

Follicular cystic ovary (FCO) is one of the major causes of reproductive failure in cattle. Genetic alterations affect the function of diverse cells and/or tissues, which could be present in cystic ovaries. A microarray analysis was performed to screen differential gene expressions in follicular cystic follicles of cattle. In this study, we hypothesized that follicular cysts may be induced by changes in ion- and transporter-related gene expression. Microarray data showed that fibrinogen-gamma (FGG) and low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 8 (LRP8) were up-regulated, while choline transporter-like protein 4 (SLC44A4), very long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase homolog 2 (SLC27A5), annexin 8 (ANXA8), and aquaporin 4 were down-regulated in follicular cystic follicles. A semi-quantitative RT-PCR was carried out to validate DEGs altered in follicular cystic follicles. Of six DEGs, three DEGs (FGG, SLC44A4, and aquaporin 4) showed a positive correlation between microarray and semi-quantitative PCR data. We focused on FGG, among three DEGs, which was highly up-regulated in follicular cystic follicles. The FGG mRNA was upregulated by 8.4-fold and by 1.7-fold in the bovine follicular cystic follicles as judged by microarray and RT-PCR analysis, respectively. However, there was no significant changes in the expression level of FGG protein in both follicular cystic follicles and granulosa cells isolated from follicular cystic follicles by Western blot analysis. Although this study does not reveal a positive correlation between the mRNA and protein level, FGG appears to be an important biomarker in the discrimination of follicular cyst from normal ovary.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.379-384
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• 1998

Endocrine disruptor is an exogenous substance that changes endocrine function and causes adverse effects at the level of the organism, its progeny, and/or (sub)populations of the organisms. Purported adverse effects are cancers, declines in reproductive health, developmental learning disabilities in humans, and declining populations, altered morphology, physiology or behavior in wildlife. In these days, expert groups on chemicals in IPCS, IFCS and OECD are intensively discussing the identification of endocrine disruptors and the proper management of those chemicals. In this study, we screened the endocrine disrupting effects of lead using fertilized eggs of Oryzias latipes. In brief, the eggs were exposed to lead with different concentrations at Ringer's solution, and the mortality, the incidence of deformation, the body movement and the hatching success were determined after incubation. The histological analysis of normal and deformed larvae was also carried out. Compared to control, the mortality and the heart rate of eggs and/or larvae increased, but the hatching success and the tail movement decreased. The morphological observation showed the asymmetrical deformation of larvae and the distortion of spinal cord. The absorption of the liquid in yolk sac was hindered. The adverse effects of lead in the ontogeny of fertilized eggs of Oryzias latipes seemed to be stronger in pH5.6 than in pH7.5 solution. In summary, lead showed adverse effects on the ontogeny of fish fertilized eggs plays critical role in regulating biological systems and controlling developmental processes as an endocrine disruptor.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.326-335
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• 2015

Citrus is an economically important fruit tree with the largest amount of fruit production in the world. It provides important nutrition such as vitamin C and other health-promoting compounds including its unique flavonoids for human health. However, it is classified into the most difficult crops to develop new cultivars through conventional breeding approaches due to its long juvenility and some unique reproductive biological features such as gamete sterility, nucellar embryony, and high level of heterozygosity. Due to global warming and changes in consumer trends, establishing a systematic and efficient breeding programs is highly required for sustainable production of high quality fruits and diversification of cultivars. Recently, reference genome sequences of sweet orange and clementine mandarin have been released. Based on the reference whole-genome sequences, comparative genomics, reference-guided resequencing, and genotyping-by-sequencing for various citrus cultivars and crosses could be performed for the advance of functional genomics and development of traits-related molecular markers. In addition, a full understanding of gene function and gene co-expression networks can be provided through combined analysis of various transcriptome data. Analytic information on whole-genome and transcriptome will provide massive data on polymorphic molecular markers such as SNP, INDEL, and SSR, suggesting that it is possible to construct integrated maps and high-density genetic maps as well as physical maps. In the near future, integrated maps will be useful for map-based precise cloning of genes that are specific to citrus with major agronomic traits to facilitate rapid and efficient marker-assisted selection.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.159-166
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• 2011

Simazine (6-chloro-N,N'-diethyl-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine) is a triazine herbicide that has been applied worldwide including Korea for agricultural purposes. Simazine is the second most commonly detected pesticide in surfaceand ground-water in the United States, Europe and Australia. It has been shown that simazine is a potent endocrine disruptor in wildlife and laboratory animals. Although many endocrine disruptors can induce apoptosis in various types of cells, the effects of simazine on apoptosis and on the expression of Bcl-2 family genes are not known. Also it is unknown the effect of simazine on the expression of steroidogenesis-regulating genes in testicular cells. In this study, we investigated the effect of simazine on the expression levels of apoptosis- and steroidogenesis-regulating genes in testicular cells. We found that a low concentration of simazine can alter the mRNA expression levels of steroidogenesis-related genes and Bcl-2 family genes in mouse Sertoli cells and rat Leydig cells. Thus, our results suggest that simazine can disturb normal testicular development and reproductive function by altering the expression of genes that are critical for the regulation of apoptosis and steroidogenesis.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.79-87
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• 2009

Due to its well-known function in parturition and milk ejection, oxytocin (OT) has been considered as a 'female neurohypophyseal hormone'. Recent studies, however, clearly indicate that OT has some local roles in male reproduction via both central and peripheral routes. In experimental rodents, OT is released within distinct brain regions in response to social stimuli, and the brain OT receptor (OTR) mediated actions were strongly involved in the regulation of a variety of male behaviors such as mating-associated behaviors. In particular, OT and/or OTR knockout mice provide important clues about the molecular regulatory mechanism of the socio-sexual behaviors. Several lines of evidence also show that OT is synthesized within rodents testis, epididymis and prostate, and the presence of OTRs in these organs. In rodent testes, OT might have a role in the modulation of steroidogenesis via stimulation of the conversion of testosterone (T) to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) by 5alpha-reductase. Similar effects of OT on this androgen conversion were observed in epididymis and prostate suggesting the OT's modulatory role, such as contractility induction, in these androgen-dependent organs. In this context, further investigations on the OT's role in male CNS and reproductive organs are likely to provide better understanding on the complex socio-sexual behaviors and a platform for development of therapeutics to treat some psychological and/or andrological problems.