• 한국수정란이식학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국수정란이식학회 2003년도 제3회 발생공학 국제심포지움 및 학술대회
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• pp.67-67
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• 2003

• 한국발생생물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국발생생물학회 2002년도 전기 제14차 학술대회 논문집
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• pp.49-49
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• 2002

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제20권12호
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• pp.1832-1842
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• 2007

Cytochrome P450 aromatase is responsible for the biosynthesis of estrogen. It is also responsible for the endogenous production of 19-nortestosterone (nandrolone), an anabolic androgen unique to pigs. Plasma concentrations of 19-nortestosterone are highest between two and four weeks after birth in male pigs. In the present study, the physiology of 19-nortestosterone was investigated by measuring the mRNA levels of steroidogenic enzymes, estrogen receptors and androgen receptor in the tissues of growing pigs. The expression of aromatase, 17${\alpha}$-hydroxylase and 3${\beta}$-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in the testes of male piglets increased between birth and two weeks of age, and then decreased progressively. Similar developmental expressional patterns were observed for 17${\alpha}$-hydroxylase and 3${\beta}$-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in the ovaries of female piglets, but without significant aromatase expression. The major form of aromatase expressed in the testes of piglets was identified as type I. Expression of estrogen receptor-${\alpha}$ and -${\beta}$and androgen receptor genes was also detected in both testes and ovaries. A transient elevation of androgen receptor mRNA in male piglets at two weeks of age was also observed in testes. Significant expression of the androgen receptor gene, but not of estrogen receptor-${\alpha}$ and -${\beta}$ genes, was also demonstrated in adipose tissue and muscle. We conclude that the observed increase in the testicular expression of aromatase in male pigs could account for the production of large amounts of 19-nortestosterone at between two and four weeks of age in males. Androgen receptor and 19-nortestosterone appeared to be important for testicular development and might contribute to sexual dimorphism in body composition and muscle development in juvenile pigs.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.91-97
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• 2010

FOXL2는 winged-helix/forkhead(FH) 도메인 전사인자로서 FOXL2 유전자에 돌연변이가 발생할 경우 blepharophimosis-ptosis-epicanthus inversus syndrome이라 불리는 BPES 질병이 유발되게 된다. BPES는 상염색체 우성인 유전적 질환이다. BPES type I의 환자는 조기난소부전증(POF)과 안검하수 증상이 함께 나타나는 반면, BPES type II의 경우 안검하수 및 소안검 등 안면기형만이 유발된다. FOXL2 단백질이 결여된 난소에서 granulosa 세포의 분화가 멈추는 것으로 보아 FOXL2가 정상적인 난소의 folliculogenesis에 필수적인 역할을 하고 있음을 시사한다. 이전의 연구 결과에서, 본 연구진은 FOXL2와 상호작용하는 단백질에 대한 스크리닝을 통해 스테로이드 합성효소인 CYP19 전사활성에 영향을 미치는 steroidogenic factor-1(SF-1)을 동정하였다. 이번 연구를 통해 FOXL2가 CYP19의 전사를 향상시키고, SF-1에 의한 CYP19의 전사를 더욱 촉진시킨다는 것을 증명하였다. 이와 반대로, BPES 타입 I과 II에서 발견된 FOXL2의 돌연변이형들은 SF-1에 의해 증가된 CYP19의 전사활성을 향상시키는 능력이 감소함을 보여주었다. 본 실험을 통해 FOXL2 돌연변이에 의해 유발되어지는 BPES 질환의 병리생리학적인 이해에 대해 도움을 줄 수 있는 FOXL2의 야생형과 돌연변이형 사이의 서로 다른 기능적인 차이점을 규명하였다.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제14권3호
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• pp.199-205
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• 2010

A neurotoxin, 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) has been widely used to create animal model for Parkinson's disease (PD). The present study was undertaken to examine whether depletion of brain dopamine (DA) stores with 6-OHDA can make alteration in the activities of the testicular steroidogenesis in adult rats. Young adult male rats (3 months old) were received a single dose of 6-OHDA (200 ${\mu}g$ in 10 ${\mu}{\ell}$/animal) by intracerebroventricular (icv) injection, and sacrificed after two weeks. The mRNA levels of steroidogenesis-related enzymes were measured by qRT-PCRs. Serum testosterone levels were measured by radioimmunoassay. Single icv infusion of 6-OHDA significantly decreased the mRNA levels of CYP11A1 (control:6-OHDA group=$1:0.68{\pm}0.14$ AU, p<0.05), CYP17 (control:6-OHDA group=$1:0.72{\pm}0.13$ AU, p<0.05). There were no changes in the mRNA levels of $3{\beta}$-HSD (control:6-OHDA group=$1:0.84{\pm}0.08$ AU) and $17{\beta}$-HSD (control: 6-OHDA group=$1:0.63{\pm}0.20$ AU), though the levels tended to be decreased in the 6-OHDA treated group. Administration of 6-OHDA decreased significantly the mRNA level of StAR when compared to the level of saline-injected control animals (control:6-OHDA group=$1:0.72{\pm}0.08$ AU, p<0.05). Treatment with single dose of 6-OHDA remarkably lowered serum testosterone levels compared to the levels of control group (control:6-OHDA group=$0.72{\pm}0.24:0.13{\pm}0.03ng/m{\ell}$, p<0.05). Taken together with our previous study, the present study demonstrated that the activities of hypothalamus-pituitary-testis hormonal axis could be negatively affected by blockade of brain DA biosynthesis, and suggested the reduced reproductive potential might be resulted in the animals. More precise information on the testicular steroidogenic activities in PD patients and PD-like animals should be required prior to the generalization of the sex steroid hormone therapy to meet the highest standards for safety and efficacy.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.131-140
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• 2001

Objective: To know the effects of xenoestrogen on spermatogenesis, we investigated the expression of cytochrome P450s enzymes (CYPscc, $CYP_{17{\alpha}}$, CYP19) and $3{\beta}$-HSD genes involved in steroidogenesis. Methods: Mouse testicular cells were prepared from 15-day-old ICR mice which had only pre-meiotic germ cells by enzyme digestion using collagenase and trypsin. Testicular cells were cultured in DMEM supplemented with FSH (0.1 IU/ml) and 10% FBS or medium with estrogen ($E_2$), bisphenol-A (BPA), octylphenol (OP; $10^{-9},\;10^{-7},\;10^{-6},\;10^{-5},\;10^{-4}M$, respectively) and aroclor 1254 (A1254) known as PCBs for 48 hours. The gene expression of cytochrome P450 enzymes were examined by semi-quantitive RT-PCR. The production of estrogen and testosterone was examined by RIA. Results: As results, expression of CYPscc mRNA was not significantly decreased, but $3{\beta}$-HSD and $CYP_{17{\alpha}}$. mRNA were significantly dose-dependent decreased. And production of testosterone and estrogen were not different except BPA and OP group ($10^{-5}M$). Conclusion: BPA, OP and A1254 might inhibit steroidogenesis by decreasing CYPscc, $3{\beta}$-HSD and $CYP_{17{\alpha}}$. mRNA expression in the mouse testis. These results suggest that BPA, OP and PCBs like as an endocrine disruptors inhibit the productions of steroidogenic enzymes and decrease the production of T and E by negative feedback mechanism. Therefore, these might disrupt steroidogenesis in Leydig cells of testis and would disturb testicular function and subsequently impair spermatogenesis.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제24권3호
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• pp.372-377
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• 2007

The orphan nuclear receptor, SF-1, plays a pivotal role in the development and differentiation of the endocrine and reproductive systems, and also regulates the transcription of a host of genes, including those encoding several steroidogenic enzymes and gonadotropins. We found that a previously unidentified repressor, EID-1, is an SF-1-interacting protein that inhibits the transactivation of SF-1. A transient transfection assay revealed that EID-1 inhibits SF-1, but not LRH-1, $ERR{\gamma}$, or mCAR. Using the yeast two hybrid and GST pull-down assays, we determined that EID-1 interacted strongly with SF-1. In addition, it colocalized with SF-1 in mammalian cells and interacted specifically with the AF-2 domain of SF-1, competing with SRC-1 to inhibit SF-1 transactivation. EID-1 is expressed in the mouse testis, and its expression decreases during testis development. The results of the present study suggest that EID-1 can act as a repressor, regulating the function of SF-1.

• 한국동물번식학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국동물번식학회 2000년도 국제심포지움
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• pp.3-4
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• 2000

The synthesis of acyl-CoA catalyzed by acyl-CoA synthetase (ACS, EC 6.2.1.3) from fatty acid, ATP, and CoA is a crucial reaction in mammalian fatty acid metabolism. In arachidonate metabolism, acyl-CoA synthetase(ACS) plays a key role in the esterification of free arachidonate into membrane phospholipids. Following its release by the action of calcium dependent phospholipase, free arachidonate is believed to be rapidly converted to arachidonoyl-CoA and reesterified into phospholipids in order to prevent excessive synthesis of eicosanoids. In previous studies, we have characterized five ACSs (designated as ACS1-5) with different tissue distribution. ACS1, ACS2, and ACS5 are similar in structure and fatty acid preference, and completely different from ACS3 and ACS4. The latter are arachidonate-preferring enzymes closely related in structure but expressed in different tissues: ACS3 mRNA is highly expressed in the brain and the mRNA for ACS4 is expressed in steroidogenic tissues including adrenal gland, ovary, and testis. To learn more about the potential function of ACS4 in arachidonate metabolism, we have produced knock-out mice for ACS4 gene. ACS4+/- females become pregnant less frequently and produce small litters with extremely low transmission of the disrupted alleles. Striking morphological changes including extremely enlarged uterine filled with numerous proliferative cysts of various size were detected in ACS4+/- females. Furthermore, marked accumulation of prostaglandins were seen in the uterus of heterozygous females. These results indicate that ACS4 is critical for the uterine arachidonate metabolism and heterozygous disruption of its gene lead to impaired pregnancy.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제33권1호
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• pp.49-54
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• 2017

Vitamin D3 is a fat-soluble secosteroid responsible for enhancing intestinal absorption of calcium, iron, and other materials. Vitamin D3 deficiency, therefore, can cause health problems such as metabolic diseases, and bone disorder. Female sex hormones including estrogen and progesterone are biosynthesized mainly in the granulosa cells of ovary. In this study, we isolated granulosa cells from porcine ovary and cultured for the experiments. In order to examine the effect of vitamin D3 on the ovarian granulosa cells, the mRNA and protein levels of genes were analyzed by real-time PCR and Western blot assay. The production of estrogen from the granulosa cells was also measured by the ELISA assay. Genes associated with follicle growth were not significantly altered by vitamin D3. However, it increases expression of genes involved in the estrogen-biosynthesis. Further, estrogen concentrations in porcine granulosa cell-cultured media increased in response to vitamin D3. These results showed that vitamin D3 is a powerful regulator of sex steroid hormone production in porcine granulosa cells, suggesting that vitamin D deficiency may result in inappropriate sexual development of industrial animals and eventually economic loss.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제22권8호
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• pp.1091-1101
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• 2009

In an attempt to understand the biochemical mechanism for the synthesis of the anabolic steroid, 19-nortestosterone, produced by prepubertal boar testes and its physiological role, normalized complementary DNA (cDNA) from boar testes was generated. DNA sequencing of 2,016 randomly selected clones yielded 794,116 base pairs of high quality nucleotide sequence. Computer-assisted assembly of the nucleotide sequence of each clone resulted in 423 contigs and 403 singletons including several genes for steroidogenic enzymes and molecules related to steroid metabolism. Analysis of gene expression pattern by use of the presently-fabricated cDNA microarray identified a number of genes that were differentially expressed during the postnatal development period in boar testes. Two genes of unknown function were identified to be highly expressed in the testis of 2-weeks-old neonatal boar. In addition, the sequencing of open reading frames of these genes revealed their homology with human alpha hemoglobin and Homo sapiens hypothetical LOC643669, transcript variant 1. Moreover, the transcripts of these genes were also detected in porcine muscle and adipocytes, in addition to Leydig cells of pigs.