• Animal cells and systems
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• 제10권4호
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• pp.211-217
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• 2006

Heavy metals are well known as important environmental pollutants and also considered as endocrine disrupters. This study was performed to evaluate the direct effects of heavy metals such as cadmium (Cd), zinc (Zn), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), cobalt (Co), and arsenic (As) on the various steroidogenic enzymes in frog ovarian follicles. Ovarian follicles from Rana catesbeiana were isolated and cultured for 18 hours in the presence of frog pituitary homogenate (FPH, 0.05 gland/ml) or various steroid precursors with or without heavy metals (0.01-100 ${\mu}M$), and steroid levels in the follicle or culture medium were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA). Thus, the steroidogenic enzyme activities were indirectly evaluated by measuring the converted steroid levels from the added precursor steroid. Among heavy metals, Hg, Cd and Zn significantly inhibited FPH-induced pregnenolone ($P_5$) production by the follicles ($EC_{50},\;4.0{\mu}M,\;25.6{\mu}M\;and\;5.7{\mu}M$, respectively ), and also suppressed the conversion of testosterone (T) to estradiol $17{beta}\;(E_2)\;(EC_{50},\;4.2{\mu}M,\;7.5{\mu}M\;and\;80.0{\mu}M) while Pb, Co and As are not or less effective in the inhibition. Other enzymes such as $C_{17-20}$ lyase and $17{\beta}$-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase ($17{\beta}$-HSD) were suppressed only in the high concentration of Hg, Cd and Zn. Taken together, these data demonstrate that cytochrome P450 side chain cleavage (P450scc) and aromatase are much more sensitive to heavy metals than other steroidogenic enzymes and Hg, Cd and Zn show stronger toxicity to follicles than other heavy metals examined.

• 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.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제20권3호
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• pp.197-205
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• 2016

Adipose tissue is one of the major endocrine gland. More recently, local production of steroids in adipocytes differentiated from mouse 3T3-L1 cell-line was reported. We hypothesized that rat adipocytes have steroidogenic machinery and the expression patterns of the components might be differentially regulated, depending on the distribution and sex. To verify this hypothesis, we collected the adipose tissues depot-and sex-specifically at postnatal day (PND) 30, and performed quantitative RT-PCRs. In overall aspects, the abundances of the transcripts were lower in the brown adipose of both sexes. $3{\beta}-HSD$ transcript levels in female abdominal and reproductive adipose, CYP17 transcript levels in female reproductive adipose, $17{\beta}-HSD$ transcript levels in female abdominal and reproductive adipose, and CYP19 transcript levels in female abdominal adipose were significantly lower than those of male counterparts. Similar to steroidogenic factors, the abundance of the $ER-{\alpha}$ transcripts were generally lower in the brown adipose of both sexes. $ER-{\beta}$ transcripts were more abundant in male white adipose depots than their female counterparts. The levels of LHR transcripts in female reproductive adipose were significantly higher than those of male counterpart. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that the expressions of steroidogenesis-related genes were depot- and sex-specifically occurred in the immature male and female rat adipose tissues. Our study suggested that the adipose tissues are not only targets but de novo synthesizing sites of sex steroid(s), though the synthesizing activities could be much less than in gonads. Further researches in this field will be helpful for understanding the adipose physiology and for medical application such as sex-specific steroid supplement therapies for older populations.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제47권3호
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• pp.385-389
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• 2023

Background: Ginseng has been used as a traditional medicine for treatment of many diseases and for general health maintenance. Previously, we showed that ginseng did not demonstrate estrogenic property in ovariectomized mouse model. However, it is still possible that disruption of steroidogenesis leading to indirect hormonal activity. Methods: The hormonal activities were examined in compliance with OECD guidelines for detecting endocrine disrupting chemicals: test guideline (TG) No. 456 (an in vitro assay method for detecting steroidogenesis property) and TG No. 440 (an in vivo short-term screening method for chemicals with uterotrophic property). Results: Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) and ginsenosides Rb1, Rg1, and Rg3 did not interfere with estrogen and testosterone hormone synthesis as examined in H295 cells according to TG 456. KRG treatment to ovariectomized mice did not show a significant change in uterine weight. In addition, serum estrogen and testosterone levels were not change by KRG intake. Conclusion: These results clearly demonstrate that there is no steroidogenic activity associated with KRG and no disruption of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis by KRG. Additional tests will be performed in pursuit of cellular molecular targets of ginseng to manifest mode of action.

• 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.

• 한국양식학회지
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• 제22권1호
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• pp.23-27
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• 2009

황점볼락 생식주기에 따른 성호르몬과 난황단백전구체의 혈중 농도변화를 조사하였다. Testosterone 농도는 배란기(12월)에서만 유의하게 높은 평균 3,091 pg/mL의 혈중 농도를 보이나 나머지 발생 단계에서는 매우 낮은 농도를 나타내면서 각 발생단계 상호간의 변화는 유의한 차이를 보이지 않았다(P<0.05). 혈중 $E_2$, 농도는 난황형성기 (9월)에 가장 높은 평균 농도(531.8 pg/mL)를 나타낸 후 배란기까지 다른 발생 단계의 혈중 농도보다 유의하게 높은 농도를 유지하다가 배 발생기부터 급격히 낮아지는 경향을 보였다(P<0.05). 이러한 난청형성기간 동안 높았다가 임신기에 낮아지는 $E_2$의 농도는 난생 어류에서와 같이 난 태생어류에서도 난모세포의 성숙에 관여하는 것으로 추정된다. DHP의 농도는 난황형성기와 배란기에 유의하게 높았으며, 배발생, 산출 후, 미성숙시기의 혈중농도는 발생단계에 상관없이 낮은 농도를 보였다(P<0.001). DHP는 난청형성기에 높은 혈중 농도를 나타내고 있어 난황형성과 밀접한 관계를 가지는 것으로 추측된다. 혈중 VTG 농도를 난소발달 즉 미성숙(8월), 난황 형성기(10월), 배란기(12월) 산출 후(3월) 등 4단계로 나뉘어 조사한 결과, 혈중 VTC농도는 미성숙 시기(8월)와 산출 후(3월)의 혈중농도가 나머지 발생단계에 비해 유의하게 낮지만 이들 발생 단계간의 농도 차는 보이지 않았다. 한편 난청형성기와 배 발생 시기에는 다른 시기에 비해 유의하게 높은 값을 보이나, 양 발생 단계간의 유의성은 나타나지 않았다(P<0.05). 난황단백전구체가 10월부터 급격히 증가하여 배란기까지 높은 수준을 유지하고 산출 후에 급격히 낮아지는 경향은 난모세포의 성장과 난황형성에 밀접하게 관여하고 있음을 시사한다.