• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.41-49
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• 1984

It has been well known that ovarian steroids, estradiol and progesterone play an important role in the endometrial preparation for the implantation process. The present investigation was undertaken to correlate function of ovarian steroids with cAMP concentrations in uterine tissues of rat during the various stages of the preimplantation period. Rats ovariectomized on day 2 were treated with estradiol or/and progesterone on day 3 or on day 4 and cAMP concentrations in uterine tissues were determined by competitive protein - binding assay in control - and steroid treated - ovariectomized rats. The results obtained are as follows; 1. In control rats, cAMP concentrations in uterine tissues were decreased with preimplantation period proceeded whereas cAMP concentrations were increased and showed the highest levels on day 6 in ovariectomized rats. 2. In rats treated with progesterone only or progesterone with estradiol after ovariectomy, cAMP concentrations on day 6 were lower than those of ovariectomized control but higher than those of intact control rats while estradiol only treatment decreased cAMP concentrations on day 3 and day 6, compared with those from intact- and ovariectomized-controls. It is, therefore, concluded that the concentrations of cAMP in uterine tissues were lower in estrogen-treated rats than in ovariectomized rats, suggesting the involvement of cAMP in the regulation of uterine tissue differentiation.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.446-453
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• 1990

In order to investigate the retinoic acid indticed-differentiation of F9 teratocarcinoma stem cell, we have analyzed the change of cell morphology and laminin expression after exposure to retinoic add and cyclic AMP. It is shown that undifferentiated F9 stem cells grow as closely packed colonies, and it is difficult to distinguish cell-cell boundaries. After retinoic add and dibutyryl cyclic AMP treatment, F9 cells assume a flat morphology characterized by perinuclear granules and arrest growth. According to Northern blot analysis, laminin expression was increased markedly after retinoic acid treatment. Laminin Bi gene expression was increased at least 30-fold and laminin B2 gene expression was increased approximately 20-fold during differentiation process. Employing immunofluoresence analysis, it was proved that the synthesis of laminin protein was low level in F9 stem cell whereas it became high level in retinoic acid treated F9 cell and the laminin protein was largely accumulated in the cell surface. Our results suggest that induction of laminin Bi and B2 genes m F9 cells is retinoic acid-mediated control, and morphological change and differentiation of F9 cells might be associated with laminin gene expression.

• BMB Reports
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.60-70
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• 2017

Glaucoma is characterized by a slow and progressive degeneration of the optic nerve, including retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axons in the optic nerve head (ONH), leading to visual impairment. Despite its high prevalence, the biological basis of glaucoma pathogenesis still is not yet fully understood, and the factors contributing to its progression are currently not well characterized. Intraocular pressure (IOP) is the only modifiable risk factor, and reduction of IOP is the standard treatment for glaucoma. However, lowering IOP itself is not always effective for preserving visual function in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma. The second messenger cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) regulates numerous biological processes in the central nervous system including the retina and the optic nerve. Although recent studies revealed that cAMP generated by adenylyl cyclases (ACs) is important in regulating aqueous humor dynamics in ocular tissues, such as the ciliary body and trabecular meshwork, as well as cell death and growth in the retina and optic nerve, the functional role and significance of cAMP in glaucoma remain to be elucidated. In this review, we will discuss the functional role of cAMP in aqueous humor dynamics and IOP regulation, and review the current medications, which are related to the cAMP signaling pathway, for glaucoma treatment. Also, we will further focus on cAMP signaling in RGC growth and regeneration by soluble AC as well as ONH astrocytes by transmembrane ACs to understand its potential role in the pathogenesis of glaucoma neurodegeneration.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.219-231
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• 1995

Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide(VIP) and ${\beta}-adrenergic$ agonists have immunomodultory effects on the peripheral blood T-lymphocytes of rat through their own receptors. Both of them utilize the same signal transduction pathway. That is, the stimulatory guanine nucleotide binding protein(G protein) mediates the receptor-adenylyl cyclase coupling, producing intracellular increase of cyclic adenosine monophosphate(cAMP). In the previous experiment, propranolol, a ${\beta}-adrenergic$ receptor blocker, inhibited the VIP-induced protein phosphorylation in lymphocytes. However, propranolol could not block the effect induced by forskolin. Therefore, this study was designed to elucidate the mechanism of the inhibitory action of propranolol on the effects of VIP. Using peripheral blood lymphocytes of rats, the effect of propranolol on the receptor binding characteristics of VIP was observed. And the effects of propranolol were compared to the effects of timolol on the cAMP increase induced by isoproterenol, VIP or forskolin. The results obtained are as follows. 1) Receptor binding study showed no significant differences in the affinity or density of VIP receptor between the control and propranolol-pretreated groups. 2) VIP-induced increase of cAMP was inhibited by propranolol, but not by timolol. 3) Both propranolol and timolol suppressed the isoproterenol-induced cAMP increase. 4) Propranolol also inhibited the histamine-induced cAMP increase. 5) Propranolol did not inhibit the increase of cAMP stimulated by forskolin. 6) Lidocaine did not block the VIP-induced cAMP increase. These results show that the inhibitory mechanism of propranolol is not related to ${\beta}-adrenergic$ receptor or its membrane stabilizing effect, and it is suggested that propranolol can block the effects of VIP by inhibiting the intermediate step between the VIP receptor and adenylyl cyclase.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.746-750
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• 2003

Lactose operon contains two CRP binding sites at promoter(CRP1 site) and operator(CRP2 site) regions at lac operon. CRP protein can bind to both sites with the different binding affinity. CRP1 site, major CRP binding site, acts the transcription activation with the fully unknown mechanism by binding of CRP. In this study, the binding affinities of CRP1 site and CRP2 site were measured with the fluorescein-labeled oligomers, which contain CRP1 site and the three different spacing sequences between GTGA and TCAC at CRP2 site. Results showed that CRP:cAMP complex bound to CRP1 site 3 times more strongly than CRP2 site and the base spacing between GTGA and TCAC was not the only factor to affect the binding affinity of CRP to CRP2 site.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.95-104
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• 2018

CREBZF (cAMP-response element binding protein zhangfei) is a member of ATF/CREB family, and which regulates various cellular functions by suppressing major factors with direct interaction. In this study, we have examined the expression of CREBZF on mouse endometrium during uterus estrous cycles and estrogen (E2) treatment. In uterus, CREBZF mRNA expression was higher than other organs and mRNA and protein of CREBZF was increased in proestrus phase and decreased in estrus phase. The expression of CREBZF in 3-weeks old mouse uterus was reduced by E2 injection in endometrium. In addition, the expression of progesterone receptor, a marker of E2 in ovariectomized mice was found to be strongly expressed in stroma, while CREBZF was only expressed in epithelium. Also, we conformed that E2-suppressed CREBZF was restored by co-injection of ICI 182,780, an estrogen receptor antagonist. Overall, these results suggest that CREBZF is regulated by estrogen and involved in ER signaling pathway in mouse uterus.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.99-106
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• 1998

In this study, we have examined the role of cAMP in gap junctional communication (GJC) in preimplantation mouse embryos. GJC was monitored by Lucifer Yellow (LY) injected into one blastomere of compacted embryos. The speed of GJC was defined as the time taken for the last blastomere of the embryo to become visibly fluorescent. The median time for 8-cell embrvos (140 sec) was similar to that for 16-cell (135 sec). To determine whether cAMP and cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) are involved in the regulation of GJC, the effects of PKA inhibitor (H8) and cAMP analogues (Rp-cAMP and 8-Br-cAMP) on dye transfer between blastomeres of compacted embryos were examined. Some of the embryos treated with either H8 or Rp-cAMP failed to transfer LY to all blastomeres within 10 min. In contrast, 8-Br-cAMP speeded up fluorescent dye transfer. The median time to fill all blastomeres with LY was 140 sec in untreated controls and 90 sec in siblings treated with 8-Br-cAMP. Inhibition of PKA by H8 or Rp-cAMP induced delay or arrest in embryo development after compaction, but the increase of intracellular cAMP showed no effect. These findings suggest that GJC in preimplantation mouse embryos is regulated by cAMP-PKA pathway and transient interference by PKA inhibitors induces the developmental delay beyond compaction.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.93-99
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• 1983

Hydrocortisone 5 mg/kg which exerts minimal effect on the renal function and furosemide 1 mg/kg which induces moderate amount of diuresis were injected intraperitoneally to study their effects on the renal cyclic nucleotides content in rats. 1) The renal tissue levels of cAMP were significantly increased by administration of hydrocortisone, but there was no significant change in the furosemide group compared with that of saline treated control group. Moderate elevation in renal cAMP level was noted by the combined administration of hydrocortisone and furosemide, but this elevation was less than that of hvdrocortisone treated group. 2) The renal cGMP level did not show nay remarkable change after the administration of hydrocortisone, however, there were a significant increase by the administration of furosemide alone or combination of both drugs. The level of renal cGMP was higher and maintained longer in the combined treated group than furosemide treated group. The result of this experiment indicates that the potentiating effect of hydrocortisone on the diuretic action of furosemide nay be related to the renal levels of cGMP rather than that of cAMP.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.290-303
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• 1989

The activities of $\beta$-glucosidase, $\beta$-glucuronidase and N-acetyl-$\beta$-glucosaminidase were measured to investigate the relationships of them to sexual maturity. Peritoneal injections of testosterone and dibutyryl cAMP to rats were carried out. As a result, the activities of $\beta$-glucosidase and N-acetyl-$\beta$-glucosaminidase were significantly decreased from the third day and that of P -glucurondiase on the seventh day in the castrated groups. In addition, ihe activities of these three enzymes were significantly increased in the testosterone treated groups for 7 days. In case of dbcAMP injection, the activities of these three enzymes were similar to those of castrated groups or had a tendency to be decreased. On electron microscopic examination, principal cells, basal cells and narrow cells were observed in all regions of epididymis. Principal cells were general forms of columnar epithelial cells. Narrow cells had a number of small vesicles and light cells showed low electron density in comparison to other epithelial cells in cauda epididymis. Halo cells were migrating leucocytes btween epithelial cells.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.309-314
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• 2004

Cyclic AMP receptor protein (CRP) is involved in the transcriptional regulation of more than 100 genes in E. coli. CRP dimer is converted into active form via the sequential conformation change of cAMP binding pocket, hinge region and HTH DNA binding motif by binding of cAMP. The temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE) was applied to CRP protein to know whether it was an efficient technique to study the conformational transitions and the thermal stability. TGGE showed the unfolding process of wild-type and S83G CRP proteins with the temperature gradient set from 29 to 71$^{\circ}C$ on nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel. Melting temperature (Tm) was 57$\pm$1 and 55$\pm$1$^{\circ}C$ for wild-type and S83G CRP, respectively in acidic buffer[89.8 mM Glycine and 24 mM Boric acid (pH 5.8)].