• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.43 no.2
• /
• pp.147-149
• /
• 2007

White-rot fungi which degrade lignin can also degrade diverse recalcitrant compounds such as polymeric dyes, explosives, pesticides, and endocrine disrupting chemicals. Lignin degrading enzymes are involved in the degradation reactions, and introduction of foreign genes into a white-rot fungus is required in order to increase the degrading capacity. Genetic transformation experiment has been carried out in Irpex lacteus and Phlebia tremellosa to an antibiotic resistance. The transformation yields were 50-70 transformants/${\mu}g$ DNA and 15-25 transformants/${\mu}g$ DNA in I. lacteus and P. tremellosa, respectively. The stable replication of the plasmid was confirmed by PCR using the plasmid-specific primers, and many mutants were generated during this integration in both fungi.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.460-466
• /
• 2012

Perchlorate is used in a number of applications as an oxidizer in solid propellants, munitions and fireworks and is one of the endocrine disrupting chemicals, which interferes with iodide uptake into the thyroid gland. The purpose of this study was to investigate perchlorate occurrence and distribution with a results of analysis of 94 samples collected from military facilities in Korea from October 11 to October 23, 2011. Overall, among all of the 94 samples analyzed, perchlorate was detected in 6.4% of the total number of samples above $4{\mu}g/L$ (minimum reported limit) and the average concentration was $26.1{\mu}g/L$ and the maximum concentration was $107.7{\mu}g/L$ which was observed in surface water near manufacturing site of ammunition. By site classification, perchlorate was detected at one site in 4 manufacturing sites of ammunition and the maximum concentration was $107.7{\mu}g/L$ which was six times higher than that in guideline for perchlorate in Nakdong River and resulted from point source discharge. Perchlorate was detected at 3 sites in 78 measurements for shooting area and the maximum concentration was $12.4{\mu}g/L$ which was collected in dringking water and perchlorate in another sample was detected above MRL in shooting area was collected right away after shooting. These results showed that long term monitoring was needed considering weather conditions and shooting schedules.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.52 no.3
• /
• pp.306-312
• /
• 2016

Microalgae are the potential bioindicators of environmental changes, for the environmental risk assessment as well as to set limits for toxic chemical release in the aquatic environment. Here, we evaluated the effects of two endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), namely bisphenol A (BPA) and Aroclor 1016, on the green algae Tetraselmis suecica, diatom Ditylum brightwellii, and dinoflagellate Prorocentrum minimum. Each species showed wide different sensitivity ranges when exposed to these two EDCs; the 72 h effective concentration ($EC_{50}$) for these test species showed that Aroclor 1016 was more toxic than BPA. $EC_{50}$ values for the diatom D. birghtwellii were calculated at 0.037 mg/L for BPA and 0.002 mg/L for Aroclor 1016, representing it was the most sensitive when compared to the other species. In addition, these results suggest that these EDC discharge beyond these concentrations into the aquatic environments may cause harmful effect to these marine species.

• Animal cells and systems
• /
• v.7 no.3
• /
• pp.227-235
• /
• 2003

Bisphenol A (BPA), nonylphenol (NP), and 4-tert-octylphenol (OP) are known endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) with estrogenic activity in fish. This study compared the effects of BPA, NP and OP on in vitro vitellogenin (VTG) synthesis in primary cultures of hepatocytes of the Chinese minnow Phoxinus oxycephalus. The VTG secreted into the culture medium was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), which we developed in this study using an antibody prepared from homogenates of Chinese minnow egg. VTG synthesis was induced by estradiol-17$\beta$ ($E_2$) and phenols (BPA, NP and OP) treatment. $E_2$ at concentrations of 10$^{-6}$ M or higher increased VTG levels significantly (P < 0.05). Exposure to 10^5\;M\;BPA\;or\;10^-4$M NP and OPinduced in vitro VTG synthesis (P < 0.01). However, $10^-3$ M BPA, NP or OP did not induce VTG synthesis. These results suggest that SPA has the highest estrogenic potential in Chinese minnow hepatocytes. Tamoxifen, an anti-estrogen, drastically blocked the production of VTG by phenols (BPA, NP and OP) suggesting that phenols (BPA, NP and OP) may act via binding to estrogen receptor (ER) in Chinese minnow hepatocytes.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
• /
• v.36 no.2
• /
• pp.103-108
• /
• 2011

Measurement of estrogen concentration in bio-samples are very important for differential diagnosis of various disease or evaluation of health status. However, it is difficult to collect immediate data of estrogen concentration because they are measured by radioimmunoassay or chromatography which need time- and cost-consuming sample pre-treatment. This study was performed for development of new estrogen biosensor employing taste principles, and for evaluation of cross reactivity between various steroid hormones. Gene sequence of ligand binding domain of ${\alpha}$-human estrogen receptor (amino acid 302-553; hER-LBD) was cloned from human breast cancer cell line. The proteins of hER-LBD were produced by T7-E.coli expression system, and isolated by chromatography. hER-LBD were coated on the gold plated quartz crystal (AT-cut 9MHz), and resonance frequencies were measured by universal frequency counter. Estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, and aldosterone were used for cross reactivity of the hER-LBD. We also monitored influences of pH change in resonance frequency. The resonance frequencies of hER-LBD coated quartz crystal were decreased during increase of estrogen concentration from $15 \;{\mu}g/mL$ to $50\;{\mu}g/mL$. However, similar steroid hormones, progesterone and aldosterone, did not elicit the change in resonance frequency. Testosterone evoke weak change in resonance frequency. The new estrogen biosensor was more sensitive in pH 7.2 than in pH 7.6. These results suggest that hER-LBD coated quartz crystal biosensor is a probable estrogen biosensor.

• Development and Reproduction
• /
• v.10 no.4
• /
• pp.215-225
• /
• 2006

Precocious puberty is defined as the appearance of secondary sex characteristics before age 8 years in girls (or menarche before age 9 years) and before 9 years in boys. The age of onset of puberty is progressing to younger age. The pubertal activation of gonadotrophin releasing hormone(GnRH) release requires coordinated changes in excitatory or inhibitory amino acids, growth factors, and a group of transcriptional regulators. A number of factors affecting precocious puberty were explored, including the role of genetic factors, nutrition(body fat) and exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals. In addition to the psychosocial disturbances associated with precocious puberty, the premature pubertal growth spurt and the accelerated bone maturation result in reduced adult height. Precocious puberty may be gonadotrophin-dependent premature activation of the GnRH pulse generator or gonadotrophin-independent. In rapidly progressing central precocious puberty, GnRH agonists appear to increase final height. However more data on the effect and long-term safety of GnRHa are needed.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.203-209
• /
• 2007

생활하수, 공장폐수, 농경유출수에 의해 수생태계로 유입된 다양한 화학물질들은 수서곤충이나 어류와 같은 수생생물에게 나쁜 영향을 주곤 한다. 비스페놀A와 노닐페놀을 포함하는 많은 화학물질들이 내분비계 장애물질(EDCs)로 의심되고 있고, 그들은 환경속에서 서로 다른 혼합형태로 공존하기도 한다. 따라서 비스페놀A와 노닐페놀의 혼합물이 독성과 생식학적 반응에 미치는 영향을 살펴보기 위해 일본산 송사리의 수정란 치사율, 부화율 및 부화시간, 치어의 성장율 및 비텔로제닌 농도 등이 측정되었다. 수정된 지 24시간 이내의 수정란을 대조군, 양성대조군($17{\beta}-estradiol$), 그리고 서로 다른 농도의 비스페놀A와 노닐페놀의 혼합물에 부화 후 60일까지 유수식 조건하에 노출시켰다. 수정란${\sim}$치자어 단계에서는 대조군과 비교하여 실험군의 치사율 및 부화율, 부화시간에 차이가 나타나지 않았으며, 부화 후 60일간의 노출 후 성장(길이, 무게)에 있어서도 비록 양성대조군에서 낮은 성장상태를 보였지만 다른 혼합물의 실험군들과는 차이를 보이지 않았다. 한편 체내 비텔로제닌 농도는 혼합물의 농도증가에 따라 증가하였으며 수컷의 경우 최저농도의 혼합물(Treatment A)을 제외한 실험군에서 농도증가에 따라 증가하였다. 반면 양성대조군의 경우 수컷이 발견되지 않았고 암컷 체내의 비텔로제닌 농도는 최고농도의 혼합물(Treatment D) 실험군과 비슷한 경향을 보였다. 위 실험을 통해 각각의 내분비계 장애물질이 개별적으론 생식발달 및 비텔로제닌 유도에 무영향농도(NOEC)라 하더라도 혼합된 경우 영향이 나타날 수 있다는 것을 보여주었으며, 이는 수환경 내 다양한 화학물들의 혼합효과(combination effect)가 생태위해성평가를 좀더 면밀하게 하기 위해서 주의 깊게 고려되어야 한다고 제안한다.

• Analytical Science and Technology
• /
• v.21 no.5
• /
• pp.375-382
• /
• 2008

Bisphenol A (BPA) and di-2-ethyhexyl phthalate (DEHP) is the considerably hazardous materials, endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), which is accumulated to the human's fat and tissue. We studied the relationship between the concentrations of BPA and DEHP in the precocious puberty and the normal controls using GC/MSD. BPA concentrations of the precocious puberty are lower than that of normal controls. But DEHP concentrations of the precocious puberty are higher than that of normal controls. From these results, BPA is not related to the precocious puberty. Otherwise, DEHP is somewhat related to the precocious puberty and the concentrations of the precocious puberty are approximately 45% higher than that of normal controls.

• Development and Reproduction
• /
• v.27 no.4
• /
• pp.213-220
• /
• 2023

Previously, we showed that a chronic-low-dose nonylphenol (NP) exposure resulted in histological changes with sexually dimorphic pattern in rat adrenal glands. We hypothesized that such structural changes are closely related to the hormonal secretory patterns. To test this hypothesis, we developed the short-term adrenal incubation method, and measured the levels of catecholamines and cortical steroids using the high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC-ECD) and specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. The norepinephrine (NE) levels in media from NP-treated female adrenal, except 100 pM NP, were significantly increased [control (CTL) vs 1 nM NP, p<0.001; vs 10 nM NP, p<0.05; vs 100 nM NP, p<0.001; vs 1 µM NP, p<0.01]. The NE secretion from male adrenal was higher when treated with 100 nM and 1 µM NP (CTL vs 100 nM NP, p<0.05; vs 1 µM NP, p<0.05, respectively). The aldosterone level in the female adrenal media treated with 100 pM NP was significantly decreased, on the other hand, that of media treated with 10 nM NP was significantly increased (CTL vs 100 pM NP, p<0.05; vs 10 nM NP, p<0.01). In male adrenal media, the aldosterone levels of 10 nM, 100 nM and 1 µM NP-treated media were significantly declined (CTL vs 10 nM NP, p<0.001; vs 100 nM NP, p<0.001; vs 1 µM NP, p<0.001). These results showed the NP treatment altered secretory pattern of aldosterone from adrenals of both sexes, showing sexual dimorphism. It may be helpful for understanding possible adrenal pathophysiology, and endocrine disrupting chemicals-related sexually dimorphic phenomena in adrenals.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
• /
• v.35
• /
• pp.53.1-53.15
• /
• 2023

Background: Plastics are high-molecular-weight materials composed of long carbon chains. They are prevalent in daily life, present in various items such as food containers and microwavable packaging. Phthalates, an additive used to enhance their flexibility, are endocrine-disrupting chemicals. We utilized the data from the Korean National Environmental Health Survey (KoNEHS) cycle 3, representing the general South Korean population, to investigate the relationship between the use of plastics in refrigerator food storage and phthalate exposure. Methods: We assessed 3,333 adult participants (aged ≥ 19 years) including 1,526 men and 1,807 women, using data from KoNEHS cycle 3. Using the 75th percentile concentration, urine phthalate metabolites were categorized into high and low-concentration groups. χ² test was conducted to analyze variations in the distribution of each variable, considering sociodemographic factors, health-related factors, food intake, the use of plastics, and the concentration of urine phthalate metabolites as the variables. To calculate odds ratios (ORs) for the high-concentration group of urine phthalate metabolites based on the use of plastics in refrigerator food storage, logistic regression analysis was conducted. Results: In men, the use of plastics in refrigerator food storage had significantly higher adjusted ORs compared to those using the others. The adjusted ORs were calculated as follows: mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP) had an OR of 1.35 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05-1.72), mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (MEOHP) had an OR of 1.48 (95% CI: 1.16-1.88), mono-(2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl) phthalate (MECPP) had an OR of 1.32 (95% CI: 1.04-1.66), ∑di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (∑DEHP) had an OR of 1.37 (95% CI: 1.08-1.74) and mono-n-butyl phthalate (MnBP) had an OR of 1.44 (95% CI: 1.13-1.84). Conclusion: The concentrations of urine phthalate metabolites (MEHHP, MEOHP, MECPP, ∑DEHP, and MnBP) were significantly higher in men who used plastics in refrigerator food storage compared to those using the others.