• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.263-267
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• 1997

The distribution and relative frequencies of the endocrine cells were studied immunohistochemically in the common pancreatic ducts of the Korean native goat with serotonin, glucagon, insulin, BCG, BPP and somatostatin antisera. Serotonin-, glucagon-, BCG-, BPP- and somatostatin-immunoreactive cells were detected in the basal portion of the mucosal gland in the common pancreatic ducts of the Korean native goat but insulin-immunoreactive cells were not detected. The function of these immunoreactive cells and appearance of other immunoreactive cells in the common pancreatic ducts of the Korean native goat were remains unknown.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2000.04a
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• pp.153.1-153.1
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• 2000

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.21 no.3 s.54
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• pp.291-299
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• 2006

The experiments investigated whether early exposure to testosterone propionate (TP) during prepuberty alters testis development in Sprague-Dawley male rats. We performed Hershberger assay using the stimulated weanling male rats by OECD protocols, cDNA microarray, and Western blot. TP was subcutaneously injected to uncastrated Sprague-Dawley male rat of 22 days old for 10 consecutive days at doses of 0.4, 0.8, 1.0, 1.2, 1.6 mg/kg per day. At necropsy, the following tissues were removed and weighed: combined testes, epididymides (Epi), Cowper's glands (COW), levator am, and bulbocavernosus muscles (LABC), seminal vesicles, together with coagulating gland (SV) and ventral prostate (VP). We found that TP increased the weights of Epi, VP, SV, COW, and LABC, while testis was decreased in a dose-dependent manner. In cDNA microarray analysis of testis, there were significant reductions in the expression of cytochrome P450 11A (CYP11A), the rate-limiting enzyme of steroidogenesis. Taken together these results, TP exposure before puberty in male rats may produce the delay in testis development by inhibiting the CYP11A gene expression.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.342-350
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• 2008

This study was carried out to investigate the suitability of the pubertal assay and the enhanced TG 407 as methods for detection of endocrine-mediated effects. Thyroid function was also considered. Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were gavaged daily with 0, 25, 50, 100 mg/kg metribuzin in corn oil during 30 days. The effects of metribuzin on thyroid gland, the genital organs and thyroid hormone were measured in male and female rats. Dose of metribuzin 50 mg/kg/day increased relative weight of testis, prostate, and seminal vesicle in male rats but relative weight of thyroid gland was not significantly different from control group. Dose of metribuzin 25 mg/kg/day decreased relative weight of thyroid gland in female rats. Another purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of endocrine-disruptors as like thyroid hormone in vitro. Luciferase activity was measured to detect reaction of test chemicals and thyroid hormone response elements in HeLaTRE cell. Dose of metribuzin from 1 to 1,000 nM increased to 106-122% of luciferase activity.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.207-214
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• 2008

This study was designed to investigate the suitability of the pubertal assay and the enhanced TG 407 as methods for detection of endocrine-mediated effects, especially thyroid function. Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were gavaged daily with 0, 12.5, 25, 50 mg/kg alachlor in corn oil during 30 days. The effects of alachlor on thyroid gland, the genital organs and thyroid hormone were measured in male and female rats. Dose of alachlor 25, 50 mg/kg/day increased relative weight of testis and thyroid gland in exposed male rats and decreased relative weight of vagina in exposed female rats. Relative weight of thyroid gland was decreased in alachlor 25 mg/kg/day exposed female rats. Dose of alachlor 25, 50 mg/kg/day decreased plasma T4 and testosterone in female rats. Another purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of endocrine disruptors as like thyroid hormone in vitro. Luciferase activity was measured to dectect reaction of test chemicals and thyroid hormone response elements in HeLaTRE cell. Dose of alachlor 1 nM-1000 nM increased 100-134% luciferase activity compared with control.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Developmental Biology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.67-67
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• 2003

Tributyltin chloride (TBTCI) is an organotin compounds that have been widely used as antifouling agents and bioaccumulated in the food chain. TBTCI has been known to induce imposex in female gastropods. There are several reports that TBTCI increased testosterone level and inhibited the conversion of testosterone to estradiol by the aromatase cytochrome P450 enzyme. In this studies, we investigated the effects of TBTCI on steroidogenesis in testes, We dosed to 4-week-old Spragus-Dawleys (SD) male rats with TSTCI (0, 1, 5, 10, and 20mg/kg/day) daily by gavage for 14 days. TBTCI significantly decreased the weights of seminal vesicle, prostate, cowper's gland and LABC at 10 and 20mg/kg/day but significantly Increased the weights of liver at 10 and 20mg/kg/day and adrenals at 20mg/kg/day. mRNA levels of steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) and P450 aromatase were decreased and mRNA levels of cytochrome P450 17$\alpha$-hydroxylase/$C_{17-20}$ lyase (P450c17) were increased by TBTCI. TBTCI significantly increased serum testosterone level in dose-dependent manner. From above results, we found that TBTCI altered mRNA levels of enzymes related steroidogenesis, weights of organs and serum testosterone levels. This suggests that change of hormone levels may be due to alteration of mRNA levels of steroidogenic enzyme in testes, but further studies are necessary to investigate hormone levels in testis organ in order to find a relation of enzyme related to steroidogenesis with hormone levels. This work was supported by the Korea FDA Grant KFDA-03131-EDS-010.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.351-357
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• 2005

Endosulfan is one of the organochlorine pesticides, which are well-known endocrine disruptors (EDs), and it acts as an estrogen agonist. Estrogen is a group of hormones that play an important role in mammary gland function and are implicated in mammary carcinogenesis. In the present study, we studied the effects of endosulfan on nodule like alveolar lesion (NLAL) formation in mouse mammary gland development using a mouse mammary gland organ culture (MMOC) system. Although endosulfan-treated mammary glands did not form NLALs, more alveolar buds were formed in this group than in the negative control (vehicle-treated) group. In addition, telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) mRNA expression levels were increased in endosulfan-treated mammary glands in a dose-dependent manner. Telomerase can be activated by estrogen, therefore, we examined the effects of endosulfan on telomerase activity, and found that the telomerase activity in estrogen receptor-positive MCF-7 cells was up-regulated by endosulfan treatment. Moreover, this activation was accompanied by the up­regulation of the TERT mRNA expression. Also, transient expression assays using CAT reporter plasm ids containing various fragments of the TERT promoter showed that this imperfect palindromic estrogen-responsive element is almost certainly responsible for the transcriptional activation by endosulfan. These results may help elucidate the endocrine disrupting mechanism of endosulfan.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.171-177
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• 2004

The regional distributions and frequencies of argentaffin endocrine cells in gastrointestinal (GI) tract of osteoporotic Sprague-Dawley rat induced by ovariectomy were studied by Masson-Hamperl silver stain. The experimental animals were divided into two groups, one is non-ovariectomized group (Sham) and the other is ovariectomized group (OVX). Samples were collected from each part of GI tract (fundus, pylorus, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, cecum, colon and rectum) at 10th week after ovariectomy or sham operation. Argentaffin cells were detected throughout the entire GI tract with various frequencies regardless of ovariectomy except for the rectum of OVX in which no cells were detected. Most of these argentaffin cells in the mucosa of GI tract were generally spherical or spindle in shape (open type cell) while cells showing round in shape (close type cell) were rarely found in gland regions. Significant decrease of argentaffin cells was detected in OVX compared to that of Sham except for the fundus and jejunum. However, in the fundus and jejunum, argentaffin cells in OVX showed similar frequency compared to that of Sham. In conclusion, the endocrine cells are the anatomical units responsible for the production of gut hormones that regulate gut motility and digestion including absorption, and a change in their density would reflect the change in the capacity of producing these hormones and regulating gut motility and digestion. Ovariectomy induced severe quantitative changes of GI argentaffin endocrine cell density, and the abnormality in density of GI endocrine cells may contribute to the development of gastrointestinal symptoms in osteoporosis such as impairments of calcium and some lipids, frequently encountered in patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.199-208
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• 2007

Although many studies have focused on the biological and toxicological effects of phenol products, in particular, in reproductive tracts, the data about their effects in this estrogenic responsive tissue are much less clear. In addition, the in vitro and in vivo data concerning ED-adverse impacts in other endocrine organs, i.e. pituitary gland, are not understood well either. Thus, a further study is needed for providing a new insight into possible impacts of estrogenic EDs including phenol products in humans and wildlife. A combination of in vitro and in vivo system for examining EDs may bring better understanding into the regulatory mechanisms underlying EDs-induced events. In addition, this information may support for developing optimal screening methods of estrogenic EDs, in particular, phenol products.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.321-331
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• 1992

The regional distribution and relative frequency of gastrointestinal endocrine cells were studied immunohistochemically in the gastrointestinal mucosa and pancreas of the fresh water turtle. Ten kinds of endocrine cells were identified in the gastrointestinal tract. Cholecystokinin-8-, bovine pancreatic polypetide-and glucagon-immunoreactive cells were seen throughout the gastrointestinal tract, also among them cholecystokinin-8-immunoreactive cells were most predominant in segment III. Although gastrin- and gastrin/cholecystokinin-immunoreactive cells were found from segment III to VI and X, respectively, they were numerous in segment III. Somatostatin-immunoreactive cells were observed from segment I to VII. 5-hydroxytryptamine- immunoreactive cells were detected in segment I, III, VIII, IX and X. Human pancreatic polypeptide-immunoreactive cells were demonstrated in segment V, VI, VIII, IX and X. Insulin-immunoreactive cells were found from segment III to X except for segment VIII, but rare in segment VII. Neurotensin-immunoreactive cells were found to be restricted to segment VIII, IX and X. No porcine chromogranin-, substance P- and bombesin-immunoreactive cells were detected throughout the gastrointestinal tract of the fresh water turtle. Although typical mammalian pancreatic islets encapsulated by connective tissue were not present in this species, five kinds of endocrine cells-glucagon, insulin, somatostatin, bovine pancreatic polypeptide and 5-hydroxytryptamine-were found in forming small or large groups and scattered in the exocrine gland region. However porcine chromogranin- and motilin-immunoreactive cells could not be demonstrated in the pancreas.