• Development and Reproduction
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.167-176
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• 2020

The fat pad defined as the epididymal fat is located at the head part of the epididymis. However, another fat mass is present near the caudal epididymis, named tail epididymal fat. The present research was focused to determine the expression of adipocyte-associated molecules in the mouse tail epididymal fat at different postnatal ages, including 2, 5, 8, and 12 months of age. The quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed continuous increases of expression levels of delta like non-canonical Notch ligand 1, leptin, and resistin as postnatally aged. The transcript level of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma was the highest at 5 months of age, remaining at a steady level until 12 months of age. Expression levels of fatty acid binding protein 4, leptin, and adiponectin were significantly increased until 8 months of age, persisting the level at 12 months of age. The transcript level of fatty acid synthase was significantly increased at 8 months of age, without a further change of the level at 12 months of age. These findings exhibited the expression of adipocyte-associated genes which were also detected at the ordinary epididymal fat pad. However, expression patterns of these genes in the tail epididymal fat are different with those in the distal and proximal epididymal fat, suggesting distinct characteristics and/or functions of the tail epididymal fat.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.74-80
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• 2001

Objectives : Ma-huang is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, derived from Ephedra sinica Stapf and other Ephedra species, used to treat asthma, nose and lung congestion, and fever with anhidrosis. It contains 0.5-2.5% by weight of total alkaloids, of which ephedrine accounts for 30 to 90%. Recently, Ma-huang has been used as a source of ephedrine in many dietary supplements formulated for the treatment of obesity, since ephedrine has been found to be effective in inducing weight loss in the obese. In this study the effects of the methanol extract of Ma-huang on the adipocyte of epididymal and brown fat pads in rats fed a high fat diet for six weeks were studied. Methods : Male Sprague Dawley rats weighing an average 94g (4 weeks old) were fed either a regular diet (RE) or a high fat diet (HF), and the HF group was subdivided into a Ma-huang methanol extract (30mg/100g body weight) group (HF+MH). The weight of epididymal fat pad and brown adipose tissue were measured. The cell size and cell number per unit area of epididymal fat pad were investigated. Results : The yield weight of methanol extract of Ma-huang was 3.63mg per l00g of Ma-huang. The body weight gain of the HF group was similar with that of the HF+ MH but higher than that of the RE. The weights of the epididymal fat pads and brown adipose tissue of the RE group were lower than those of HF and HF+MH groups. The cell sizes and numbers per unit area of epididymal fat pads of the RE and HF+MH groups were larger than those of HF group. The cell numbers per unit area size of epididymal fat pads were the smallest in the RE group. Conclusions : It could be concluded that the Ma-huang extract has no effect on the epididymal fat pads in rats fed a high fat diet and the clinical application of Ma-huang for the treatment of obesity should be re-considered.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.1200-1207
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• 1997

Effects of kimchi on lipid metabolism and immune function were studied in experiments using 63mals SD rats fed 6 inds of Baechu-kimchi containing diet during 4 weeks. Three kinds of freeze dried kimchi differ in fermentation period (not fermented, 3-, 6-week-fermented at 4$^{\circ}C$) were added at 5%, 10% of the diet containing 15% lard. The levels of serum total lipid and triglyceride and the content of liver total lipid and triglyceride of all kimchi groups were lower than those of a control group. But the levels of serum and liver cholesterol is not affected by kimchi intake. The triglyceride concentration of epididymal fat pad and feces of kimchi groups were higher than those of a control group. The food efficiency ratio, epididymal fat pad weight of 3-, 6-week-fermented kimchi 10% groups were significantly lower than control and not-fermented kimchi groups. Especially 6-week-fermented kimchi groups showed adipocytes, less in number and larger in size than those of other groups. The blastogenesis of spleen lymphocytes to LPS was higher in rats fed fermented kimchi diets than rats fed control and not-fermented kimchi diet. These results suggest that kimchi stimulates lipid mobilization to epididymal fat pad and lipid excretion via feces, so lower serum and liver triglyceride concentration. The fermented kimchi stimulate the proliferation of B cell and lower the lipid accumulation in epididymal fat pad, especially kimchi fermented for 6 weeks at 4$^{\circ}C$ lower the adipose cell number.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.213-221
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• 2019

The epididymal fat of mouse is a part of visceral fat deposit and is divided into the distal or proximal part based on its histochemical characteristics. Even though the formation of the epididymal fat pad begins before the birth, a detailed adipogenic procedure of the epididymal fat has not been revealed. The epididymal fat pad becomes enlarged and expended with age, and expressional changes of numerous genes are associated with the maturation of fat tissues. In the present research, expressional patterns of adipose tissue-related genes in the distal epididymal fat of mouse at 2, 5, 8, and 12 months of postnatal age were determined by a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. The lowest transcript levels of fatty acid binding protein 4 (Fabp4), lipoprotein lipase (Lpl), delta like non-canonical Notch ligand 1 (Dlk1), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (Pparg), leptin (Lep), adiponectin (Adipoq), and resistin (Retn) were detected at 2 months of age, except fatty acid synthase (Fasn) showing the lowest level at 5 months of age. Even though expression of Lep and Fabp4 were gradually increased until 12 months of age, significant increases of Pparg and Adipoq transcript levels were continued until 8 months of age. The transcript levels of Lpl, Rent, Dlk1, and Fasn were significantly increased at 8 months of age, compared with those at 2 months of age. The current findings suggest that the expansion of the distal epididymal fat of mouse during postnatal period would be companied with differential expression of various adipocyte-associated molecules.

• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.117-122
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• 2002

This study was designed to observe the effect of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) supplementation on body fatness, fat cell sizes and leptin levels in male Sprague Dawley rats. Following weaning, forty rats were divided into 4 groups beef tallow (BT), fish oil (FO). beef tallow with CLA supplementation (BTC), and fish oil with CLA supplementation (FOC) group. For four weeks, all rats were fed experimental diets containing 12％ of total dietary fat (w/w) with or without 1％ CLA. After 4 weeks, the animals were sacrificed; the total carcass fat, plasma leptin levels, epididymal fat pad weights and fat cell sizes in adipose tissue were measured. CLA supplementation did not significantly affect the rat's body weights, total body fat, epididymal fat pad weights, and fat cell sizes. CLA also did not have a significant effect on plasma leptin levels. These results suggest that CLA supplement was not an effective way to reduce the body weights of male Sprague Dawley rats.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.313-322
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• 2019

The epididymal fat pad is a male gonadal adipocyte tissue and is histochemically separated into distal and proximal parts. The development of epididymal fat during postnatal period has not been examined in detail. A previous research showed that expression of adipocyte-associated molecules in the distal epididymal fat of mouse is generally increased as postnatally aged. In the present study, expressional patterns of same adipocyte-associated molecules in the mouse proximal epididymal fat at 2, 5, 8, and 12 months of age were studied by quantitative real-time PCR analysis and were compared with those in the distal epididymal fat. The expressional levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (Pparg), lipoprotein lipase (Lpl), and fatty acid synthase (Fasn) at 5 months of age were significantly lower than those at 2 months of age, while transcript level of leptin (Lep) at 5 months was higher than that at 2 months of age. The transcript levels of all molecules at 8 months of age were significantly increased, compared with those at 2 and 5 months of age. At 12 months of age, expression of delta like non-canonical Notch ligand 1 (Dlk1) was further significantly increased, while there was no change on the transcript level of Pparg and significant decreases of Fabp4, Retn, Lpl, Lep, Fasn, and adiponectin (Adipoq) transcript levels. The current findings show that expressional patterns of molecules associated with adipocyte in the proximal epididymal fat is somewhat different with those of the distal epididymal fat, suggesting the existence of regional variance in the epididymal fat.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.679-686
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• 2012

This study was to elucidate the effects of Ukgan-san on the hyperthyroidism induced by sodium levothyroxine. Hyperthyroidisms were induced by continuous subcutaneous treatment of LT4, 0.3 mg/kg, once a day for 27days, and 1,500, 1,000 and 500 mg/kg of Ulkansan extracts were orally administered, once a day for 15 days from 12th LT4 treatment, and the changes on the body, thyroid gland, liver and epididymal fat pad weights, serum triiodothyronine(T3), thyroxine(T4), thyroid-stimulating hormone(TSH), asparte aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) concentrations, hepatic lipid peroxidation(LPO), glutathione(GSH), superoxide dismutase(SOD) and catalase(CAT) activities were investigated with throid gland, liver and epididymal fat pad histopathological changes. The effects of Ukan-san extracts were compared with that of propyl thiouracil(PTU), a standard antithyroidic drug 10 mg/kg(intraperitoneally). 1,500 and 1,000 mg/kg of Ukan-san extracts reversed all LT4-induced hyperthyroidisms and these effects indicating their potential in the regulation of hyperthyroidism. Further, the Ukan-san extract normalized LT4-induced liver oxidative stresses, and also reduced liver damages and epididymal fat pad reducements suggesting its antioxidative and relative organ protective nature. However, nor favorable effects on LT4-induced hyperthyroidisms were detected in Ulkansan 500 mg/kg treated rats as compared with LT4 control rats in the present study. These effects of Ukan-san may help improvement of hyperthyroidisms and accompanied various organ damages.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.10 no.1 s.15
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• pp.41-45
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• 1974

The effect of ginseng saponin on the release of free fatty acid from adipose tissue was studied in vitro. 1. The mobilization of free fatty acid from intact epididymal fat pad of rat, incubated in Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate buffer (pH 7.4) contained bovine serum albumin (4 w/v%), was increased by addition of ginseng sponin (1 mg/ml). 2. The mobilization of free fatty acid from homogenate of the epididymal fat pad of rat, of which hormone-sensitive lipese system was activated by pre-incubation of intact fat pad in the presence of epinephrine, was markedly increased by addition of ginseng saponin $(0.1{\sim}1mg/ml)$. 3. It is considered that ginseng saponin potentiate the actions of epinephrine on hormone-sensitive lipase system of the adipose tissue of rat.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.195-207
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• 2014

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate how Rhei Radix et Rhizoma affects on insulin resistance and adipose tissue inflammatory response in high fat diet induced obese C57BL/6 mice. Methods : Obesity was induced in C57BL/6 mice by high fat diet for 12 weeks. Models were divided into 3 groups (n=6) of normal diet, high fat diet (HFD), and high fat diet with Rhei Radix et Rhizoma and investigated for 12 weeks. We measured body weight, FBS and oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), serum insulin, homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), weight of liver and epididymal fat pad. Inflammatory markers such as adipose tissue macrophage (ATM), tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ and interlukin-10 and CD68 of epididymal adipocyte were determined to evaluate the effect of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma on adipose tissue inflammation. Results : Compared with the HFD group, we observed loss of body weight and epididymal fat pad weight, improvement of glucose level and HOMA-IR, reduction of ATM and gene expression of TNF-${\alpha}$, CD68 in the high fat diet with Rhei Radix et Rhizoma group. Conclusions : This study suggests that Rhei Radix et Rhizoma has effects on insulin resistance and adipose tissue inflammatory response in high fat diet induced obese mice.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.29 no.9
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• pp.925-933
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• 1996

This study intended to compare the hypolipidemic effects among six experimental groups fed by three different dietary carbohydrates on hyperlipodemic rats. Sixty experimental animals were divided into 6 groups, SB, ST, SP and CB, CT, CP after production of hyperlipidemia fed by SB diet on Sprague-Dawley rats for 4 weeks. Rats were fed by six experimental diets for eight weeks. Hyjperlipidemic rats showed three times higher in plasma TG level not in cholesterol content compare to control group fed by stock diet. Two different dietary carbohydrates seem to be effective in body weight gain and fat cumulation as weight of epididymal fat pad. In comparison of S and C groups, C fed groups showed lowering effect in plasma TG and total lipid contents, but among S fed groups, ST and SP group showed lower than SB in this respects. Dietary carbohydrates seem to be more effective than fat in plasma lipid contents. When we compare among three different fat groups, only T groups with different carbohydrates increased in peroxisomal lipid oxidation and decreased in lipogenic enzyme activites. As same token, sucrose fed group with three fat sources seem to increase activiteies enzyme activities. In epididymal fat pad and Heart, SP and CP effect more in LPL activites than other groups. In conclusion, we can recommed to consume polysaccharides rather than disaccharide and n-3 fatty acids such as perilla and tuna oils to alleviate hypertringlycemic condition.