• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.207-210
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• 2007

The study was designed to determine the estrogenic effect of some penicillins on endocrine function in adult Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes). Vitellogenin (Vtg) produced in male fish has been used for a biomarker to study endocrine disrupters. $17\beta-estradiol\;(E_2)$ was used a positive control that was induced Vtg in male fish. Result of total protein qantification and ELISA for female and male fish were exposed to $17\beta-estradiol$ 10ng/ml for $3\sim5$ days. As a result, male fish exposed to amoxicillin respectively appeared 0.75, 0.23, 8.21 and $9.36\%_{\circ}$ of 1, 10, 100 and 1000 ppm respectively, that value was elevated compared with control male fish. Male fish exposed to ampicillin respectively appeared 1.85, 4.68, 0.85 and $39.59\%_{\circ}$ of 1, 10, 100 and 1000 ppm respectively, that value was elevated compared with control male fish. This study is one of the first reports suggesting potential endocrine disruption of some penicillins in aquatic ecosystem. These results suggest that vitellogenin and estrogen receptor induction patterns alter in male medaka treated with selected estrogenic compounds, and that these results may be useful molecular biomarkers for screening estrogenic EDCs (endocrine-disrupting chemicals) in the shortest possible time.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.20-20
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• 2003

Phenotypic characteristics and genetic markers in livestock have been utilized for improvement of the economic traits including egg productivity. Korean Native Ogol Chicken (KNOC) has low egg productivity compared to White Leghorn. Therefore, in this study, serum IGF-I concentration and number of egg production were used as selection markers to improve egg productivity. KNOCs were divided into three groups showing high IGF-I concentration (IGF-I high), high egg production (EP high), and IGF-I/EP high groups. Blood was collected every 10 weeks, and serum concentrations of IGF-I, estradiol (E2), and progesterone (P4) were measured by radioimmunoassay. In comparison of three groups in each generation, the highest increment of egg production was detected in the IGF-I/EP high group from 20 weeks till 40 weeks, and the IGF-I high group also showed the significant increment of egg production after 50 weeks. Interestingly, there were the increase of egg production and decrease of periods in sexual maturity in the second and third generation selected by serum IGF-I concentration, while egg weight and body weight decreased during experimental period. In conclusion, the present study suggest the possibility of IGF-I as a selection marker to improve the egg productivity of KNOC.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Environmental Toocicology Conference
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• 2003.05a
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• pp.192-192
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• 2003

Pomegranate, a small tree originating in Orient, belongs to Punicaceae family. The seeds contain an oil of which about 80% is rare trans 18 carbon fatty acid (punicic acid), and have highest botanical concentration of a sex steroid, estrone. Pharmacological properties of pomegranate extract have been studied, with anti-microbial, anti-parasitic, ant-viral, and anti-cancer effects. We have examined the estrogenic activity of the pomegranate extracts using MCP-7-ERE cells. MCF-7-ERE cells, stably transfected with pERE-Luc were treated various amount of pomegranate extract and after overnight treatments, luciferase activity were measured. Estradiol(E2) dose dependently induced luciferase activity in this cell and maximal response is obtained at 100pM E2.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Fisheries Technology Conference
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• 2003.05a
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• pp.285-286
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• 2003

Vitelllogenin(Vg) is a sex specific protein appearing in the blood of sexually maturing female fish as well as other oviparous vetebrates. It is synthesized in the liver in response to estradiol-l7$\beta$(E$_2$). Although E$_2$ is a main induce. of Vg synthesis, other hormonal requirements have also been reported to be important in Vg synthesis(lazier et al., 1996; Peyon et at., 1997). (omitted)

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.12
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• pp.1365-1375
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• 2005

The antiestrogenic effects of marijuana smoke condensate (MSC) and three major cannabinoids, i.e., $\bigtriangleup^{9}$-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), and cannabinol (CBN), were evaluated using in vitro bioassays, viz., the human breast cancer cell proliferation assay, the recombinant human estrogen receptor (ER) competitive binding assay, and the reporter gene assay. The inhibitory effects on estrogen were also examined using the ethoxyresorufin-O­deethylase (EROD) assay, the aromatase assay, and the 17$\beta$-estradiol ($E_{2}$) metabolism assay. The results showed that MSC induced the antiestrogenic effect via the ER-mediated pathway, while THC, CBD, and CBN did not have any antiestrogenic activity. This suggests that the combined effects of the marijuana smoke components are responsible for the antiestrogenicity of marijuana use. In addition, MSC induced the CYP1A activity and the $E_{2}$ metabolism, but inhibited the aromatase activity, suggesting that the antiestrogenic activity of MSC is also related to the indirect ER-dependent pathway, as a result of the depletion of the in situ $E_{2}$ level available to bind to the ER. In conclusion, pyrogenic products including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the non-polar fraction, which is the most biologically active fraction among the seven fractions of MSC, might be responsible for the antiestrogenic effect.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.87-93
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• 2008

To assess effects of contaminants on fish in Nakdong river, feral yellowfin goby Acanthogobius flavimanus were caugt in two different sites and its hepatic monooxygenase enzyme, including cytochrome P450 (CYP), NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase (P450R), NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase (b5R), ethoxyresorufin deethylase (EROD), glutathione S-transferase (GST) were quantitatively determined. Gonadosomatic index (GSI), hepatosomatic index (HSI) and three sex steroid hormone (17$\beta$-estradiol, E2; testosterone, T; 11-ketotestosterone, 11-KT) levels of the fish were also investigated. HSI of fish from polluted site (site 1) were significantly higher than that of unpolluted site (site 2), but GSI levels were significantly lower in polluted site. No significant differences in plasma 11-KT and T levels were observed in two sites surveyed. E2 level was, however, significantly (p<0.05) higher in female fish from site 1 than site 2. In addition, hepatic EROD activity and CYP level of site 1 fish were lower than those of site 2 fish, whereas relatively high levels of P450R, b5R and GST activities were found in site 1. The results imply that yellowfin goby, especially female fish in Nakdong river estuary are affected from contaminants disrupting sex steroid hormone system.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.93-99
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• 1989

In our previous studies, it was found that activities of maternal peripheral lymphocytes and thymocytes were depressed during the implantation period in rats and rabbits. This study was therefore attempted to clarify further this immunosuppression locally by determining lymphocyte response in lymph nodes draining the uterus (DLN) and to elucidate the mechanism by which prostaglandin E (PGE) modulates immune response during the implantation process in rats. As compared with non-pregnant rats, the response of DLN lymphocytes to concanavalin A (Con A) was depressed during the implantation period in 100% of rats studied. The activity of DLN lymphocytes depressed on day 8 of pregnancy was, however, restored partially by the treatment of indomethacin (ID), indicating that prostaglandin (PG) might be one of factors responsible for immunomodulation during the process of implantation. DLN lymphocyte activity in non-pregnant rats was suppressed if PGE was pre-treated prior to Con A and this suppression was partially restored by the treatment of ID. Furthermore, DLN lymphocytes pre-treated with PGE produced PGE in vitro and this PGE production was blocked by the treatment of ID, suggesting that PGE induced PGE-producing cells. However, the pretreatment of estradiol, progesterone, and hCG at doses enough to suppress lymphocyte activity was ineffective in inducing PGE-producing cells. From these results, it is suggested that PGE induces PGE-producing suppressor cells, thereby increasing PGE concentration and PGE in turn depresses maternal local immune response as well as systemic immune response during the implantation period in rats.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.189-196
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• 2011

We investigated the in vitro effects of nonylphenol (NP) and 3,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB126) on steroidogenesis in redlip mullet, Chelon haematocheilus, oocytes. In experiment 1, we investigated the effects of NP and PCB126 on steroid production from exogenous steroid precursors. Vitellogenic oocytes (0.75 mm in diameter) were incubated with 10 and 100 ng/ml NP or PCB126 with $[^3H]17{\alpha}$-hydroxyprogesterone as a precursor. The major metabolites produced were androstenedione, testosterone (T), estrone, and estradiol-$17{\beta}$ ($E_2$). Both NP and PCB126 increased T production and decreased $E_2$ production, except for 100 ng/ml PCB126. In experiment 2, oocytes (0.65-0.75 mm in diameter) were exposed to NP and PCB126 at different concentrations (0.01, 0.1, 1, 10, and 100 ng/mL). After the incubation, T and $E_2$ production was measured by radioimmunoassay. NP inhibited $E_2$ production at concentrations of 0.01 and 0.1 ng/ml in 0.75-mm-diameter oocytes. NP at 1 and 100 ng/mL stimulated T production, but had no observable effect on $E_2$ production. PCB126 treatment did not affect $E_2$ production at any of the concentrations tested. NP alone at 0.1 ng/mL resulted in a significant decrease in $E_2$ production in 0.65-mm-diameter oocytes. PCB126 did not show any significant effects on either T or $E_2$ production at all concentrations tested. These results suggest that NP acts like an antiestrogen at lower concentrations (0.01-0.1 ng/ml) in vitellogenic oocytes of redlip mullet.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.261-266
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• 2008

In the present study, we investigated in vivo effects of Manchurian trout recombinant gonadotrophin hormone (mt-rGTH) on the induction of maturation in female eel, Anguilla japonica. The brood stock, female eel (450$\pm$50 g) were weekly injected intramuscularly with different doses of 0.1, 1, 10 ${\mu}g\m{\ell}$/fish (mt-rFSH or mt-rLH) for 10 week. The effects of r-mtGTH were analyzed by gonadosomatic index (GSI), ovarian follicle diameter and sex steroid levels. All groups did not exhibit significant differences in the GSI values. Whereas plasma testosterone (T) and estradiol-17$\beta$ (E2) levels did not change significantly in control group, plasma levels of T and E2 by injection of the r-mtFSH or r-mtLH were increased at 2 or 4 week after injection. In addition, injection of the mt-rFSH (1, 10 ${\mu}g/m{\ell}$/fish) or mt-rLH (0.1, 1, 10 ${\mu}g/m{\ell}$/fish) significantly increased follicle diameters comparing to the control group. These results demonstrate that the recombinant hormone may affect early ovary development and maturation in female eel. Taken together, these results suggest that the recombinant Manchurian trout FSH and LH are effective for reproductive activities in female eel.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.882-887
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• 2014

We studied oocyte steroidogenesis in blacktip grouper Epinephelus fasciatus ovarian follicles during vitellogenesis. Vitellogenic oocytes with average diameters of 0.45, 0.48 and 0.50 mm were incubated in vitro in the presence of $[^3H]17{\alpha}$-hydroxyprogesterone as a precursor. The steroid metabolites were analyzed using thin layer chromatography (TLC), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The major metabolites in the vitellogenic oocytes were androstenedione ($A_4$), testosterone (T), estradiol-$17{\beta}$ ($E_2$), and estrone ($E_1$). The metabolites of androgen ($A_4$ and T) were higher in the 0.50-mm oocytes than in the 0.45- and 0.48-mm oocytes, while the estrogen metabolites (E2 and E1) were lower in the 0.50-mm oocytes. These results suggest that 0.50-mm oocytes are fully vitellogenic following initiation of the maturation process.