• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.10 no.4
• /
• pp.199-205
• /
• 2006

The functional expression of potassium $(K^+)$ channels has electrophysiologically been studied in bone cells from several species, however, their identity and regulation of gene expressions in bone cells are not well known. In the present study, to investigate how $K^+$ channel expressions are regulated by estrogen, we measured changes of transcript levels of various $Ca^{2+}$-activated ($K_{Ca}$) and ATP-sensitive $K^+$ channels in rat osteoblastic ROS 17/2.8 cells after treatment with estrogen. Application of 17${\beta}$-estradiol $(E_2)$ for 24 h and 48 h increased mRNA and protein expressions of inwardly rectifying $K^+$ channel (Kir) 6.2 and type 2 small conductance $K_{Ca}$ channel (SK2), respectively. Combined treatment of cells with 17${\beta}-E_2$ and ICI 182,780, a pure antiestrogen, suppressed 17${\beta}-E_2$-induced alterations of SK2 and Kir6.2 mRNA levels. In addition, treatment of cells with U0126, a specific inhibitor of extracellular receptor kinases (ERK)1/2, and SP600125, a specific inhibitor of c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) blocked the enhancing effects of 17${\beta}-E_2$ on SK2 and Kir6.2 protein expressions. On the other hand, blocking of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase had no effect. Taken together, these results indicate that 17${\beta}-E_2$ modulates SK2 and Kir6.2 expressions through the estrogen receptor, involving ERK1/2 and JNK activations.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.67-71
• /
• 2009

Estrogen receptor ${\alpha}$ ($ER{\alpha}$) mediates the mitogenic effects of estrogen. $ER{\alpha}$ signaling regulates the normal growth and differentiation of mammary tissue, but uncontrolled $ER{\alpha}$ activation increases the risk to breast cancer. Estrogen binding induces ligand-dependent $ER{\alpha}$ activation, thereby facilitating $ER{\alpha}$ dimerization, promoter binding and coactivator recruitment. $ER{\alpha}$ can also be activated in a ligand-independent manner by many signaling pathways, including protein kinase A (PKA) signaling. However, in several $ER{\alpha}$-positive breast cancer cells, PKA inhibits estrogen-dependent cell growth. FoxH1 represses the transcriptional activities of estrogen receptors and androgen receptors (AR). Interestingly, FoxH1 has been found to inhibit the PKA-induced and ligand-induced activation of AR. In the present study, we examined the effects of PKA activation on the ability of FoxH1 to represses $ER{\alpha}$ transcriptional activity. We found that PKA increases the protein stability of FoxH1, and that FoxH1 inhibits PKA-induced and estradiol-induced activation of an estrogen response element (ERE). Furthermore, in MCF7 cells, FoxH1 knockdown increased the PKA-induced and estradiol-induced activation of the ERE. These results suggest that PKA can negatively regulate $ER{\alpha}$, at least in part, through FoxH1.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
• /
• v.18 no.3
• /
• pp.1-16
• /
• 2005

Purpose : This study is to examine what are the effects of the Guisinhwan(GSH) on the ovulation and ovary in rats. Methods : 4weeks Female Sprague-Dawley 12 rats of weighting 160-l80g, were divided into three groups including the GSH oral administration(4ml/kg) groups(4heads) and GSH oral administration(8ml/kg)　groups(4heads). Then we observed changes in the serum concentrations of FSH, LH, and estradiol($E_2$) and the histological changes of ovary and the immunohistochemical staining for progesterone receptor in ovary of rats. Results : 1. GSH didn't make a difference as compared with control group in serum FSH level. 2. GSH didn't make a difference as compared with control group in serum LH level. 3. GSH significantly increased serum $E_2$ level. 4. GSH significantly increased ovulation in histological observations of ovary. 5. GSH tended to decrease immunohistochemical staining score (ISS) of atretic follicles in immunohistochemical staining for progesterone receptor in ovary. Conclusion : GSH influences ovary to increase the ovulation of rats.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.66-77
• /
• 2012

Objectives: This study was designed to investigate the effects of PR on ovarian tissue in PCOS rats through measurement of morphological and histo-pathological observations, ovarian size. In addition, effects on expression levels of Insulin like Growth Factor Receptor(IGFR) were also investigated to elucidate related mechanisms. Methods: PCOS was induced by single intermuscular injection with ${\beta}$-Estradiol 17-Valerate(EV) in female rats. Normal group(NOR, n=8) were injected with sesame oil and administrated hard food for five weeks. Control group(CTL, n=8) were injected with EV and administrated hard food for five weeks. CR group(n=8) were injected with EV and administrated hard food mixed CR for five weeks. Then, we measured weights of body and ovary, uptakes of food and water. And we observed morphological and histo-pathological changes of ovary, levels of IGFR. Results: In this experiments, single injection of Estradiol Valerate(EV) induced suppression of weight gain, formation of cysts, increase of IGFR expression. Oral administration of PR prevent decrease of ovarian size significantly. Further more, formation of cystic follicles induced by EV injection is suppressed by PR treatment. Conclusions: These results suggest PR can be used for patients with PCOS to prevent formation of cystic follicles and malfunction of ovary.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.37 no.1 s.144
• /
• pp.21-27
• /
• 2006

Yeast based estrogenicity assay is the simplest and useful for the assay and the discovery of novel estrogenic substances in natural specimens, The estrogen receptor(ER) modulation activity of 50% EtOH extracts of 101 traditional medicinal herbs was assessed using a recombinant yeast assay system with both a human estrogen receptor expression plasmid and a receptor plasmid. Among them, 14 species proved to be active. Pureariae Flos (flower of Puerraria thunbergiana BENTH.) had the highest estrogenic relative potency$(7.75{\times}10^{-3})$ $(EC_{50}=9.39\;{\mu}g/ml)$. The $EC_{50}$ value of $17{\beta}-estradiol$ used as the positive control was $0.073\;{\mu}g/ml)$ (Relative Potency=1.00). There results demonstrated that some of the traditional medical herb may be useful in the therapy of estrogen replacement.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.45 no.4
• /
• pp.154-162
• /
• 2018

Objective: The fallopian tubes play a critical role in the early events of fertilization. The rapid innate immune defense is an important part of the fallopian tubes. Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3), as a part of the innate immune system, plays an important role in detecting viral infections. In this basic and experimental study, the effect of sex hormones on the function of TLR3 in the OE-E6/E7 cell line was investigated. Methods: The functionality of TLR3 in this cell line was evaluated by cytokine measurements (interleukin [IL]-6 and IL-1b) and the effects of sex hormones on TLR3 were tested by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Additionally, TLR3 small interfering RNA (siRNA) and a TLR3 function-blocking antibody were used to confirm our findings. Results: The production of IL-6 significantly increased in the presence of polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)) as the TLR3 ligand. Using a TLR3-siRNA-ransfected OE-E6/E7 cell line and function-blocking antibody confirmed that cytokine production was due to TLR3. In addition, 17-${\beta}$ estradiol and progesterone suppressed the production of IL-6 in the presence and absence of poly(I:C). Conclusion: These results imply that sex hormones exerted a suppressive effect on the function of TLR3 in the fallopian tube cell line when different concentrations of sex hormones were present. The current results also suggest that estrogen receptor beta and nuclear progesterone receptor B are likely to mediate the hormonal regulation of TLR3, as these two receptors are the main estrogen and progesterone receptors in OEE6/E7 cell line.

• Development and Reproduction
• /
• v.16 no.4
• /
• pp.289-294
• /
• 2012

Gene expressions of cytochrome P4501A (CYP1A), aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and vitellogenin (Vg) by endocrine disruptors, benzo[${\alpha}$]pyrene (B[a]P) and tributyltin (TBT) were examined in cultured eel hepatocytes which were isolated from eels treated previously with B[a]P (10 mg/kg) or estradiol-$17{\beta}$ (20 mg/kg) in vivo, and the relationship between CYP1A, AhR and Vg genes were studied. When the cultured eel hepatocytes were treated with B[a]P ($10^{-6}-10^{-5}M$) the gene expressions of CYP1A and AhR were enhanced in a concentration-dependent manner. However, when treated with TBT ($10^{-9}-10^{-5}M$) the gene expressions of CYP1A and AhR were suppressed at high concentrations ($10^{-6}-10^{-5}M$), while having no effects at low concentrations ($10^{-9}-10^{-7}M$). Gene expression of Vg was also suppressed by TBT in a concentration-dependent manner in cultured eel hepatocytes which was previously treated in vivo with estradiol-$17{\beta}$.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.52-61
• /
• 2005

Transcript profiling is a particularly valuable tool in the field of steroid receptor biology, as these receptors are ligand-activated transcription factors and therefore exert their initial effects through altering gene expression in responsive cells. Also, an awareness of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and their potential screening methods to identify endocrine activity have been increased. Here we developed an in-house cDNA microarray, named KISTCHIP-400 ver. 1.0, with 416 clones, based on public database and research papers. These clones contained estrogen, androgen, thyroid hormone & receptors, sex hormone signal transduction & regulation, c-fos, c-myc, ps2 gene, metabolism related genes etc. Also, to validate the KISTCHIP-400 ver. 1.0, we investigated gene expression profiles with reference hormones, $10^{8}\;M\;17{\beta}-estradiol,\;10^{-7}\;M\;testosterone\;and\;10^{-7}\;M$ progesterone in MCF-7 cell line. As the results, gene expression profiles of three reference hormones were distinguished from each other with significant and identified 33 $17{\beta}-estradiol$ responsive genes. This study is in first step of validation for KISTCHIP-400 ver. 1.0, as following step transcriptional profile analysis on not only low concentrations of EDCs but suspected EDCs using KISTCHIP-400 ver. 1.0 is processing. Our results indicate that the developed microarray may be a useful laboratory tool for screening EDCs and elucidating endocrine disrupting mechanism.

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

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.10 no.4
• /
• pp.375-383
• /
• 2004

It has been reported that osteoporosis induced by the deficiency of estrogens in menopause is associated with the unbalance of Ca/sup 2+/ and Pi levels. Proximal tubule is very important organ to regualte Ca/sup 2+/ and Pi level in the body. However, the effect of estrogens on Ca/sup 2+/ and Pi regulation was not elucidated. Thus, we examined the effect of 17-β estradiol (E₂) on Ca/sup 2+/ and Pi uptake in the primary cultured rabbit renal proxiaml tubule cells. In the present study, E₂(> 10/sup -9/M) decreases Ca/sup 2+/uptake and stimulates Pi uptake over 3 days. E₂-induced decrease of Ca/sup 2+/ uptake and stimulation of Pi uptake were blocked by actinomycin D (a gene transcription inhibitor), cycloheximide (a protein synthesis inhibitor). tamoxifen, and progesterone (estrogen receptor antagonists). E₂-induced decrease of Ca/sup 2+/ uptake and stimulation of Pi uptake were blocked by SQ22536 (an adenylate cyclase inhibitor), Rp-cAMP (a cAMP antagonist), and PKI (a protein kinase A inhibitor). Indeed, E₂ increased cAMP formation. In addition, E₂-induced decrease of Ca/sup 2+/ uptake and stimulation of Pi uptake were blocked by staurosporine, H-7, and bisindolylmaleimide I (protein kinase C inhibitors) and E₂ translocated PKC from cytoslic fraction to membrane fraction. In conclusion, E₂ decreased Ca/sup 2+/ uptake and stimulated Pi uptake via cAMP and PKC pathway in the PTCs.