• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• 제26권
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• pp.5.1-5.11
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• 2011

Objectives: In order to identify the possibility of slender bitterling (SB) (Acheilognathus yamatsutae) being used as a test species for estrogenic endocrine disrupting chemicals (EEDCs), we carried out the cloning and sequence characterization of the estrogen receptor (ER). Methods: The ER from a slender bitterling was obtained by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), 5'- and 3'-rapid amplification of cDNA ends (5'-RACE and 3'-RACE) and T-vector cloning. The expression of ER mRNA was also analyzed in six tissues (brain, liver, kidney, gill, gonad, and intestines) by real-time PCR. Results: We obtained an ER from the slender bitterling. The SB ER cDNA was 2189 base pairs (bp) in length and contained a 1707 bp open reading frame that encoded 568 amino acid residues. The SB ER amino acid sequence clustered in a monophyletic group with the $ER{\alpha}$ of other fish, and was more closely related to zebrafish $ER{\alpha}$(88% identity) than to the $ER{\alpha}$ of other fish. The SB ER cDNA was divided into A/B, C, D, E and F domains. The SB ER has conserved important sequences for ER functions, such as the DNA binding domain (D domain), which are consistent with those of other teleosts. Conclusions: The ER of the slender bitterling could provide basic information in toxicological studies of EEDCs in the slender bitterling.

• BMB Reports
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• 제51권4호
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• pp.165-166
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• 2018

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis and is a leading cause of disability with a large socioeconomic cost. OA is a whole-joint disease characterized by cartilage destruction, synovial inflammation, osteophyte formation, and subchondral bone sclerosis. To date, however, no effective disease-modifying therapies for OA have been developed. The estrogen-related receptors (ERRs), a family of orphan nuclear receptor transcription factors, are composed of $ERR{\alpha}$, $ERR{\beta}$, and $ERR{\gamma}$, which play diverse biological functions such as cellular energy metabolism. However, the role of ERRs in OA pathogenesis has not been studied yet. Among the ERR family members, $ERR{\gamma}$ is markedly upregulated in human and various models of mouse OA cartilage. Adenovirus-mediated overexpression of $ERR{\gamma}$ in the mouse knee joint tissue caused OA pathogenesis. Additionally, cartilage-specific $ERR{\gamma}$ transgenic (Tg) mice exhibited enhanced experimental OA. Consistently, $ERR{\gamma}$ in articular chondrocytes directly caused expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 3 and MMP13, which play a crucial role in cartilage destruction. In contrast, genetic ablation of Esrrg or shRNA-mediated Esrrg silencing in the joint tissues abrogated experimental OA in mice. These results collectively indicated that $ERR{\gamma}$ is a novel catabolic regulator of OA pathogenesis and can be used as a therapeutic target for OA.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.163-171
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• 2020

Silibinin exhibits antidiabetic potential by preserving the mass and function of pancreatic β-cells through up-regulation of estrogen receptor-α (ERα) expression. However, the underlying protective mechanism of silibinin in pancreatic β-cells is still unclear. In the current study, we sought to determine whether ERα acts as the target of silibinin for the modulation of antioxidative response in pancreatic β-cells under high glucose and high fat conditions. Our in vivo study revealed that a 4-week oral administration of silibinin (100 mg/kg/day) decreased fasting blood glucose with a concurrent increase in levels of serum insulin in high-fat diet/streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic rats. Moreover, expression of ERα, NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in pancreatic β-cells in pancreatic islets was increased by silibinin treatment. Accordingly, silibinin (10 μM) elevated viability, insulin biosynthesis, and insulin secretion of high glucose/palmitate-treated INS-1 cells accompanied by increased expression of ERα, Nrf2, and HO-1 as well as decreased reactive oxygen species production in vitro. Treatment using an ERα antagonist (MPP) in INS-1 cells or silencing ERα expression in INS-1 and NIT-1 cells with siRNA abolished the protective effects of silibinin. Our study suggests that silibinin activates the Nrf2-antioxidative pathways in pancreatic β-cells through regulation of ERα expression.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제26권2호
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• pp.113-123
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• 2022

Diarylpropionitrile (DPN), a selective agonist for estrogen receptor β (ERβ), has been reported to regulate various hormonal responses through activation of ERβ in tissues including the mammary gland and brain. However, the effect of DPN on melanogenesis independent of ERβ has not been studied. The aim of this study is to examine the possibility of anti-melanogenic effect of DPN and its underlying mechanism. Melanin contents and cellular tyrosinase activity assay indicated that DPN inhibited melanin biosynthesis in alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone-stimulated B16F10 melanoma cell line. However, DPN had no direct influence on in vitro tyrosinase catalytic activity. On the other hand, 17β-estradiol had no effect on inhibition of melanogenesis, suggesting that the DPN-mediated suppression of melanin production was not related with estrogen signaling pathway. Immunoblotting analysis showed that DPN down-regulated the expression of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), a central transcription factor of melanogenesis and its down-stream genes including tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein (TRP)-1, and TRP-2. Also, DPN attenuated the phosphorylation of protein kinase A (PKA) and cAMP-response element-binding protein (CREB). Additionally, DPN suppressed the melanin synthesis in UVB-irradiated HaCaT conditioned media culture system suggesting that DPN has potential as an anti-melanogenic activity in physiological conditions. Collectively, our data show that DPN inhibits melanogenesis via downregulation of PKA/CREB/MITF signaling pathway.

• 한국식품영양과학회지
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• 제44권3호
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• pp.324-330
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• 2015

본 연구에서는 C57BL/6J ob/ob 마우스를 이용하여 한국산 겨우살이 냉수 추출물(KME)의 항당뇨 활성을 조사하였다. 50 혹은 100 mg/kg의 KME를 1일 1회씩 경구투여 한 결과 KME 투여 개시 5일 후부터 ob/ob 마우스의 혈당이 유의하게 억제되었으며, 10일 후부터 안정된 억제 효과를 나타내고 대조군에 비해 20% 이상의 혈당강하 효과를 나타내었다. 경구 당부하 실험(OGTT)에서는 KME 경구투여 마우스에서 유효한 당부하 억제 활성이 관찰되었다. 또한 KME 경구 투여는 ob/ob 당뇨 마우스의 혈액 내 총 콜레스테롤과 중성 지질의 농도를 억제하는 것으로 나타났다. 한편 C2C12 근육세포를 이용한 in vitro 실험에서 KME를 처리함으로써 glucose uptake가 현저히 증가하였다. 한편 매우 흥미롭게도 KME를 처리한 C2C12 근육세포에 있어서 미토콘드리아 생성과 산화대사 조절물질인 peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-${\alpha}(PGC-1{\alpha})$를 비롯하여 glucose transporter type 4(GLUT4), estrogen-related receptor-${\alpha}(ERR-{\alpha})$, nuclear respiratory factor-1(NRF-1) 그리고 mitochondrial transcription factor A(TmfA)와 같은 $PGC-1{\alpha}$ 관련 유전자들의 발현이 증가하는 것으로 확인되었다. 이 결과는 KME가 2형 당뇨에 대한 치료물질로서의 작용을 지니며 이러한 KME의 항당뇨 활성은 미토콘드리아 생성의 조절과 관련 있는 것으로 추정된다.

• 대한임상검사과학회지
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• 제50권4호
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• pp.449-456
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• 2018

자궁경부암은 세계적으로 여성에서 네번째로 많이 진단되는 암이다. 개발 지수가 낮은 개발도상국이나 후진국에서는 자궁경부암의 발생률과 사망률이 훨씬 심각하다. 따라서 더 나은 진단법과 치료법이 시급하다. 인유두종바이러스가 자궁경부암 발생의 주요 원인으로 알려진 이후로 바이러스에 대한 검사가 세포검사 조직검사와 함께 자궁경부암을 진단하는데 일상적으로 쓰이고 있다. 하지만, HPV 검사에서 음성을 보이는 환자가 자궁경부암으로 발전하는 사례가 계속해서 발견되고 있다. 본 연구에서는 HPV 외에 자궁경부암의 원인으로 생각되는 인자들에 대해 분석하였다. 그 중에서도 에스트로겐 수용체 알파의 mRNA 발현양을 실시간 역전사 중합효소 연쇄반응을 통해 분석하였다. 에스트로겐 수용체 알파에 대해서는 예전부터 자궁내막을 성숙시키면서 동시에 자궁경부암의 발암 기전에 연관이 있을 것이라는 추측이 있었는데, 본 연구에서는 이에 대해 임상검체를 통해 양적 분석을 진행하였다. ROC 곡선을 바탕으로, 85%의 민감도와 75%의 특이도를 확인할 수 있었는데, 이 값은 기존의 HPV 검사법보다 유사하거나 더 높은 값이었다. 나이, 병변의 심한 정도 등을 포함한 임상 정보를 바탕으로 회귀 분석한 결과 폐경 여부와 에스트로겐 수용체 알파의 발현양이 높은 연관성을 확인하였다. 본 연구는 예비 연구의 일종으로, 추후 연구에서 가능성이 확인된 호르몬과 폐경에 관련된 유전자를 대상으로 더 많은 검체로 분석해야 할 것이다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제14권6호
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• pp.1286-1294
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• 2004

In a previous study by the current authors, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was determined to be epidemiologically sex-dependent, and the incidence and multiplicity of HCC found to decrease in estradiol-3 benzoate (EB)-treated F344 rats. Therefore, to ascertain the anticancer mechanism of EB, a commercially available cDNA microarray, with a total of 14,815 cDNA rat gene clones, was used to determine the differentially expressed genes in nontreated livers, EB-treated livers, and diethynitrosolamine (DEN)-induced HCC. In the sequenced experiment, a total of 85 genes were differentially expressed at either two or more times the rate of the normal expression, where 33 genes were downregulated by EB, and 52 genes upregulated. Candidate genes were selected according to significant changes observed in the mRNA expression in the EB-treated livers compared with the nontreated livers, then these genes were filtered according to their different expression patterns in the DEN-induced tumors compared to the estrogen-treated livers. To confirm the microarray data, a real-time PCR analysis was performed for ten selected genes: the H-ras revertant protein 107 (H­rev107), insulin-like growth factor binding protein (lOFBP), parathyroid hormone receptor (PI'HR), SH3 domain binding protein (SH3BP), metallothionein, src-suppressed C-kinase substrate (SSeCK) gene, phosphodiesterase I, CD44, epithelial membrane protein 3 (EMP3), and estrogen receptor a (ERa). The SSeCK and phosphodiesterase I genes were both upregulated in the DEN-induced hepatocarcinomas, yet their possible carcinogenic functions remain unknown. Meanwhile, the other genes were downregulated, including the genes related to growth regulation (IOFBP, H-revI07, ER$\alpha$), adipogenesis inhibition (PTHR), and tumor suppression (metallothionein).

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제31권4호
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• pp.217-223
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• 2004

Objective: To evaluate the effects of recombinant FSH (rFSH) and urinary FSH (uFSH) on the gene expressions of human endometrial stromal cells in vitro. Methods: Endometrial tissue was obtained from a pre-menopausal women undergoing hysterectomy. Primary endometrial stromal cells were isolated and in vitro cultured with FBS-free DMEM/F-12 containing 0, 10, 100, and 1, 000 mIU/ml of rFSH and uFSH for 48 hours, respectively. Total RNA was extracted from the cultured cells and subjected to real time RT-PCR for the quantitative analysis of progesterone receptor (PR), estrogen receptor $\alpha/\beta$ (ER-$\alpha/\beta$), cyclooxygenase 2 (Cox-2), leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), homeobox A10-1 and -2 (HoxA10-1/-2). Results: Both hormone treatments slightly increased (< 3 folds) the expressions of PR, ER-$\beta$ and HoxA10-1/-2 gene. However, ER-$\alpha$ expression was increased up to five folds by treatments of both FSH for 48 hours. The LIF expression by the 10 mIU/ml of uFSH for 12 hours was significantly higher than that of rFSH (p<0.01). After 24 hours treatment of two kinds of hormones, the expression patterns of LIF were similar. The 100 and 1, 000 mIU/ml of rFSH induced significantly higher amount of Cox-2 expression than those of uFSH, respectively (p<0.05). Conclusion: This study represents no adversely effect of exogeneous gonadotropins, rFSH and uFSH, on the expression of implantation related genes. We suggest that rFSH is applicable for the assisted reproductive technology without any concern on the endometrial receptivity.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제34권4호
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• pp.275-283
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• 2007

목 적: 본 연구에서는 생리혈에 존재하는 탈락된 자궁내막조직에서의 자궁내막증 관련 유전자들의 발현 양상과 자궁내막증 병태생리와의 관련성을 살펴보고자 하였다. 연구방법: 자궁내막증으로 확진된 환자 (n=16)와 정상 대조군 (n=26)에서 생리주기 2$\sim$3일째 Wallace catheter로 채취한 생리혈로부터 탈락된 자궁내막조직을 분리하였다. 기존의 연구들에서 보고된 12종류의 자궁내막증 관련 유전자들의 mRNA 발현 양상을 semi-quantitative RT-PCR 방법으로 비교, 분석하였다. 결 과: 생리혈에서 분리한 탈락된 자궁내막조직은 조직학적 관찰을 통해 자궁내막조직임을 확인하였다. 총 12가지 종류의 자궁내막증 관련 유전자에 대한 RT-PCR 분석에서 telomerase, c-kit, aromatase등의 mRNA 발현이 관찰되지 않았다. 세포사멸 (apoptosis)과 관련성이 있는 fas, fas ligand, bcl-2, bax 유전자와 stem cell factor, ER-$\alpha$/$\beta$, endometriosis protein-I, secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor 등의 mRNA 발현 양상은 자궁내막증으로 확진된 환자군과 대조군에서 통계적으로 유의한 차이를 나타내지 않았다. 결 론: 결론적으로 자궁내막증과 관련된 다양한 유전자들의 발현 양상을 생리혈에 존재하는 탈락된 자궁내막조직에서 분석하였지만 의미성이 있는 유전자를 동정하지는 못하였다. 이는 자궁내막조직의 생리학적 특징인 생리주기에 따른 유전자 발현의 역동적인 변화와 관련이 있을 것으로 생각된다.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권18호
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• pp.8135-8140
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• 2016

Background: Cell cycle regulatory proteins are suitable targets for cancer therapeutic development since genetic alterations in many cancers also affect the functions of these molecules. Strobilanthes crispus (S. crispus) is traditionally known for its potential benefits in treating various ailments. We recently reported that an active sub-fraction of S. crispus leaves (SCS) caused caspase-dependent apoptosis of human breast cancer MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. Materials and Methods: Considering the ability of SCS to also promote the activity of the antiestrogen, tamoxifen, we further examined the effect of SCS in modulating cell cycle progression and related proteins in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells alone and in combination with tamoxifen. Expression of cell cycle-related transcripts was analysed based on a previous microarray dataset. Results: SCS significantly caused G1 arrest of both types of cells, similar to tamoxifen and this was associated with modulation of cyclin D1, p21 and p53. In combination with tamoxifen, the anticancer effects involved downregulation of $ER{\alpha}$ protein in MCF-7 cells but appeared independent of an ER-mediated mechanism in MDA-MB-231 cells. Microarray data analysis confirmed the clinical relevance of the proteins studied. Conclusions: The current data suggest that SCS growth inhibitory effects are similar to that of the antiestrogen, tamoxifen, further supporting the previously demonstrated cytotoxic and apoptotic actions of both agents.