• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.13-20
• /
• 2011

The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\alpha}$ ($PPAR{\alpha}$) is a nuclear transcription factor that plays a central role in lipid and lipoprotein metabolism. To investigate whether swim training improves obesity and lipid metabolism through $PPAR{\alpha}$ activation in female sham-operated (Sham) and ovariectomized (OVX) mice, we measured body weight, visceral adipose tissue mass, serum free fatty acid at 6 weeks as well as the expression of hepatic $PPAR{\alpha}$ target genes involved in fatty acid oxidation. Swim-trained mice had decreased body weight, visceral adipose tissue mass and serum free fatty acid levels compared to high fat diet fed control mice in both female Sham and OVX mice. These reductions were more prominent in OVX than in Sham mice. Swim training significantly increased hepatic mRNA levels of $PPAR{\alpha}$ target genes responsible for mitochondrial fatty acid ${\beta}$-oxidation, such as carnitine palmitoyltransgerase-1 (CPT-1), very long chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (VLCAD), and medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD) in OVX mice. However, swim trained female Sham mice did not increase hepatic mRNA levels of $PPAR{\alpha}$ target genes responsible for mitochondrial fatty acid ${\beta}$-oxidation compared to Sham control mice. These results indicate that swim training differentially regulates body weight and adipose tissue mass between OVX and Sham mice, at least in part due to differences in liver $PPAR{\alpha}$ activation.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.18 no.3
• /
• pp.227-236
• /
• 2012

Previous study showed that swimming improved obesity but was not through $PPAR{\alpha}$ activation in liver and skeletal muscle in high fat diet-fed female mice with functioning ovaries as an animal model of obese premenopausal women. Thus, this study was aimed at investigation of the effects of swimming on the promotion of health and its molecular mechanism in adipose tissue of high fat diet-fed female mice. Eight-week-old female C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into two groups (a non-swim control group and a swim group, n=8/group). Mice in the swim group swam for 2 h daily for 6 weeks in water bath with temperature of $35{\pm}1^{\circ}C$. All the animals received high fat diet (45% kcal fat) for 6 weeks. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was used to elucidate the molecular mechanism. Female mice subjected to swimming had significantly decreased body weight gain and white adipose tissue mass compared with the female control mice. Histological studies illustrated that swimming decreases the hepatic lipid accumulation. As expected, swimming did not affect the expression of mRNA levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) ${\alpha}$ and $PPAR{\alpha}$ target genes responsible for mitochondrial fatty acid ${\beta}$-oxidation, such as carnitine palmitoyltransgerase-1 and medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase in the white adipose tissue. However, mice that underwent 6-weeks of swimming exercise had decreased the mRNA expression of lipogenic genes, such as sterol regulatory element-binding proteins-1C and fatty acid synthase in comparison to sedentary control mice, with decreased $PPAR{\gamma}$ target genes involved in adipocyte-specific marker genes, such as adipocyte fatty acid binding protein and leptin in the white adipose tissue. These results suggest that swimming can effectively prevent obesity induced by high fat diet-fed, in part through down-regulation of adipogenesis and lipogenesis in white adipose tissue of female obese mice. Moreover, these results suggest that swimming maybe contributing the promotion of health through regulation of adipogenesis and lipogenesis in overweight premenopausal women.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.33 no.4 s.131
• /
• pp.312-318
• /
• 2002

Effect of the acid hydrolysate of silk fibroin on obesity was investigated in obese(057BL/KsJ-db/db) mice. After 8 weeks feeding of 1%(w/w) or 3%(w/w) fibroin hydrolysate, the extents of reduction in body weight were significantly higher than that of obese control. The weight reduction in female mice was higher than that in male mice. Plasma leptin in male mice increased up to 1.8-fold higher level than obese control by feeding hydrolysate. In case of female mice, however, it rather decreased with increased feeding concentration of hydrolysate. From the results of high glycine and serine contents of peptide fractions contained in fibroin hydrolysate, it was inferred that fibroin peptides might affect xylosyltransferase(XT) activity on chondroitin sulfate synthesis causing to change susceptibility of adipocytes to hormones such as insulin followed by the reduced leptin synthesis in female mice. The result of the higher lipolysis in hydrolysate-fed group than obese control indicated that the reduction in body weight was due to the increased lipolytic activities in male and female mice in common.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.45 no.4
• /
• pp.163-169
• /
• 2018

Objective: Zearalenone (ZEA) is a mycotoxin with potent estrogenic effects. Saffron is an herbal product that has antioxidant activities. The objective of this study was to investigate the protective role of saffron against reproductive toxicity induced by ZEA in female mice. Methods: Ninety 8-week-old female mice were randomly allocated into three treatment groups. The first group received an intraperitoneal injection of ZEA (2.5 mg/kg) on alternate days. The second group received ZEA (2.5 mg/kg) on alternate days plus oral saffron daily (50 mg/kg). The third group was treated with a vehicle of 1% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) on alternate days, as a control. Ten mice were euthanized from each group at 30, 60, and 90 days of treatment. Serum levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol ($E_2$), and progesterone (P) were assessed. The uterus and ovaries were examined for changes in size or morphology. Results: Serum levels of LH, FSH, $E_2$, and P in the female mice treated with ZEA plus saffron were significantly higher than in those treated with ZEA alone, and were not significantly different from those treated with 1% DMSO. The female mice treated with ZEA alone showed a reduction in size of the uterus and abnormal architecture of the ovaries. Conclusion: The administration of saffron to female mice resulted in a significant reduction in ZEA-induced alterations in reproductive hormone levels, the size of the uterus, and the morphology of the ovaries.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.147-157
• /
• 2009

This study was conducted to obtain acute information of the oral dose toxicity of lyophilized water extract of Pinelliae Rhizoma, a dried tuber of Pinellia ternata (PR) in male and female mice. In order to calculated 50% lethal dose (LD$_{50}$) and approximate lethal dose (ALD), test material was once orally administered to male and female ICR mice at dose levels of 2000, 1000, 500, 250, 125 and 0 (vehicle control) ml/kg (body weight). The mortality and changes in body weight, clinical signs, gross observation, organ weight and histopathology of principle organs were monitored 14 days after treatment with PR extract. We could not find any mortalities, clinical signs, changes in the body and organ weights, gross and histopathological findings except for dose-dependent increases in the hepatic fatty change frequencies detected in PR extract 2000 and 1000mg/kg treated in both male and female mice. The results obtained in this study suggest that LD$_{50}$ and approximate LD in mice after single oral dose of PR extracts were considered over 2000 mg/kg in both and female male mice, but more than 1000mg/kg of PR extracts treatment could induce slight hepatotoxicity the fatty changes in mice.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.12-22
• /
• 1997

Intravenous and oral acute toxicity tests in ICR mice and SD rats and percutaneous acute toxicity tests in SD rats and NZW rabbits were conducted to evaluate the toxicity of DA-5018 and DA-5018 cream, respectively Clinical signs observed in mice and rats after the administration of DA-5018 were similar regardless of administration route. The observed clinical signs were jumping, wild running, lacrimation, ataxia, reddening of extremities and ears, ventral or lateral recumbency, respiratory distress, cyanosis, convulsion and death. Pulmonary enlargement and hemorrhage were observed in the animals died immediately after the dosing of DA-5018. At terminal necropsy, pulmonary enlargement and hemorrhage, corneal opacity and focal scabbing and depilation around nose were seen. LD$_{50}$ Values of DA-5018 are 11.5 mg/kg (mice, male), 12.6 mg/kg (mice, female), 88.3 mg/kg (rat, male) and 73.2 mg/kg (rat, female) in oral toxicity tests and 11.0 mg/kg (mice, male), 18.7 mg/kg (mice, female), 0.12 mg/kg (rat, male) and 0.32 mg/kg (rat, female) in i.v. toxicity tests. In the percutaneous acute toxicity tests of DA-5018 cream, no deaths occured in all the tested groups during 14-day observation period. There were also no abnormalities in the general conditions, body weight changes and on necropsy findings in all groups. LD$_{50}$ values of 0.1 ~0.9% DA-5018 creams in male and female rats and rabbits are >2000 mg/kg./kg.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.20-34
• /
• 2010

Purpose: These experiments were undertaken to evaluate the effect of administration of Palmulgunjatang gamibang on ovarian functions in female mice. Methods: We administered the Palmulgunjatang gamibang to 6-week-old female CF-1 mice for 4, 8, or 12 days. After administration of Palmulgunjatang gamibang with different concentration, the female mice were injected PMSG and hCG for ovarian hyperstimulation. The mice were divided into 3 different groups for each experiment. To compare the differences, we set a control group treated with plain water at the same volume by the same way. Results: In case of 4-day, 8-day, 12-day administration of Palmulgunjatang gamibang, the mean number of total ovulated oocytes and the number of morphologically normal oocytes were increased compared with control group. We were also examined the embryonic developmental competence in vitro. In case of 4-day administration of Palmulgunjatang gamibang, the rates of blastocyst formation from 2-cell stages were higher than control group. Conclusion: From our results suggested that the medication of Palmulgunjatang gamibang has beneficial effect on reproductive functions of female mice via promotion of cell proliferation.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.99-104
• /
• 2007

To determine whether 17$\beta$-estradiol induces the morphological changes in adipose and liver tissues, we measured the effects of 17$\beta$-estradiol on adipose tissue mass, adipocyte histology and hepatic lipid accumulation in female ovariectomized (OVX) C57BL/6J mice. Compared to vehicle-treated control mice, 17$\beta$-estradiol-treated mice decreased adipose tissue mass and the size of adipocytes, and concomitantly increased the number of adipocytes in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, the administration of 17$\beta$-estradiol resulted in reduced hepatic lipid accumulation in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that estrogen may regulate adipocyte development and lipid metabolism in female OVX C57BL/6J mice.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.17 no.5
• /
• pp.423-426
• /
• 2013

Females are more often affected by constipation than males, especially during pregnancy, which is related to the menstrual cycle. Although still controversial, alterations of progesterone and estrogen may be responsible. Therefore, this study was conducted in order to determine whether the female sex steroid hormone itself is responsible for development of constipation in both female and male mice. Administration of estrogen resulted in a decrease in weight of accumulated feces on days 2, 3, 4, and 5 in male mice and on day 5 in female mice, compared with the control group, but progesterone administration did not. Administration of estrogen resulted in a decrease in gastrointestinal movement, compared to normal; however, no significant change was observed by administration of progesterone. In conclusion, estrogen, rather than progesterone, may be a detrimental factor of constipation via decreased bowel movement in mice.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.15 no.3
• /
• pp.171-177
• /
• 2009

This study investigated whether increased adiposity is prevented by estrogen replacement in female ovariectomized (OVX) C57BL/6J mice, an animal model of human menopause and whether these metabolic changes reflect the inhibitory action of estrogen on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor $\gamma$ ($PPAR{\gamma}$)-regulated gene expression. Treatment of $17{\beta}$-estradiol for the last one week of the experiment decreased high fat diet-induced body weight gain and white adipose tissue mass compared to OVX control mice. Histological analysis showed that administration of $17{\beta}$-estradiol to mice decreased the size of adipocytes in parametrial adipose tissue versus OVX control mice. In addition, $17{\beta}$-estradiol reduced the adipose expression of $PPAR{\gamma}$ as well as $PPAR{\gamma}$ target genes such as adipocyte fatty acid binding protein and tumor necrosis factor $\alpha$. These results suggest that $17{\beta}$-estradiol may inhibit adiposity through reducing the $PPAR{\gamma}$ activities in female OVX mice.