• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.451-461
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• 2000

The locus coeruleus(LG) is known to be observed a sexual dimorphism in rat CNS. LC is the largest collections of norepinephrine(NE)-containing neurons in the mammalian brain. Especially in rat, all LC neurons contained NE unlike other mammalians, so that specific reactions were found in the tyrosine-hydroxylase(TH) immunoreactive neurons. Sexual dimorphism of rat LC has affected by genes before sex hormone appeared, thereafter affected by sex hormones. In these day, many scientists founded morphological differences between male and female LC morphology, but differences of entire structure was not founded. Thus we investigated sex differences of the LC neuron's morphology in rat by three-dimensional(3-D) reconstruction using Confocal laser scanning microscopy(CLSM). We reported that neuron's shape was relatively-large multipolar neurons and neuron's processes in dorsal LC proceeded to ventral direction in the male and female rat. Male had a longer anterior-posterior length than female had in dorsal LC. In addition to middle-LC, male rat's LC had a more thicker posterior region but had not viewed in a previous study. In reverse, female rat's LC had a thicker anterior region like a previous study. This results using 3-D reconstruction by CLSM showed that the male's LC was more wide-ranging than female's relatively.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.367-373
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• 2000

In the present study we determined if NELL2, a neural tissue-specific protein containing 6 epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like repeat domains, plays an important role in the regulation of puberty initiation in the rat hypothalamus. We origin811y found that NELL2 is a new estrogen-responsive gene in hypothalami derived from estrogen-sterilized and control rats using a PCR differential display. In the 40-day-old female rat hypothalamus, NELL2 was up-regulated by neonatal estrogen treatment. In situ hybridization histochemistry showed that NELL2 is very abundant in the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus that is responsible for the control of sex behavior. NELL2 mRNA level in the medial basal hypothalamus showed a dramatic increase before female puberty onset, which suggests that NELL2 may be involved in the process regulating female puberty onset. We attemped to block NELL2 synthesis with intracerebroventricular injection of an antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) to the NELL2 mRNA, and examined its effect on the puberty onset of the female rat. The antisense ODN significantly delayed puberty initiation determined by vaginal opening. In summary, NELL2 may play an important role in the regulation of female puberty onset.

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

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.677-681
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• 2000

Since the role of female sexual hormones on pancreatic exocrine secretion was not fully understood, this study was investigated to clarify the difference of spontaneous pancreatic exocrine responses during the estrous cycle and the roles of ovarian hormones on pancreatic exocrine secretion in the anesthetized female rats. Pancreatic juice was collected from the sequential 15-min samples, and then fluid and protein secretion were measured from the collected samples. The stages of estrous cycle were defined by staining the vaginal smear. The spontaneous pancreatic fluid and protein secretion were significantly increased during the diestrus stage compare to the corresponding value during the estrus stage. In the ovariectomized rat, spontaneous pancreatic exocrine secretion was significantly decreased compare to the value of female rat during the diestrus stage and was restored by subcutaneous injection of progesterone (50 mg/kg). This results suggest that the spontaneous pancreatic exocrine secretion of female rat is fluctuated according to the estrous cycle and progesterone released from ovary could stimulate the spontaneous pancreatic exocrine secretion of female rat.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.53-61
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• 1996

This study was carried out to determine effectively the sex of rabbit embryos using H-Y antiserum. H-Y antiserum was obtained from inbred SD strain female rat which was immunized by injection of testis cell of inbred SD strain male rate into its spleen. The titer of antiserum was identified by sperm cytotoxicity test and culture of rabbit embryos with antiserum. The developed or undeveloped embryos were separated by exposure the embryos to the antiserum with H-Y antibody. Developed embryo were transferred to the recipients and sex of offspring were examined. 1. In the sperm cytotoxicity test, the rate of dead sperm showed no difference between two antisera from spleen and testis cell as antigens. It is confirmed that H-Y antibody in antiserum was absorbed by H-Y antigen in male rat spleen cells. 2. When rabbit morulae were exposed to antiserum and complement, the rate of embryos developed or arrested was 51 and 49% respectively and the rate was closely same as natural sex ratio of 50:50%. 3. When rabbit morulae were cultured for 12h in the medium containing antiserum produced by antigen of testis cell, the rate of embryos developed or arrested was 48 and 52% respectively and the rate was closely same as natural sex ratio of 50:50%. 4. Eighty rabbit embryos which were not affected by H-Y antiserum were transferred to four recipients. Two recipients were pregnant and born 13 pups among which 2 (14%) were male and 11 (86%) were female. In conclusion, existence of H-Y antibody in the serum from female rat immunized by injecting testis cell from newborn male rat to the spleen of the female rat was confirmed. When rabbitmorulae were exposed to H-Y antiserum and complement, about a half of embryos were developed to blastocysts. When the rabbit embryos not affected by H-Y antiserum were transferred, the rate of female offspring was 86%. Therefore, it was identified that most of embryos which were not affected by H-Y antiserum were female.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.29-37
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• 1995

This study was carried out to investigate the morphological changes of the oxytocin secreting neurons in age-related rat hypothalamus by means of immunohistochemistry. The experimental group was 20 aged female rats (Sprague-Dawley, 25~30 months), and the control group was 10 adult female rats (10 months). All animals were perfused transcardially with 4% paraformaldehyde-lysine-periocdate(PLP), and serial transverse brain sections($30{\mu}m$) were prepared by means of cryotome, and were stained with rabbit anti-oxytocin antisera immunohistochemically, using the free floating method and avidin-viotin peroxidase complex. The results were as followings. 1. The immunostained oxytocin secreting neurons were located at the paraventricular nucleus and supraoptic nucleus of age-related rat hypothalamus chiefly. 2. The numbers of oxytocin secreting neurons decreased at the paraventricular nucleus and supraoptic nucleus of age-related rat hypothalamus(p<0.01) 3. The oxytocin secreting neurons of age-related rat hypothalamus immunostained less than those of the adult rat hypothalamus, and the paraventricular nucleus immunostained greater than supraoptic nucleus in age-related rat. 4. The numbers and expansion of dendrite and axonal varicosities decreased in the age-related rat hypothalamus greatly.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.197-205
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• 2016

Adipose tissue is one of the major endocrine gland. More recently, local production of steroids in adipocytes differentiated from mouse 3T3-L1 cell-line was reported. We hypothesized that rat adipocytes have steroidogenic machinery and the expression patterns of the components might be differentially regulated, depending on the distribution and sex. To verify this hypothesis, we collected the adipose tissues depot-and sex-specifically at postnatal day (PND) 30, and performed quantitative RT-PCRs. In overall aspects, the abundances of the transcripts were lower in the brown adipose of both sexes. $3{\beta}-HSD$ transcript levels in female abdominal and reproductive adipose, CYP17 transcript levels in female reproductive adipose, $17{\beta}-HSD$ transcript levels in female abdominal and reproductive adipose, and CYP19 transcript levels in female abdominal adipose were significantly lower than those of male counterparts. Similar to steroidogenic factors, the abundance of the $ER-{\alpha}$ transcripts were generally lower in the brown adipose of both sexes. $ER-{\beta}$ transcripts were more abundant in male white adipose depots than their female counterparts. The levels of LHR transcripts in female reproductive adipose were significantly higher than those of male counterpart. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that the expressions of steroidogenesis-related genes were depot- and sex-specifically occurred in the immature male and female rat adipose tissues. Our study suggested that the adipose tissues are not only targets but de novo synthesizing sites of sex steroid(s), though the synthesizing activities could be much less than in gonads. Further researches in this field will be helpful for understanding the adipose physiology and for medical application such as sex-specific steroid supplement therapies for older populations.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.587-594
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• 1998

In order to understand the mechanism if the regulation of CYP 1A1 gene expression and ethoxyresorufin deethylase (EROD) activity in ex vivo system, we have studied the action of TCDD and 3MC in the isolated perfused female rat liver. CYP1A1 mRNA level and EROD activity were measured in rat liver that was isolated and perfused with various chemicals such as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), 3-methylcholanthrene (3MC), 17$\beta$-estradiol (E$_2$), morin. TCDD or 3MC alone perfusion into female rat liver resulted in increase of CYP 1A1 mRNA level and the magnitude of stimulation was six times higher with TCDD treatment than 3MC treatment. However E$_2$ perfusion into female rat liver showed inhibition of CYP 1A1 mRNA level. When 10$^{-8}$ M E$_2$ was administered concomitantly with either 10$^{-9}$ M TCDD or 10$^{-9}$ M 3MC, stimulated CYP 1A1 mRNA by either TCDD or 3MC was inhibited. Morin was examined for its effects on CYP 1A1 mRNA level and result was similar to that was observed with estrogen. EROD activity was also stimulated with either TCDD or 3MC perfusion, and the magnitude of EROD stiumlation was smaller than that of CYP 1A1 mRNA stimulation in response to TCDD or 3MC perfusion. Unlike CYP1A1 mRNA level, stimulation of EROD activity was greater with 3MC than TCDD. Concomitant perfusion either E$_2$ or morin with TCDD or 3MC inhibited 3MC perfusion or TCDD perfusion stimulated EROD activity. These data suggested that TCDD and 3MC might act diffrently in terms of regulation of CYP 1A1 gene expression in rat liver.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.119-124
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• 2001

In order to determine the role of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), the important sex-steroid hormone precursor, in vascular reactivity in rats, animals were treated for two weeks with DHEA or sex hormones, and the vascorelaxant and contractile responses of isolated aorta were examined. DHEA diminished the acetylcholine (ACh)-induced relaxation in female rats, while the drug was without effect in males. Testoterone lowered the vasorelaxant activity to ACh in either sex. 17$\beta$-Estradiol enhanced ACh-induced vasorelaxation in male rats, but this female sex hormone did not influence in females. In male rats, the androgen receptor antagonist flutamide also enhanced vasorelaxant action of ACh. When the male rat aorta was incubated in vitro with a nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor L-NAME, phenylephrine-induced contraction was greatly potentiated in DHEA-pretreated rats compared to control ones. The present results suggest that DHEA stimulates mainly androgen in female, but both androgen and estrogen in male rats. The participation of NO In the modulation of vascular reactivity with pretreated DHEA was also considered.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.25-30
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• 2002

Quantitative structure-toxicity relationships (QSTRs) between various physicochemical parameters of substituents in new herbicidal N-phenyl-3,4-dimethylphthalimide derivatives and their discriminate score (DS) for chronic and acute toxicities against mouse and rat evaluated using TOPKAT calculation were discussed quantitatively. From the basis on the findings, it was shown that carcinogenicities of female was higher than that of male and mouse had higher tendency than rat. The STR analyses results of Hansch-Fujita type equations suggested that mouse (female & male) and rat male except rat female are dependent on LUMO energy commonly in carcinogenicity. The selective carcinogenicity factor of two species between male mouse and female mouse is dependent on optimal value (ca. $(L)_{opt.}=5.0{\AA}$) for length of $R_2$-substituent mainly. According to Free-Wilson approach, in the case of rat male, alkyl and aryl substituents were superior and in the other case, contribution of fluoro group substituents were superior to chronic toxicity.