• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.442-448
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• 2013

The aim of the present study was to develop glycerol-free TRIS extender using glucose for dog sperm cryopreservation. We determined the appropriate concentration of glucose in glycerol-free TRIS and the exposure time in glycerol-free TRIS containing 0.3 M glucose at $4^{\circ}C$. Ejaculates of six dog sperm were cooled in glycerol-free TRIS through $4^{\circ}C$ for 100 min, cooled at $4^{\circ}C$ in TRIS with different glucose concentrations 0 M, 0.04 M, 0.1 M, 0.2 M and 0.3 M, respectively for 30 min followed by cryopreservation. After thawing at $37^{\circ}C$ for 25 sec, membrane and acrosome integrities of dog sperm were evaluated. In addition, the effect of exposure time (10, 30, 50 and 70 min) of sperm to glycerol-free TRIS containing 0.3 M glucose at $4^{\circ}C$ on progressive motility, viability, and DNA integrity following sperm cryopreservation was studied. Membrane integrity and acrosome integrity were assessed by 6-carboxyfluoresceindiacetate (6-CFDA)/propidium iodide (PI) fluorescent staining and Pisum sativum agglutinin conjugated to fluorescein isothiocyanate, respectively. DNA integrity was assessed by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling, using flow cytometry. Sperm frozen in glycerol-free TRIS supplemented with 0.2 M or 0.3 M glucose have an intact plasma membrane (CFDA+/PI-) after cryopreservation than sperm frozen in the extenders with lower glucose concentrations (p<0.05). Acrosome integrity was significantly higher in the 0.3 M group than less than 0.1 M groups (p<0.05). The sperm DNA fragmentation index did not differ according to exposure time, although progressive motility was significantly higher in the 50 min exposure group than the other groups (p<0.05). These results indicate that cryopreservation of dog sperm is feasible and yields more motile sperm following freezing and thawing in glycerol-free TRIS containing 0.3 M glucose with the exposure time for 50 min at $4^{\circ}C$.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.89-94
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• 2003

Tributyltin (TBT) used world-wide in antifouling paints for ships is a widespread environmental pollutant and cause reproductive organs atrophy in rodents. At low doses, antiproliferative modes of action have been shown to be involved, whereas at higher doses apoptosis seems to be the mechanism of toxicity in reproductive organs by TBT. In this study, we investigated that the mechanisms underlying DNA fragmentation induced by TBT in the rat leyding cell line, R2C. Effects of TBT on intracellular Ca$\^$2+/ level and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were investigated in R2C cells by fluorescence detector. TBT significantly induced intracellular Ca$\^$2+/ level in a time-dependent manner. The rise in intracellular Ca$\^$2+/ level was followed by a time-dependent generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) at the cytosol level. Simultaneously, TBT induced the release of cytochrome c from the mitochondrial membrane into the cytosol. Furthermore, ROS production and the release of cytochrome c were reduced by BAPTA, an intracellular Ca$\^$2+/ chelator, indicating the important role of Ca$\^$2+/ in R2C during these early intracellular events. In addition, Z-DEVD FMK, a caspase-3 inhibitor, decreased apoptosis by TBT. Taken together, the present results indicated that the apoptotic pathway by TBT might start with an increase in intracellular Ca$\^$2+/ level, continues with release of ROS and cytochrome c from mitochondria, activation of caspases,and finally results in DNA fragmentation.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.131-139
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• 2002

Since GnRH and its receptor genes are expressed in the ovary, it has been suggested that ovarian GnRH might be involved in the regulation of ovarian function and the apoptosis of ovarian cells. However, it was not known well on the expression and function of GnRH and its receptor in the corpus luteum. The present study was undertaken to investigate whether GnRH and its receptor are expressed in luteal cells and GnRH has any effect on the apoptosis of luteal cells. Luteal cells obtained from the pregnant rats were cultured and stained for GnRH and its receptor proteins. Cultured luteal cells showed distinct immunoreactivity against both anti-GnRH and anti-GnRH receptor antibodies. In addition, the presence of GnRH receptor protein in cultured cells was confirmed by Western blot analysis. To investigate the effect of GnRH on the apoptosis of luteal cells, luteal cells were cultured in the presence of 10$^{-6}$ M GnRH-agonist(GnRH-Ag) for 3, 8, and 12h. TUNEL assay showed that the number of cells undergoing apoptosis increased 12h after culture(P<0.05). DNA fragmentation analysis confirmed the results such that the cells treated for 12h showed the greatest increase of fragmentation(p<0.05). Further, Western blot analysis of cytochrome c in the mitochondrial and cytoplasmic fractions of the luteal cells showed that GnRH-Ag treatment increased the content of cytochrome c in cytoplasm. These results demonstrate that the luteal cells express GnRH and its receptor and GnRH-Ag treatment induces apoptosis of the luteal cells via mitochondrial release of cytochrome c. The present study suggest that the releasing of cytochrome c from mitochondria might be involved in the luteal cell apoptosis induced by GnRH-Ag.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.161-173
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• 2000

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of the frequency of the L$N_2$ infusion on the ultrastructure, metabolism and development of the embryo after freezing and thawing by computerized cell freezer. Two-cell embryos of ICR mouse were randomly allocated into fresh (control), high-frequency freezing (group 1) and low-frequency freezing (group 2). For fresh and frozen-thawed intact 2-cell embryos, total ceil number in the blastocyst was counted by fluorescent microscope after Hoechst 33258 staining. Relative amount of $H_2O$$_2$ was measured by DCHFDA. Intracellular location and membrane potential of the mitochondria were evaluated by staining with rhodamine 123 and JC-1. The structure of actin filament was also evaluated by confocal microscope. DNA fragmentation was assessed by TUNEL method after development into blastocyst. The survival rate of intact embryo was higher in group 1 than group 2 (50.7％ vs. 34.6％ respectively, p<0.05). The blastocyst developmental rate was significantly low in group 2 (86.7％, 76.7％ vs. 44.0％ for control, group 1 and group 2 respectively, p<0.05). Total cell number in the blastocyst was also significantly lower in group 2 than control (79.5$\pm$12.9, 71.6$\pm$8.0, and 62.5$\pm$4.7 for control, group 1 and group 2 respectively, p<0.05). The relative amount of $H_2O$$_2$ was higher in group 2 than other groups (15.3$\pm$3.0, 16.6$\pm$1.6 vs. 23.4$\pm$1.8, p<0.05). After JC-1 staining, relative intensity of mitochondria with high membrane potential was significantly lower in group 2 than control and group 1 (17.2$\pm$3.8, 17.4$\pm$1.3 vs. 13.2$\pm$2.0, p<0.05). In group 2, partial deletion and aggregation of the actin filament was found. DNA fragmentation rate was also hieher for group 2 versus other groups (30.8％, 36.0％ vs. 65.6％, p<0.05). The frequency of the L$N_2$ infusion is an important factor for the development of frozen-thawed mouse embryo. High-frequency infusion may prevent damages of cytoskeleton and mitochondria in the embryo probably by preventing the temperature fluctuation during dehydration phase. We speculate that the application of high-frequency infusion method in human embryo may be promising.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.307-314
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• 2008

Purpose : Capsaicin, the major pungent ingredient in red pepper, has long been used in spices and food additives. It has been recently shown to induce apoptosis in several cell lines through a not well known mechanism. The aim of this study was to investigate the apoptosis-inducing effect of capsaicin on gastric cancer cells, and to provide valuable information concerning the application of capsaicin for therapeutic purposes. Methods : Cultured SNU-668 cells were treated with capsaicin. We analyzed cell survival by trypan blue and crystal violet analysis, cell cytotoxicity by MTT assay, apoptosis by nuclear condensation and DNA fragmentation, bcl-2 and bax mRNA expression by RT-PCR, and the expression of apoptosis related proteins by Western immunoblot analysis. In order to assess whether the growth inhibitory effect of anticancer drugs is enhanced by capsaicin, we investigated the effects of cell cytotoxicity and the expression of apoptosis related proteins of etoposide and adriamycin treated with capsaicin in cells. Results : Capsaicin inhibited growth of SNU-668 cells in a dose-dependent manner. This inhibitory effect of capsaicin on cell growth was mainly due to the induction of apoptosis as evidenced by DNA fragmentation, nuclear condensation and the expression of apoptosis related proteins. Furthermore, capsaicin prominently reduced the ratio of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 to pro-apoptotic Bax and consequently increased caspase-3 activity. The cells treated with capsaicin were more sensitive to death induced by etoposide and adriamycin than the cells without capsaicin. Conclusion : These results demonstrate that capsaicin efficiently induced apoptosis in SNU-668 cells through a caspase-3-dependent mechanism and sensitizes cancer cells to anticancer drugs toward apoptotic cell death, which may contribute to its anticancer effect and chemosensitizer function against gastric cancer.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.213-219
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• 2009

Purpose:Iron is a critical nutritional element that is essential for a variety of important biological processes, including cell growth and differentiation, electron transfer reactions, and oxygen transport, activation, and detoxification. Iron is also required for neoplastic cell growth due to its catalytic effects on the formation of hydroxyl radicals, suppression of host defense cell activities, and promotion of cancer cell multiplication. Chronic transfusion-dependent patients receiving chemotherapy may have iron overload, which requires iron-chelating therapy. We performed this study to demonstrate whether the iron chelating agent deferoxamine induces apoptosis in Saos-2 osteosarcoma cells, and to investigate the underlying apoptotic mechanism. Methods:To analyze the apoptotic effects of an iron chelator, cultured Saos-2 cells were treated with deferoxamine. We analyzed cell survival by trypan blue and crystal violet analysis, apoptosis by nuclear condensation, DNA fragmentation, and cell cycle analysis, and the expression of apoptotic related proteins by Western immunoblot analysis. Results:Deferoxamine inhibited the growth of Saos-2 cell in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The major mechanism for growth inhibition with the deferoxamine treatment was by the induction of apoptosis, which was supported by nuclear staining, DNA fragmentation analysis, and flow cytometric analysis. Furthermore, bcl-2 expression decreased, while bax, caspase-3, caspase-9, and PARP expression increased in Saos-2 cells treated with deferoxamine. Conclusion:These results demonstrated that the iron chelating agent deferoxamine induced growth inhibition and mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis in osteosarcoma Saos-2 cells, suggesting that iron chelating agents used in controlling neoplastic cell fate can be potentially developed as an adjuvant agent enhancing the anti-tumor effect for the treatment of osteosarcoma.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.75-81
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• 2003

Purpose : This study quantitatively evaluated the apoptosis In human peripheral blood lymphocytes using flow cytometry, and investigated the possibility of using this method, with a small amount of blood, and the time and dose dependence of radiation-induced apoptosls. Materials and Methods : Peripheral blood lymphocyes were isolated from the heparinized venous blood of 11 healthy volunteers, 8 men and 3 women, with each 10 ml of blood being divided Into IS samples. The blood lymphocytes were Irradiated using a linear accelerator at a dose rate of 2.4 Gy/min, to deliver doses of 0.5, 1, 2 and S Gy. The control samples, and Irradiated cells, were maintained in culture medium for 24, 48 and 72 hours fellowing the Irradiation. The number of apoptotic cells after the in vitro X-irradiation was measured by flow cytometry after Incubation periods of 24, 48 and 72 hours. We also observed the apoptotic cells using a DNA fragmentation assay and electron microscopy. Results : The rate oi spontaneous apoptosis increased in relation to the time interval following irradiation (1.761 ${\pm}$0.161, 3.563${\pm}$0.554, 11.098${\pm}$2.849, at 24, 48, and 72 hours). The apoptotli cells also increased In the samples irradiated with 0.5, 1, 2 and 5 Gy, In a radiation dose and time interval after Irradiation manner, with the apoptosls being too great at 72 hours after Irradiation. The dose-response curves were characterized by an Initial steep Increase In the number of apoptotic cells for Irradiation doses below 2 Gy, with a flattening of the curves as the dose approached towards 5 Gy. Conclusion :The flow cytometric assay technique yielded adequate data, and required less than 1 mL of blood. The time and dose dependence of the radiation-induced apoptosis, was also shown. It is suggested that the adequate time Interval required for the evaluation of apoptosis would be 24 to 48 hours after blood sampling.

• Journal of Cadastre & Land InformatiX
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.161-178
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• 2017

Whereas the demand for development of forested areas covering more than 60% of Korean territory, permission on the forest development has been still given from the perspective of effective land utilization rather than conservation. As the assessment of large forested areas usually focuses more on forest structure, it has its limitation of observing and analyzing the interior change in forest in this way. This study was aimed at computing landscape metrics using a presence vegetation map and FRAGTSTATS 4.2 and analyzing vegetation mosaics. Colonies in native vegetation were classified into a series of major groups and sub-groups based on the native species within the colonies. The colonies were investigated by analyzing a suite of landscape metrics - Core Area, Percentage of Landscape, Number of Patches, Patch Density, Largest Patch Index, Total Edge, Edge Density, Landscape Shape Index, Mean Patch Area, Euclidean Nearest Neighbor. In the Chungnam province major groups and sub-groups of colonies classified based on the proportion of pine and oak species, and pine species was the principal one in terms of distribution area. As for the competition between pines and oaks, while the coverage of pine-centered colonies were three times larger than those of oak-centered ones, pine colonies showed the greater number of patches and therefore higher fragmentation than oaks at the major group level. For the sub-groups, the largest coverage colonies were not only indicated by Pinus densiflora-Quesrcus mongolica colonies among P. densiflora-centered colonies, Q. accutissima colonies among Q. accutissima-centered ones, Q. accutissima-P. densiflora colonies among Q. accutissima-centered ones, Q. mongolica colonies among Q. mongolica-centered ones, P. thumbergii colonies among P. thumbergii-centered ones, and Q. serrata-Q. acutissima colonies among Q. serrata-centered ones, but also revealed more severely mosaicked than other smaller colonies. The overall mosaicking degree estimated by landscape metrics was considered useful for monitoring and investigating vegetation. However, in order to develop management strategy based on analyzing the reason for the mosaicking process and anticipating a trend in vegetation succession, it is essential to further study about ecological characteristics of each colony in the vegetation.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.1499-1506
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• 2008

To examine antitumor activity of the edible plant Zanthoxylum schinifolium, the cytotoxic effect of various organic solvent extracts of its stems on human acute leukemia Jurkat T cells was investigated. Among these extracts such as methanol extract (SS-7), methylene chloride extract (SS-8), ethyl acetate extract (SS-9), n-butanol extract (SS-10), and residual fraction (SL-11), SS-8 exhibited the most cytotoxic activity against Jurkat T cells. The methylene chloride extract (SS-8) possessed the apoptogenic activity capable of inducing sub-G1 peak along with apoptotic DNA fragmentation in Jurkat T cells. Western blot analysis revealed that SS-8 induced apoptosis via mitochondrial cytochrome c release into cytoplasm, subsequent activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3, and cleavage of PARP, which could be blocked by overexpression of Bcl-xL. Jurkat T cell clone I2.1 $FADD^{-/-}$) and Jurkat T cell clone I9.2 (caspase-$8^{-/-}$ were as sensitive as was the wild-type Jurkat T cell clone A3 to the cytotoxic effect of SS-8, suggesting no contribution of Fas/FasL system to the SS-8-mediated apoptosis. The GC-MS analysis of SS-8 showed that it was composed of 16 ingredients including 9,12-octadecanoic acid (18.62%), 2,4-dihydro-5-methyl-4- (1-methylethylidene)- 2-(4-nitrophenyl)-3H- pyrazol-3-one (14.97%), hexadecanoic acid (14.23%), (z,z)-6,9-pentadecadien- 1-ol (13.73%), 5,6-dimethoxy-2-methyl benzofuran (10.95%), and 4-methoxy-2-methylcinnamic acid (5.38%). These results demonstrate that the methylene chloride extract of the stems of Z. schinifolium can induce apoptotic cell death in Jurkat T cells via intrinsic mitochondria-dependent caspase cascade regulated by Bcl-xL without involvement of the Fas/FasL system.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.40-44
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• 2011

Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder, which is characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) that is typically associated with cataplexy, sleep fragmentation and other REM sleep-related phenomenon such as sleep paralysis and hypnagogic hallucination. Narcoleptic symptoms can be developed from various medical or neurological disorders. A 17-year-old male patient admitted for the evaluation of EDS which started three-month ago. He slept more than 18 hours a day with cataplexy and hypnagogic hallucination. He was obese with body mass index (BMI) of 30.4 kg/$m^2$. After admission he was newly diagnosed to the thyrotoxicosis. T3 391.2 ng/dL (60-181), free T4 4.38 ng/dL (0.89-1.76), TSH <0.01 ${\mu}IU$/mL (0.35-5.5) were measured. His pulse rate ranged 70-90 beats per minute and blood pressure ranged 150/100-120/70 mmHg. Polysomnography revealed many fragmentations in sleep with many positional changes (81 times/h). Sleep onset latency was 33.5 min, sleep efficiency was 47.9%, and REM latency from sleep onset was delayed to 153.6 min. REM sleep percent was increased to 27.1%. Periodic limb movement index was 13.4/h. In the multiple sleep latency test (MSLT), average sleep latency was 0.4 min and there were noted 3 SOREMPs (Sleep Onset REM sleep period) on 5 trials. We couldn't discriminate the obvious sleep-wake pattern in the actigraph and his HLA DQB1 $^*0602$ type was negative. His thyroid function improved following treatment with methimazole and propranolol. Vital sign maintained within normal range. Cataplexy was controlled with venlafaxine 75 mg. Subjective night sleep continuity and PLMS were improved with clonazepam 0.5 mg, but the EDS were partially improved with modafinil 200-400 mg. Thyrotoxicosis might give confounding role when we were evaluating the EDS, though sleep fragmentation was one of the major symptoms of narcolepsy, but enormous amount of it made us think of the influence of thyroid hormone. The loss of sleep-wake cycle, limited improvement of EDS to the stimulant treatmen, and the cataplexy not supported by HLA DQB1 $^*0602$ should be answered further. We still should rule out idiopathic hypersomnia and measuring CSF hypocretin level would be helpful.