• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.285-288
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• 2000

Nine immature 30-day-old female rats were injected sc at 0800 hr with pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin(PMSG) to induce ovulation and mating. Fifty-six hours later the animals were placed with mature male rats overnight (one female and one male). Five of 9 immature female rats treated with PMSG were pregnant and allowed to maintain the pregnancy to term. Three of 5 pregnant rats were failed to maintain pregnancy to term. Two of 5 pregnant rats seemed to be developed normally and increased abdominal enlargement as pregnancy progresses, but did not occurred parturition on day of 43 or 48 of pregnancy, respectively. On day 44 or 49, pregnant rats were killed and examined uterus and ovaries. There was no fetus but approximately 50∼60ml. of mucopurulent fluids were accumulated in the uterine cavity and 40 or 42 corpora lutea persisted in the ovaries. Pyometra was developed after coitus in PMSG-treated immature female rat.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.21 no.3 s.54
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• pp.291-299
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• 2006

The experiments investigated whether early exposure to testosterone propionate (TP) during prepuberty alters testis development in Sprague-Dawley male rats. We performed Hershberger assay using the stimulated weanling male rats by OECD protocols, cDNA microarray, and Western blot. TP was subcutaneously injected to uncastrated Sprague-Dawley male rat of 22 days old for 10 consecutive days at doses of 0.4, 0.8, 1.0, 1.2, 1.6 mg/kg per day. At necropsy, the following tissues were removed and weighed: combined testes, epididymides (Epi), Cowper's glands (COW), levator am, and bulbocavernosus muscles (LABC), seminal vesicles, together with coagulating gland (SV) and ventral prostate (VP). We found that TP increased the weights of Epi, VP, SV, COW, and LABC, while testis was decreased in a dose-dependent manner. In cDNA microarray analysis of testis, there were significant reductions in the expression of cytochrome P450 11A (CYP11A), the rate-limiting enzyme of steroidogenesis. Taken together these results, TP exposure before puberty in male rats may produce the delay in testis development by inhibiting the CYP11A gene expression.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.157-164
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• 2017

This study was to evaluate the age-dependent effects of caffeine exposure on the long bones and reproductive organs using male rats. A total of 15 immature male rats and 15 young adult male rats were allocated randomly to three groups: a control group and two groups fed caffeine with 120 and 180 mg/kg/day for 4 weeks. Exposure to caffeine at either dose significantly reduced body weight gain; a proportional reduction in muscle and fat mass in immature animals, whereas a selective reduction in fat mass with relatively preserved muscle mass in young adult animals. The long bones of immature rats exposed to caffeine were significantly shorter and lighter than those of control animals along with decreased bone minerals. However, there was no difference in the length or weight of the long bones in young adult rats exposed to caffeine. Exposure to caffeine reduced the size and absolute weight of the testes significantly in immature animals in comparison to control animals, but not in young adult animals exposed to caffeine. In contrast, the adrenal glands were significantly heavier in caffeine-fed young adult rats in comparison to control animals, but not in caffeine-fed immature rats. Our results clearly show that the negative effects of caffeine on the long bones and testes in rats are different according to the age of the rat at the time of exposure, and might therefore be caused by changes to organ sensitivity and metabolic rate at different developmental stages. Although the long bones and testes are more susceptible to caffeine during puberty, caffeine has negative effects on body fat, bone minerals and the adrenal glands when exposure occurs during young adulthood. There is a need, therefore, to educate the public the potential dangers of caffeine consumption during puberty and young adulthood.

• 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.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
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• 2005.05a
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• pp.190-190
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• 2005

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Environmental Toocicology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.57-69
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• 2003

It is well known that many pesticides possess hormonal activity, and affect the developments of wildlife and mammals including human. Currently, pyrethroid insecticides are in worldwide use to control in and outdoor pests, providing potential far environmental exposure. Hormonal activities of these pyrethroid insecticides, however, have been little studied, and the developmental effects of them were no reported. Therefore, we firstly examined the potential estrogenic activities of some pyrethroid insecticides (permethrin, cypermethrin, tetramethrin, deltamethrin, sumithrin, fenvalerate and bioallethrin) by immature rat uterotrophic assay, luciferase reporter gene assay and Calbindin-D$\sub$9k/ (CaBP-9k) gene expression assay. Uterine wet weights were increased by permethrin and the permethrin-induced weights were inhibited by ICI 182780 in the uterolrophic assay. On the other hand tetramethrin significantly reduced uterine and vaginal wet weights, and also inhibited the E2-induced weight increases at all doses tested. Cypermethrin and sumithrin had a tendency to increase uterine weights, although not statistically significant. Permethrin and cypermethrin dose-dependently increased the luciferase activity in reporter gene assay. Northern blot analysis showed that permethrin induced CaBP-9k mRNA expression whereas tetramethrin inhibted. Subsequent studies were conducted to investigate the possible developmental effects of four pyrethroid insecricides (permethrin, cypermethrin, sumithrin and teramethrin). Either diethlbestrol (DES) or 17${\beta}$ -estradiol (E2) was used as a reference control in this study. Pyrethroid insecticides were administered to Sprague Dawley rats via subcutaneous injection at 6 to 18 days of gestation or 1 to 5 days after birth. In utero treatment of permethrin (10mg/kg/day) in female rat resulted in significant increases in uterine and ovarian weights while significant decreases in serum E2 concentration, uterine and ovarian ER${\alpha}$ mRNA levels. Sumithrin and permethrin led to acceleration in vaginal opening of female rat, while delay in preputial separation of male after neonatal treatment. Anogenital distances of PND 18 were significantly reduced in sumthrin-treated, and permerhrin-treated male rats after neonatal treatment. All the pyrethroid insecticides tested caused significant increases in uterine weights on PND 18, while significant reductions in the first diestrus phase when neonataly treated. In addition, exposure to pyrethroids in neonatal period led to significant reduction in relative brain weight in female rat on PND 18, but its weight was recovered in diestrus phase. In summary, Our experimental data demonstrate the possibilities of developmental effects of pyrethroid insecticides via estrogenic or antiestrogenic activity.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.1543-1550
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• 2008

We studied the effects of smoking, which is one of indoor-environmental pollutants and related to various cancers, on glycoconjugates of rat sebaceous glands with the lectin histochemistry. To investigate the effects of smoking on glycoconjugates, male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to tabacco smoke for 10 minutes per day in an inhalation chamber for 1, 2, 3, and 5 days with active and passive exposure. For the structure of sebaceous glands we used PAS reaction, and for the glycoconjugates binding pattern 9 biotinylated lectins (DBA, SBA, PNA, BSL-1, WGA, RCA-1, UEA-1, Con A, and LCA) were used. Some remarkable changes, such as the decrease in the size of sebaceous glandular acini, the destruction of upper portion of sebaceous glands, vacuolation of central portion of sebocytes, and the immature sebaceous glandular acini were seen in the smoke-exposed rats. In the control rats, basal cells were stained with BSL-1, PNA and WGA, but the stronger reaction was founded in BSL-1 binding. Also, sebocytes were stained with PNA, WGA, Con A, BSL-1 and SBA, but stronger reactions were founded in PNA and Con A stainings. Specific changes in the lectin binding patterns were also observed in the smoke-exposed rats. In the basal cells of exposed rats, PNA binding increased, BSL-1 decreased but returned to control level, and WGA disappeared. Plus, immature glandular acini, which were not found in the control rats, were stained PNA, Con A and BSL-1, but the stronger reaction were founded in PNA and Con A binding. In conclusion, it was assumed that the tabacco smoke seriously effected on the structure and glycoconjugates metabolism of sebaceous glands.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.24 no.10
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• pp.330-339
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• 2021

Oyster (Crassostrea gigas) is a marine bivalve mollusk widely distributed in coastal areas, and have been long widely used in industrial resources. Several studies demonstrated that fermented oyster (FO) extract attribute to bone health, but whether administration of FO play as an endocrine disruptor has not been studied. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated the effect of FO on the endocrine system in vitro and in vivo. As the results of the competitive estrogen receptor (ER) and androgen receptor (AR) binding affinities, FO was not combined with ER-α, ER-β, and AR. However, 17β-estradiol and testosterone, used as positive control, were interacted with ER and AR, respectively. Meanwhile, oral administration of 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg of FO doesn't have any harmful effect on the body weight, androgen-dependent sex accessory organs, estrogen-dependent-sex accessory organs, kidney, and liver in immature rats. In addition, FO supplementation has no effect on the serum levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone, and 17β-estradiol. However, the relative weight of androgen- and estrogen-dependent organs were significantly increased by subcutaneously injection of 4.0 mg/kg of testosterone propionate (TP) and by orally administration of 1.0 ㎍ of 17α-ethynyl estradiol (EE) in immature male and female rats, respectively. Furthermore, TP and EE administration markedly decreased the serum LH and FSH levels, which are similar those of mature Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat. Furthermore, the testosterone and 17β-estradiol levels were significantly enhanced in TP and EE-treated immature rats. Taken together, our findings showed that FO does not interact with ER and AR, suggesting consequentially FO does not play as a ligand for ER and AR. Furthermore, oral administration of FO did not act as an endocrine disruptor including androgenic activity, estrogenic activity, and abnormal levels of sex hormone, indicating FO may ensure the safety on endocrine system to develop dietary supplement for bone health.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.35-45
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• 1980

The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the effects of castration and administration of testosterone propionate(TP) on the development of the thyroid, adrenal glands and the testis in immature male rats, 25 days immatured, weighing 64.1${\pm}$2g, were divided into two groups of control and castrated, each sub-divided into 30 rats again, treated and untreated with TP respectivity. Each rat was given 20$m\ell$ of TP subcutaneously at two weeks interval. Six rats among each group were randomly sacrificed at 7, 21, 35, 49, and 63 days after treatment, of which their thyroid, adrenal glands and testis were collected for cytometric observation. The results obtained were as follows. 1. The size of the follicle of thyroid glands had a tendency to increase proportionally to the treatment period in every group. However, in castration group, the follicular size of the untreated with TP were significantly increased from 49 days (p<0.05) after treatment than that of the treated with TP, while in control group, the treated with TP were not increased during the treatment period. Regarding the height of the follicular epithelial cell in thyroid gland, the treated with TP had a tendency to increase than the untreated with TP in both castration and control group. 2. Regarding the size of the follicle of thyroid gland in relation with the increment period, the untreated with TP in control group were slightly increased from 49 days after treatment, but the treated with TP were not changed significantly. Castration group had a tendency to increase significantly than the control group, especially the untreated with TP in castration group were significantly increased. 3. As for the change of the relative height of thyroidal follicular epithelial cell in relation with the increment of treatment period, the untreated, A and C group, in both castration and control group were increased at 35 days 63 days after treatment while the treated, B and D group had tendency to increase from 21 days after treatment. 4. Regarding the thickness fo adrenal cortex, the castration group had a tendency to increase than the control group until 21 days after treatment. But, at 35 days, the change of the thickness was reversed; Mean while at 49 days and 63 days, especially C group in castration were significantly increased than any other groups although there were no significant differences among the every group during the whole treatment period. Regarding the thickness of adrenal cortex in relation with the increment of treatment period, A, B and C group had a tendency to increase until 21 days after treatment. After that period, there was no significant increment in all groups. Especially, in D group, there were no significant changes from 7 days to 63 days after treatment. 5. As for the tickness of adrenal medulla, there were no significant changes in every group of castration and TP treatment, except that the castration group had a tendency to increase continually than the control throughout the whole treament period. 6. In terms of the number, diameter and thickness of seminiferous tubule in testis of control group, the treated group with TP were distinctly reduced than those of the untreated group from 49 days after treatment respectively.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Environmental Toocicology Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.168-168
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• 2002

To establish a test protocol for the rodent 20-day thyroid/pubertal assay, flutamide and diethylstilbestrol (DES) were administered to intact male Sprague-Dawley rats from postnatal day 33 for 20 days. Flutamide (1, 5, and 25 mg/kg/day) or DES (10, 20, and 40 ug/kg/day) was given once daily by oral gavage to immature male rats. Prepuce separation was significantly delayed in flutamide group and in DES group. One day after the last dose, the rats were killed and pituitary, thyroid, and reproductive organs were removed and weighed. Flutamide treatment resulted in a significant reduction in the weights of epididymides, ventral prostate, seminal vesicles plus coagulating glands and fluid (SVCGF), levator ani. bulbocarvenus muscles (LABC), Cowper's glands, and glans penis. The weight of adrenal glands decreased at % mg/kg/day, while testes and any other organ weights were unaffected. No microscopic changes were observed in the thyroid glands. Serum levels of testosterone wert significantly increased in the flutamide-treated groups and serum levels of estradiol were also increased. A significant reduction in the weights of testes, epididymides, ventral prostate, SVCGF, LABC, Cowpers glands, and glans penis of DES treated group. Serum testosterone and LH decreased significantly in DES group. Decrease of estradiol was observed, but not significant. These results indicate that flutamide and DES delay puberty in the male rat and its mode of action appears to be via altered secretion of steroids, which subsequently affect the development of the reproductive tract. (Supported by the grant from NITR/Korea FDA for Endocrine Disrupter Research.)