• Molecules and Cells
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• v.37 no.12
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• pp.865-872
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• 2014

Premature ovarian failure (POF) is a long-term adverse effect of chemotherapy treatment. However, current available treatment regimens are not optimal. Emerging evidence suggests that bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) could restore the structure and function of injured tissues, but the homing and restorative effects of BMSCs on chemotherapy injured ovaries are still not clear. In this study, we found that granulosa cell (GC) apoptosis induced by cisplatin was reduced when BMSCs were migrated to granulosa cells (GCs) in vitro. Chemotherapy-induced POF was induced by intraperitoneal injection of cisplatin in rats. BMSCs labeled with enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) were injected into the rats via the tail vein to investigate the homing and distribution of BMSCs in vivo. The number of BMSCs in the ovarian hilum and medulla was greater than in the cortex, but no BMSCs were found in the follicles and corpus lutea. In addition, the BMSCs treatment group's antral follicle count and estradiol levels increased after 30 days, compared with the POF group. Hence, our study demonstrates that intravenously delivered BMSCs can home to the ovaries, and restore its structure and function in POF model rats.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.120-125
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• 2013

Purpose: McCune-Albright syndrome (MAS) is caused by activating mutations in the GNAS gene, resulting in peripheral precocious puberty, caf$\acute{e}$-au-lait spots, and polyostotic fibrous dysplasia (POFD). The aim of the present study was to describe the diverse clinical and endocrine characteristics of patients with MAS. Methods: Seven patients with MAS were included in this study and medical charts were reviewed retrospectively for following parameters: patient's sex and age at diagnosis, POFD, ovarian cysts, and precocious puberty. Results: The mean age at diagnosis was $5.8{\pm}4.2$ years. One patient was male (14%) and the other six patients were female (86%). Peripheral precocious puberty was associated with 6 patients (86%). Five patients manifested premature menarche as early as 2 to 5 years of age. Letrozole was administered to 4 patients, tamoxifen to one patient and GnRH agonist to one patient. Five females developed ovarian cysts. Thyroid function tests were performed in all patients and one patient showed hyperthyroidism (14%) and has been treated with methimazole. One patient presented with pseudohypoparathyroisdism, phosphaturia, calciuria suggesting hypophosphatemic rickets. Six patients (86%) revealed POFD. One patient had symptoms of optic nerve compression and secondary esotropia and 2 patients had bone pain. Conclusion: This study described clinical characteristics and endocrine complications of patients with MAS. Careful physical examinations with history taking and serial endocrine function tests should be needed to detect complications such as endocrinologic hyperfunction and POFD.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.144-150
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• 2003

Reproductive biology and population dynamics of Latreutes planirostris were investigated on the south western waters of Korea from June 2001 to May 2002. This paper describes sex ratio, population growth, and reproductive aspects of Latreutes planirostris. Brood size was an isometric function of female carapace length. Based on dry weight, reproduction effort (mass of eggs/mass of female) averaged 0.23. Ovarian examination showed that there was significantly higher gonadosomatic index from May to September, with a peak in June. Statistical analysis revealed that the ovarian dry weight of females with eyed eggs was significantly higher than that of those with non-eyed eggs. This suggests that females were potentially consecutive breeders. Sex ratio showed that female is more numerous than male. Growth parameters mortality and recruitment were estimated by monthly length-frequency data. Growth parameters were estimated, using the seasonalized von Bertalanffy growth function model $(L\infty\;=\;12.70\;mm\;CL,\;K\;=\;0.87yr^{-1},\;C\;=\;0.96,\;WP\;=\;0.59)$. The recruitment pattern was twice a year.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 1998

Human uniparental gestations such as gynogenetic ovarian teratomas provide a model to evaluate the integrity of parent-specific gene expression - i.e. imprinting - in the absence of a complementary parental genetic contribution. The few imprinted genes characterized so far include the insulin-like growth factor-2 gene (IGF2) coding for a fetal growth factor and H19 gene whose normal function is unknown but it is likely to act as an mRNA. IGF2 is expressed by the paternal allele and H19 by the maternal allele. This reciprocal expression is quite interesting because both H19 and IGF2 genes are located close to each other on chromosome 11p15.5. In situ RNA hybridization analysis has shown variable expression of the H19 and IGF2 alleles according to the tissue origin in 11 teratomas. Especially, Skin, derivative of ectoderm, is expressed conspicuously. We examined imprinting of H19 and IGF2 in teratomas using PCR and RT-PCR of exonic polymorphism. H19 and IGF2 transcript could be expressed either biallelically or monoallelically in the teratomas. Biallelic expression (i.e., loss of imprinting) of IGF2 occurred in 5 out of 6 mature teratomas and 1 out of 1 immature teratoma. Biallelic expression of H19 occurred in 4 out of 10 mature teratomas and 1 out of 1 immature teratoma. Expression levels of H19 and IGF2 transcript using the semi-quantitative RT-PCR had no relation between monoallelic and biallelic expression. Moreover, IGF2 biallelic expression did not affect allele-specificity or levels of H19 expression. These results demonstrate that both genes, H19 and IGF2, can be imprinted, expressed and regulated independently and individually of each other in ovarian teratoma.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.257-266
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• 2008

Purpose: These experiments were undertaken to evaluate the effect of Onpoeum on ovarian functions and differential gene expressions related with cell viabilities caspase-3, MAPK and MPG in female mice. Methods: We administered the Onpoeum to 6-week-old female ICR mice for 4, 8, or 12 days. With different concentration of Onpoeum, the female mice were injected PMSG and hCG for ovarian hyperstimulation. The mice divided into 3 different groups for each experiment. We chose the Caspase-3 for cell apoptosis, MAPK and MPG genes for cell viability and DNA repair. Results: In case of 4, 8, 12 day of Onpoeum, we were examined the mean number of total ovulated oocytes and the number of morphologically normal oocytes. We were also examined the embryonic developmental competence in vitro. In addition we were examined the differential expression of cell apoptosis, viability and DNA repair related genes, Caspase-3, MAPK and MPG according to concentration and duration of Onpoeum. From these results showed that the administration of Onpoeum played a role of prevention of cell apoptosis and DNA damages and also increased cell proliferation resulted in ovarian functions. Conclusions: It is suggested that the medication of Onpoeum may have beneficial effect on reproductive functions of female mice via prevention of cell apoptosis and DNA damaging and promotion of cell proliferation.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.603-606
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• 2010

Paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis, a remote effect of cancer without nervous system metastasis, is rare, especially in childhood. Here, we report a case of paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis associated with an ovarian mature teratoma in an adolescent girl. The 15-year-old girl developed neuropsychiatric symptoms, memory loss, seizures, and unconsciousness. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings were normal, while single photon emission computed tomography imaging showed hypoperfusion in both temporal lobes. Ultrasound and MRI of the abdomen revealed a left ovarian cystic mass. The patient experienced a significant recovery of cognitive function after surgical resection of the tumor, which was pathologically identified as a mature ovarian teratoma, and treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.13-34
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• 2007

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of administration of Guibitang on ovarian functions and differential gene expressions related cell viabilities caspase-3, MAPK and MPG in female mice. Methods: We administered the Guibitang to 6-week-old female ICR mice for 4, 8, or 12 days. Then, the female mice were injected PMSG and hCG for ovarian hyperstimulation. The mice 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: administration of Guibitang, the mean number of total ovulated oocytes and the number of morphologically normal oocytes increased significantly compared to control group. And the rates of blastocyst formation from 2-cell stages alsa increased significantly compared to control group. Capase-3 gene expression which is known to maker gene for cell apoptosis were significantly lower than that of control group. And MAPK and MPG gene expressions for cell viability and DNA repair were same that of control group. Conclusion: From our results suggested that the medication of Guibitang has beneficial effect on reproductive functions of female mice via prevention of cell apoptosis and DNA damaging and promotion of cell proliferation.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.380-388
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• 2022

Snail is implicated in tumour growth and metastasis and is up-regulated in various human tumours. Although the role of Snails in epithelial-mesenchymal transition, which is particularly important in cancer metastasis, is well known, how they regulate tumour growth is poorly described. In this study, the possible molecular mechanisms of Snail in tumour growth were explored. Baculoviral inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) repeat-containing protein 3 (BIRC3), a co-activator of cell proliferation during tumourigenesis, was identified as a Snail-binding protein via a yeast two-hybrid system. Since BIRC3 is important for cell survival, the effect of BIRC3 binding partner Snail on cell survival was investigated in ovarian cancer cell lines. Results revealed that Bax expression was activated, while the expression levels of anti-apoptotic proteins were markedly decreased by small interfering RNA (siRNA) specific for Snail (siSnail). siSnail, the binding partner of siBIRC3, activated the tumour suppressor function of p53 by promoting p53 protein stability. Conversely, BIRC3 could interact with Snail, for this reason, the possibility of BIRC3 involvement in EMT was investigated. BIRC3 overexpression resulted in a decreased expression of the epithelial marker and an increased expression of the mesenchymal markers. siSnail or siBIRC3 reduced the mRNA levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9. These results provide evidence that Snail promotes cell proliferation by interacting with BIRC3 and that BIRC3 might be involved in EMT via binding to Snail in ovarian cancer cells. Therefore, our results suggested the novel relevance of BIRC3, the binding partner of Snail, in ovarian cancer development.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.285-291
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• 2023

Objective: Infertility can result from a diminished ovarian reserve, but a potential remedy exists in the form of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) administration. This treatment involves both biological factors and tissue trauma mechanisms, which stimulate folliculogenesis, making it a promising and effective strategy. We assessed the impact of direct PRP injections into the ovaries on the fertility outcomes of women classified as poor responders. Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted from April 2021 to December 2022, focusing on patients classified as POSEIDON grade 3 or 4. PRP injections were administered into both ovaries. After 3 months, data were collected on anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) level, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) level, and the numbers of oocytes, mature oocytes, and good-quality embryos following ovarian stimulation. We then compared the data from before and after PRP injection. Results: This study included 50 women, with a mean of 39 years (interquartile range [IQR], 35 to 43) and 4 years (IQR, 2 to 6) for age and infertility duration, respectively. FSH levels decreased after treatment, while AMH levels and the numbers of oocytes, metaphase II oocytes, and high-quality embryos increased. However, only the increase in high-quality embryos was significant. The pregnancy and spontaneous pregnancy rates were 20% and 14%, respectively. Notably, women with secondary infertility exhibited a significantly higher pregnancy rate than those with primary infertility. Conclusion: Ample evidence suggests that PRP can enhance ovarian function. However, further studies are needed to identify the appropriate candidates for this procedure, establish the optimal PRP preparation method, and standardize the procedure for its adjuvant use in assisted reproductive technology cycles.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.35-40
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• 2014

Beta-catenin (CTNNB1, catenin (cadherin-associated protein), beta 1) is involved in various biological processes, including embryogenesis, tumorigenesis, angiogenesis and progression of metastasis. CTNNB1, as a multifunctional and oncogenic protein, has important roles in adhesion between Sertoli cells through an N-cadherin-dependent manner and in various cancer types through its over-activation. In addition, CTNNB1 can interact with estrogen/estrogen receptor alpha complex, which regulates the transcription of WNT (wingless-type MMTV integration site family)/CTNNB1 target genes. Recently, we investigated the functional roles and expression pattern of CTNNB1 during the morphological changes of embryonic gonads of chickens and the estrogen-dependent regulation of CTNNB1 in oviduct development and potential functions as a biomarker of CTNNB1 in human epithelial ovarian cancer using the chicken as a biological research model. Therefore, in this review, we provide a new insight of potential role of CTNNB1 in the development of the female reproductive tract during early embryogenesis and ovarian carcinogenesis of laying hen models.