• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.206-212
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• 1996

This study was to see if pregnant rats fed a pantothenic acid(PA) deficient diet for whole 3 weeks gestation would produce pups comparable to the normal controls, at the cost of maternal tissue PA concentration ([PA]) or coenzyme A content ([Co A]). Compared to the controls, dams fed a PA deficient diet tended to decrease weight gain, and produced pups with lower body, liver and brain weight (p<0.05). Postpartum dam's blood [PA] decreased more in PA deficient group than control (p<0.05, PA deficient : 2.52$\pm$0.66 to 0.77$\pm$0.23uM, control : 2.58$\pm$0.52 to 1.45$\pm$0.68uM), although Hb concentration did not differ between two groups. Pup's blood [PA] at birth was lower in PA deficient group than control group(1.75$\pm$0.27uM vs. 3.90$\pm$0.76uM, respectively, p<0.05) and 2-3 times that of postpartum dams in both two groups. [Co A] and [PA] in pup's tissues were 23-68% of dams in both groups, in spite of the higher [PA] in pups. These data suggest that Co A metabolism differs between pups and dams ; the pups were more adversely affected than dams by the dietary PA deficiency of dams during gestation.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.19-29
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• 1993

Plasminogen activator (PA)-plasmin system in follicular fluid is involved in the process leading to follicular rupture at ovulation. It is well known that PA is closely associated with cellular differentiation and tissue remodeling on evidences from the study of normal and malignant tissues. This study was designed to ascertain a potential role of PA in the ovarian folliculogenesis. Immature Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with pregnant mare serum gonadotropin, followed by injection of serine protease inhibitor (SPI; mixture of 1 mol/L benzamidine and 1 mol/L amino-caproic acid) into the unilateral ovarian bursa. In the control study, mechanical effect of bursal injection and contralateral ovarian effect SPI were ruled out. Total antral follicular areas relative to total ovarian cross-sectional areas was siginificantly lower in SPI-injected ovary than in saline-injected ovary. SPI injection decreased the relative antral follicular area by 33 % respectively. Electron microscopic finding of granulosa cell in the atretic follicle showed the presence of pyknotic nucleus, blurring of neucleolemma, degeneration of mitochondria and dilation of endoplasmic reticulum. After induction of ovulation with hCG, the number of oocytes released was significantly decreased in SPI-injected oviduct than in saline-injected oviduct. From above results, author discussed that PA may play a role not only in ovulation but also in some processes of folliculogenesis.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.49-53
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• 1969

The distribution of radiophosphorus ($^{32}P$) was observed in three groups of female Albino tat consisted of early pregnancy group (10 days of pregnancy), late pregnancy group (18 days of pregnancy) and nonpregnanted control group. The results obtained were as follows: 1. The various sites arranged in the descending of absorption rate of $^{32}P$ were femur, mandible, liver, spleen, ovary, fetus (only from early pregnancy group) and kidney in both groups of non-pregnanted and early pregnancy and femur, mandible, fetus, liver, ovary, spleen and kidney in the late pregnancy group. 2. The significant difference (P<0.05) in the absorption rate was found between femur and mandible in the early pregnancy group. 3. The absorption rate of fetus from late pregnancy group was significantly (P<0.01) higher than that of fetus from the early pregnancy group. 4. The high absorption rate was observed with femur and mandible in both groups of non-pregnanted and early pregnancy. 5. The significantly (P<0.01) high absorption rate was observed with ovary and fetus from the late pregnancy group.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.255-264
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• 1997

The purpose of this study was attempted to investigate the number changes of the growing and mature follicles in ovary following repeats of pregnant mare serum gonadotropin(PMSG) treatments for superovulation in nulliparous rats. Thirty two rats(Sprague-Dawely, about 200~250 gm) were randomized into 4 groups. Control group rats were sacrified at estrus phase confirmed by vaginal smear. PMSG-treated group 1 rats, PMSG-treated group 2 rats and PMSG-treated group 3 rats were sacrified at 48 hrs after injection once with PMSG 25 IU, after 2 repeated injection by a week interval, and 3 repeated injection, respectively. The uteri and ovaries of rats were removed and weighed and then were observed grossly and serial sections of all ovaries and some sections of uteri by paraffin embedding were stained with H-E. Number of ovarian follicles about 3 grades of small, middle and large follicles from seondary and follicles were investigated by LM photographies of ovary preparations. The criteria of the small, middle, and large follicles were based as small follicle with preantral follicles with 2~4 layers of granulosa cells surrounding the oocyte, as secondary follicles with more than 5 layers of granulosa cells and early signs of antral cavity or with small clefts on either side of the oocytes, and as tirtiary follicles with a single medium sized antral cavity or large well-formed antral cavity, respectively. In gross findings, the wall of the uteri in control group were thin, and those in 3 PMS-treated group were markedly thickened and some uterine lumen of those filled with fluid. In histological findings, the walls of the uteri from 3 PMSG-treated groups were hypertrophied and their blood and lymph vessels were dilated than those of control group. The ovaries fo 3 PMSG-treated groups were more increased in size and the cortexes were more developed and increased in width but there are no difference of development and changes in 3 PMSG-treated groups. The weight of the uteri and ovaries per rat in PMSG -treated group 1, 2 and 3 were a, pp.ared to be significantly increased 171.4$\pm$47.6%, 162.3$\pm$43.9%, 206.9$\pm$30.4%, respectively than those of control groups. The mean number of follicle per ovary in control group were a, pp.ared to be 17.1$\pm$3.5, 46.2$\pm$14.5, and 74.3$\pm$22.7 at large, middle and small follicles, respectively and total number of these 3 grade follicles per ovary were a, pp.ared to be 137.7$\pm$31.7. The mean number of follicle per ovary in PMSG-treated group 1 were a, pp.ared to be 25.6$\pm$7.3, 78.1$\pm$29.9, and 83.2$\pm$34.0, at large, middle and small follicles, respectively and total number of these 3 grade follicles were a, pp.ared to be 187.5$\pm$58.8. The mean number of follicle per ovary in PMS-treated group 2 were a, pp.ared to be 21.9$\pm$5.2, 67.8$\pm$16.8, and 68.0$\pm$14.9 at large, middle and small follicles, respectively and total number of these 3 grade follicles were a, pp.ared to be 157.7$\pm$26.2. The mean number of follicle per ovary in PMS-treated group 3 were a, pp.ared to be 21.7$\pm$4.8, 61.5$\pm$17.0, and 59.7$\pm$16.2 at large, middle and small follicles, respectively and total number of these 3 grade follicles were a, pp.ared to be 143.5$\pm$29.6. The number of follicles in PMSG-treated group 1 a, pp.ared to be more number than other 2 PMSG-treated gruops and tended to be decreased by frequency of PMSG-treatment.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.15-24
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• 1992

The effects of CC the ovulatory response, oocyte normality, ovarian steroidogenesis and subsequent embryo developmental potential were examined in PMSG-treated rats. On Days of 25~27 of age, immature female Sprague Dawley rats were treated with three different doses(0.05, 0.1 or 1.0mg /day) of clomiphene citrate or vehicle. The females subsequently received 4IU PMSG on Day 28 and/or 10IU hCG on Day 30, and were killed on Day 31. Some females given 0.1mg CC or vehicle with 4IU PMSG were then mated and killed on Days 2, 3, 4 and 5 of pregnancy. Compared to vehicle(control) group, by increasing the doses of CC, there were a significant decrease in the ovulatory response as judged by both the proportion of rats ovulating and the mean number of oocytes per rat and a marked reduction of ovarian weight. The increasing doses of CC substantially promoted the degeneration(%) of oocytes ovulating in a dose-dependent manner. The CC-mediated inhibitions of the ovulatory response and ovarian weight were oompletely overcome by a subsequent treatment of hCG. Increasing doses of CC resulted in a siginificant elevation of serum estradiol with the decreased levels of progesterone and androgens. The additive treatment with hCG was effective to reduce the elevation of estradiol and to increase the reduction of progesterone produced by high dose(1.0mg) of CC. The preimplantation embryos recovered from 0.1mg CC-treated pregnant rats demonstrated a progressive early loss from Day 3 of pregnancy with a significant increase in the percentage of degeneration during all periods examined, compared to controls. The rate of progressive embryo cleavage in the CC-treated rats were slower than that in controls from Day 3 of pregnancy. Additionally, the percentage of the cleaved embryos recovered from the CC-treated rats remained significantly lower consistently from Day 2 of pregnancy, compared to control regimen. These results demonstrate a possible mechanism of CC-mediated inhibition of ovulatory response in the rats which may include the attenuation or blockade of the endogenous secretion of gonadotropins and also suggest that its detrimental effects observed on oocyte normality and embryonic development may be caused by abnormal follicular steroidogenesis( especially elevated estradiol) preceding fertilization.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.133-142
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• 1991

This study was carried out to observe the change in uterine cyclic nucleotide level and the effect of PAF on cyclic nucleotides in uterine tissue in early pregnany in order to understand reciprocal relation ship between PAF and cyclic nucleotides in pregnancy in the rat. The test groups were injected intramuscularly with $1{\mu}g$ of PAF or 1.25mg of BN-52021 on day 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of pregnancy. The level of cyclic nucleotide in removed uterine tissue was assayed by using cyclic nucleotides test kits. The results showed that the cyclic AMP content in uterine tissue of non-pregnant at pro-oestrus rat was $2.91{\pm}0.33$ pmol/mg protein which was lower than those of pregnant rat. The cyclic GMP content in uterine tissue of non-pregnant rat was $0.39{\pm}0.20$ pmol/mg pro-tein which was also lower than those of pregnant rats. The maximum level in cAMP was $5.92{\pm}1.72$ pmol/mg protein on day 3 and cGMP, $1.03{\pm}0.22$ pmol/mg protein on day 4. On each day of pregnancy, PAF induced the increased cAMP level ompared with that of intact rat. That was significant on day 0, 2 and 4 of pregnancy, p<0.05, on the other hand PAF receptor antagonist, BN-52021 ecreased cAMP level in uterine tisssue. PAF as well as BN-52021 had not an consistent effect on changes in cGMP level. These results suggest that cyclic nucleotide levels in uterine tissue ware increased during early pregnancy and PAF influences cAMP level in uterine rather than cGMP level during peri-implantation period, accordingly demonstrating a possible involvement of PAF in the regulation of implantation-related events through cAMP-mediated process.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.942-948
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• 2006

This study was performed to determine whether the length of the feeding of the controlled experimental diet to the dam resulted in changes to the dam milk or pup brain fatty acid composition. As a first method, females have been obtained at 3 weeks of age and fed the experimental diet throughout their growth to adulthood including mating, pregnancy, and lactational periods. As a second method, in order to shorten this long and expensive process, time-pregnant dams were obtained as early as possible from a commercial supplier, on day 3 of gestation, and immediately switched to the experimental diet. At birth, the milk of dams prepared by these two different methods was compared by collecting the stomach contents of the pups. This showed a slight increase in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (AA) in the pup stomach contents from the time-pregnant dams. There were no significant changes in the brain fatty acid composition of pups between the two different lengths of the experimental diet intake. By the 10 days of age, there were only minor differences in the milk fatty acid composition of pup stomach contents from the two sets of dams. However, the pup brains of the time-pregnant groups at 10 days showed increased AA and DHA due to intake of the chow diet including AA, DHA and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Thus, the history of the maternal feeding could affect the results under these particular circumstances, but the differences were minimal.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.330-336
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• 2005

Objectives : The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of bisphenol A (BPA), an estrogen-like environmental endocrine disrupter, on the placental function and reproduction in rats. The mRNA levels of the placental prolactin-growth hormone(PRL-GH) gene family, placental trophoblast cell frequency and reproductive data were analyzed. Methods : The pregnancies of F344 Fisher rats ($160g{\pm}20g$) were detected by the presence of the copulatory plug or sperm in the vaginal smear, which marked Day 0 of pregnancy. Pregnant rats were divided into three groups. The control group was intraperitoneally injected with a sesame oil vehicle. The two remaining groups were injected with 50 or 500 mg/kg B.W/day of BPA, resuspended in sesame oil, on either days 7 to 11 or 16 to 20 of pregnancy, with the rats sacrificed on either day 11 or 20, respectively. The mRNA levels of PRL-GH and Pit-1a and b isotype genes were analyzed by Northern blot hybridization and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The hormone concentrations were analyzed by radioimmunoassay, and the frequency of the placental trophoblast cells observed by a histochemical study. Reproductive data, such as the placental weight and litter size, were surveyed on day 20. The fetal weight was surveyed for 4 weeks after birth. A statistical analysis was carried out using the SAS program (version 8.1). Results : The mRNA levels of the PRL-GH gene family, such as placental lactogen I, Iv and II, prolactin like protein A, C and Cv, and decidual prolactin-related protein were significantly reduced due to BPA exposure. The mRNA levels of the Pit-1a and b isotype genes, which induce the expression of the PRL-GH gene family in the rat placenta, were also reduced due to BPA exposure. The PL-Iv and PL-II concentrations were reduced in the BPA exposed group. During the middle to last stage of pregnancy (Days 11-20), a high dose of BPA exposure reduced the frequency of spongiotrophoblast cells, which are responsible for the secretion of the PRL-GH hormones. Reproductive data, such as the placental and fetal weights and the litter size, were reduced, but that of the pregnancy period was extended in the BPA exposed compared to the control group. Conclusions : BPA disrupts the placental functions in rats, which leads to reproductive disorders.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.157-165
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• 2004

Objectives : This study aimed to investigate the toxic effects of chromium (VI) on the placental function and reproduction in rats. For the study, the placental prolactin-growth hormone (PRL-GH) gene expression, placental trophoblast cell differentiation and reproductive data were analyzed. Methods : The pregnancies of F344 Fisher rats were checked by the presence of a copulatory plug or sperm in the vaginal smear, which was defined as day 0 of the pregnancy. Pregnant rats were divided into the three groups. The control group was given tap water (chromium level < 0.001 ppm) and the remaining groups were given 250 or 750 ppm of chromium (VI) [as potassium dichromate], from day 7 to 19 of the pregnancy. Rats were sacrificed at days 11 and 20 of pregnancy. The mRNA levels of PRL-GH and Pit-1a and b isotype genes were analyzed by Northern blot hybridization and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The hormonal concentration was analyzed by radioimmunoassay, and the differentiation of placental trophoblast cells were observed by histochemical studies. Reproductive data, such as placental and fetal weights, pregnancy period, and litter size, were surveyed at day 20 of pregnancy and after birth. A statistical analysis was carried out using the SAS program (version 8.1). Results : The mRNA levels of the prolactin-growth hormone (PRL-GH) family of genes were dose dependently reduced by chromium exposure. The mRNA levels of Pit-1a and b isotype genes that induce the expression of the PRL-GH family of genes were also reduced by chromium exposure. The PRL-GH hormonal concentration in the rat placenta, fetus and maternal blood were decreased by chromium exposure. In the middle stage of pregnancy (day 11), a high dose of chromium suppressed the differentiation of spongiotrophoblast cells that secret the PRLGH hormones. In the last stage of pregnancy (day 20), a high dose of chromium induced apoptosis of placental cells. Reproductive data, such as placental and fetal weights, litter size, were reduced, but the pregnancy period was extended in the group exposed to chromium compared with the controls. Conclusion : Chromium (VI) disrupts the ordered functions of the placenta, which leads to reproductive disorders in rats.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.115-121
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• 1996

To investigate gestational profiles in gene expression of placental lactogen I fpL4), PL-lI and Pit-1, RNA samples were extracted from the placentas of pregnant day 12 to 20 at 2 day intervals. Northern blots showed changes in gene expression of PL4, - 11 and Pit-i. Sizes of PL-l and -II mRNA were changed and amounts of PL-I, -H and Pit-1 mRNA increased during progress of gestation. To examine the effect of estrogen on the gene expression of PL-I, -Il and Pit-1, pregnant female rats were ovariectomized (OVX) and daily injected with estradiol (OVX + E). OVX markedly lowered the amount of PL4 and 41 mRNA, and shifted niRNA size from 1 kb to i 3 kb in PL-l mRNA and 0.6 kb to i kb in PL-ll mRNA, respectively. OVX had no effect on the mRNA size of Pit-1, but markedly attenuated Pit-1 mRNA level. Estrogen injection reversed the effect of OVX on the size-shift but not on the amount of PL4 and -Il mRNA. Replacement of E partially recovered OVX-induced inhibition of Pit-i mRNA level. Present results suggest that estrogen may play a pivotal role on the gene expression of PL-l and -Il such as alternative RNA splicing and/or polyadenylation, and Pit-1 may be involved in the gene expression of PL-l and 41 by estrogen.