• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.5 s.85
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• pp.634-640
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• 2007

Our previous study suggested that n-3 fatty acid deficiency was associated with significantly reduced spatial learning as assessed by Morris water maze test. Here we investigated an effect of n-3 fatty acid deficiency on rat brain, retina and serum fatty acyl compositions at 15 wks age using a first generational artificial rearing technique. Newborn Rat pups were separated on day 2 and assigned to two artificial rearing groups or a dam-reared control group. Pups were hand fed artificial milk via custom-designed nursing bottles containing either 0.02%(n-3 Deficient) or 3.1% (n-3 Adequate) of total fatty acids as a-linolenic acid(LNA). At day 21, rats were weaned to either n-3 deficient or n-3 adequate pelleted diets and fatty acid compositions of brain, retina and liver were analyzed at 15 wks age. Brain docosahexaenoic acid(DHA) was lower(58% and 61%, P<0.05) in n-3 deficient in comparison to n-3 adequate and dam-reared groups, receptively, while brain docosapentaenoic acid(DPAn-6) was increased in the n-3 deficient group. In retina and serum fatty acid compositions, the decreased precentage of DHA and increased precentage of DPAn-6 were observed. These results suggested that artificial rearing method can be used to produce n-3 fatty acid deficiency in the first generation and that adequate brain DHA levels are required for optimal brain function.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.102-102
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• 2001

Taurine (2-ethaneaminosulfonic acid) is one of the major intracellular ${\beta}$ -amino acids in mammals and is required for a number of biological processes including membrane stabilization, osmoregulation, antioxidation, detoxification, modulation of calcium flux and neurornodulation. The taurine transporter (TAUT) which contains 12 hydrophobic membrane-spanning domains has been cloned from dog kidney, rat brain, mouse brain, human thyroid, placenta and retina. In this study, The TAUT cDNA from the human intestinal epithelial cell, HT-29 was cloned and sequenced. Reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed to amplify partial cDNA encoding human intestinal TAUT. The coding region of the PCR product was 732 bp long. The primers were designed to encode highly conserved amino acid sequences near the transmembrane domains III (IPYFIFLF) and Ⅵ (KYKYNSYR) both in human and mouse. The TAUT cDNA amplified was ligated into the pGEX 4T-1 expression vector. The resulting sequence of human intestinal TAUT cDNA (Accession number of NCBI Genebank is AF346763) was identical to the sequences of the TAUTs previously determined in the human placenta and retina except 3 base pairs from that of the reported human thyroid. TAUT specific antibodies were generated to use them as biological tools in the studies of the biological role of TAUT. Peptides of 149-162 amino acid residue (14 amino acids) of the TAUT were synthesized. The synthetic peptide used in this study was LFQSFQKELPWAHC. This region was chosen not only to avoid putative glycosylation sites but also to exclude regions of known homology with GABA transporters in the extracellular hydrophilic domains. The synthetic peptide, TAUT-1 was conjugated with carrier protein, kehole lympet hemocyanin (KLH) to use as an antigen. When used for immunization on a rabbit to produce polyclonal antiserum, the conjugates elicited high -titered specific anti-TAUT-1 antibodies, which reacted well with the ovalbumin (OVA) conjugated peptides in ELISA. The KLH-conjugated peptide was also used as immunizing antigen in BALB/c mice to produce TAUT specific monoclonal antibodies. From the culture supernatant of the hybridoma, the specificity of anti-TAUT-1 monoclonal antibodies was confirmed by ELISA. Further applications of more tools in TAUT expression analysis will be performed such as western blotting and flow cytometry.

• Current Optics and Photonics
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• v.3 no.6
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• pp.555-565
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• 2019

Development of a biomarker for predicting tumor-treatment efficacy is a matter of great concern, to reduce time, medical expense, and effort in oncology therapy. In a preclinical study, we hypothesized that the blood-flow parameter based on laser speckle flowmetry (LSF) could be a potential indicator to estimate the efficacy of breast-cancer treatment. To verify this hypothesis, a 13762-MAT-B-III rat breast tumor was grown in a dorsal skinfold window chamber applied to a nude mouse, and the change in blood flow rate (BFR) - or the speckle flow index (SFI) is used together as the same meaning in this manuscript - was longitudinally monitored during tumor growth and metronomic cyclophosphamide treatment. Based on the daily LSF angiogram, several BFR parameters (baseline SFI, normalized SFI, and △rBFR) were compared to tumor size in the normal, treated, and untreated tumor groups. Despite the incomplete tumor treatment, we found that the daily changes in all BFR parameters tended to have partially positive correlation with tumor size. Moreover, we observed that the changes in baseline SFI and normalized SFI responded one day earlier than the tumor shrinkage during chemotherapy. However, daily variations in the hypercapnia-induced △rBFR lagged tumor shrinkage by one day. This study would contribute not only to evaluating tumor vascular response to treatment, but also to monitoring blood-flow-mediated diseases (in brain, skin, and retina) by using LSF in preclinical settings.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.89-94
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• 2010

Melatonin is induced by light information through the retina and leads to growth factor activation. Thus, we investigated the effects of melatonin by controlling the photoperiod of growing young rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n=6; 4 weeks old) were divided into two experimental groups: the L/D group (normal photoperiod; light/dark: 12/12 h; lights on at 9:00 a.m.) and the L/L group (light/light: 24 h). Rat body weight and food consumption were measured daily for 8 weeks. After 8 weeks, the rats were anesthetized with a mixture of ketamine (50 mg/kg) and xylazine (10 mg/kg) and sacrificed. Tissue was then collected for RNA isolation (from brain, heart, liver, kidney, adrenal gland, testis, tibia, hind limb muscles). Also, serum was isolated from blood using a centrifugal separation. The L/L group had significantly lower body weight than the L/D group from 4 to 6 weeks (p<0.05). The L/D group had increased tissue mass, compared with the L/L group, but the difference was not statistically significant. The L/D group had a significantly higher melatonin concentration than the L/L group between the hours of midnight and 2:00 a.m (p<0.01). These results indicate that photoperiod length may affect the secretion of melatonin from the pineal gland. Also, the reduction of nocturnal melatonin secretion may retard the development of growing young rats. In future studies, we plan to compare exogenous melatonin administration with endogenous melatonin concentration induced by photoperiod control. Moreover, we will confirm whether the effects seen in pathological animal models can be reversed by controlling the photoperiod.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.12
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• pp.1337-1347
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• 2009

Purpose:Taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonic acid) is a simple sulfur-containing amino acid. It is abundantly present in tissues such as brain, retina, heart, and skeletal muscles. Current studies have demonstrated the neuroprotective effects of taurine, but limited data are available for such effects during neonatal period. The aim of this study was to determine whether taurine could reduce hypoxic-ischemic (HI) cerebral injury via anti-apoptosis mechanism. Methods:Embryonic cortical neurons isolated from Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats at 18 days gestation were cultured in vitro. The cells were divided into hypoxia group, taurine-treated group before hypoxic insult, and taurine-treated group after HI insult. In the in vivo model, left carotid artery ligation was performed in 7-day-old SD rat pups. The pups were exposed to hypoxia, administered an injection of 30 mg/kg of taurine, and killed at 1 day, 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks after the hypoxic insult. We compared the expressions of Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase-3 among the 3 groups by using real- time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and western blotting. Results:The cells in the taurine-treated group before hypoxic insult, although similar in appearance to those in the normoxia group, were lesser in number. In the taurine-treated group, Bcl-2 expression increased, whereas Bax and caspase-3 expressions reduced. Conclusion:Taurine exerts neuroprotective effects onperinatal HI brain injury due to its anti-apoptotic effect. The neuroprotective effect was maximal at 1-2 weeks after the hypoxic injury.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.1084-1091
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• 2002

Mortierella alpina, a common soil fungus, is the most efficient organism for production of production acid presently known. Since arachidonic acid are important in human brain and retina development, it was undertaken the growing effect containing diet as a food ingredient. Arachidonic acid rich oil derived from Mortierella alpina, was subjected to a program of studies to establish for use in diet supplement. This study was compared the growth and learning effect of fungal oil rich in arachidonic acid by incorporated into diets ad libitum. Sprague-Dawley rats received experimental diets 5 groups (standard AIN 93 based control with beef tallow, extract oil 8%, and 4%, and Mortierella alpina in diet 10% and 20%) over all experiment duration (pre-mating, mating, gestation, lactation, and after weaning 4 weeks). Pups born during this period consumed same diets after wean for 4 weeks. There was no statistical significance of diet effects in reproductive performance and fertility from birth to weaning. But the groups of Mortierella alpine diet were lower of weight gain and diet intake after weaning. The serum lipids were significantly different with diet groups, higher TG in LO (oil 4%) group of dams, and higher total cholesterol in LF (M. alpina 10%) of pups, although serum albumin content was not significantly different in diet group. The spent-time and memory effect within 4 weeks of T-Morris water maze pass test in dam and 7-week- age pups did not differ in diet groups. On the count of backing error in weaning period of pups was lower in HO(extracted oil 8%) group. In the group of 10% and 20% Mortierella alpina diet, DNA content was lower in brain with lower body weight, but liver DNA relative to body weight was higher than control. Further correlation analyses would be needed DNA and arachidonic acid intakes, with Mortierella alpina diet digestion rate.