• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.311-314
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• 2007

Paclitaxel (PTX) is an antineoplastic agent approved for the treatment of ovarian and breast carcinomas. However, the use of paclitaxel as an anticancer drug is limited by its extremely poor water solubility (below $0.3\;{\mu}g/mL$). Furthermore, it has very low bioavailability when administered orally because paclitaxel is a substrate of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) efflux pump. In this study, buccal delivery of PTX was investigated as one of the alternatives for PTX delivery. Ethanol and glyceryl monooleate (GMO) were selected as permeation enhancing agents to increase solubility and permeation across buccal mucosa of PTX. At the different concentrations of ethanol solution ($30{\sim}70\;w/w\;%$), PTX permeation was studied, followed effects of GMO in the concentration range of $2.5{\sim}25%$ with ethanol vesicle. The transbuccal ability of PTX was evaluated in vitro using Franz diffusion cells mounted with rabbit buccal mucosa. As a result, incorporation of PTX into ethanol vesicle with GMO significantly enhanced the PTX permeation in rabbit buccal mucosa. Particularly, the mixtures of ethanol:water:GMO at the ratio of 50:47.5:2.5 showed the most excellent enhancing ability. The results showed a promising possibility for buccal delivery of PTX.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.38-52
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• 1995

The liposomes have been developed in many drugs and cosmetics fields. In this context, it should be mentioned that MLV liposomes can be prepared standing with the main compounds of the intercellular lipids, cholesterol, palmitic acid, cholesteryl ester and lecithin, by swelling reaction. We report properties of the formation of MLV liposomes with use of the lipid base and Microfluidizer. MLV liposomes formed as multilamellar vesicles(MLV). The effect of the gelation of MLV liposomes have been on swelling reaction which have been mixed lipid with polyol and water phase at high temperature(90$\pm$5$^{\circ}C$). MLV liposomes have been prepared in incorporating alpha hydroxy acid ligrediens. Optimum condition of MLV liposomes were passed three times in the microfluidizer, particle size of the vesicles should be within 150-350nm and those confirmed by freeze-fracture electron microscopy.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.335-341
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• 1997

The aims of this study are to establish a stable isolation method of blastomeres from bovine early embryos and examine their developmental potential in vitro Early embryos were produced by maturation and fertilizaion in vitro of bovine follicular oocytes. Blastomeres were isolated from 2~8-cell embryos in $Ca^2$+-, $Mg^2$+-free PBS+EDTA after removing the zonae pellucidae Isolated blastomeres were cultured in CZB containing BOEC for upto 240 hpi. Cleavage rates of them were 18.5%(10 /54) in 1 /2 blastomeres, 33.3%(16/48) in 1/4 blastomeres and 34.2%(14 /41) in 1/8 blastomeres, respectively. The rates of blastocystic vesicle formed were 8.7%(4 /46) in 1/2 blastomeres, 26.6% (17/64) in 1/4 blastomeres and 10.3%(8 /78) in 1/8 blastomeres, respectively. Blastomeres developed into various types of blastocystic vesicles and trophoblastic vesicles as evidenced by the Hoechst 33258 staining and morphology. This results suggest that the isolation method used and subsequent culture of isolated blastomeres from bovine early embryos should be useful to obtain extra embryonic cells for various analyses such as PCR and putative ES cell culture.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.44 no.9
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• pp.670-679
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• 2021

Vesicle-associated membrane proteins 721 and 722 (VAMP721/722) are secretory vesicle-localized arginine-conserved soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (R-SNAREs) to drive exocytosis in plants. They are involved in diverse physiological processes in plants by interacting with distinct plasma membrane (PM) syntaxins. Here, we show that synaptotagmin 5 (SYT5) is involved in plant defense against Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato (Pst) DC3000 by regulating SYP132-VAMP721/722 interactions. Calcium-dependent stimulation of in vitro SYP132-VAMP722 interaction by SYT5 and reduced in vivo SYP132-VAMP721/722 interaction in syt5 plants suggest that SYT5 regulates the interaction between SYP132 and VAMP721/722. We interestingly found that disease resistance to Pst DC3000 bacterium but not to Erysiphe pisi fungus is compromised in syt5 plants. Since SYP132 plays an immune function to bacteria, elevated growth of surface-inoculated Pst DC3000 in VAMP721/722-deficient plants suggests that SYT5 contributes to plant immunity to Pst DC3000 by promoting the SYP132-VAMP721/722 immune secretory pathway.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.45 no.11
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• pp.806-819
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• 2022

Synaptic accumulation of α-synuclein (α-Syn) oligomers and their interactions with VAMP2 have been reported to be the basis of synaptic dysfunction in Parkinson's disease (PD). α-Syn mutants associated with familial PD have also been known to be capable of interacting with VAMP2, but the exact mechanisms resulting from those interactions to eventual synaptic dysfunction are still unclear. Here, we investigate the effect of α-Syn mutant oligomers comprising A30P, E46K, and A53T on VAMP2-embedded vesicles. Specifically, A30P and A53T oligomers cluster vesicles in the presence of VAMP2, which is a shared mechanism with wild type α-Syn oligomers induced by dopamine. On the other hand, E46K oligomers reduce the membrane mobility of the planar bilayers, as revealed by single-particle tracking, and permeabilize the membranes in the presence of VAMP2. In the absence of VAMP2 interactions, E46K oligomers enlarge vesicles by fusing with one another. Our results clearly demonstrate that α-Syn mutant oligomers have aberrant effects on VAMP2-embedded vesicles and the disruption types are distinct depending on the mutant types. This work may provide one of the possible clues to explain the α-Syn mutant-type dependent pathological heterogeneity of familial PD.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.105-114
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• 2009

Ethane 1,2-dimethane sulfonate (EDS) is a well-known alkylating agent used as selective Leydig cell (LC) toxicant to create a testicular dysfunction model. Previous studies including our own clearly demonstrated the dramatic weight loss of the androgen dependent accessory sex organs such as epididymis, seminal vesicle and prostate gland in this 'LC knock-out' rats. The present study was performed to evaluate the effect of EDS administration on histological changes of the epididymis, seminal vesicle and prostate in adult rats. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats (350$\sim$400 g B.W.) were injected with a single dose of EDS (75 mg/kg, i.p.) and sacrificed on weeks 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. Tissue weights (testis, epididymis, seminal vesicle and prostate gland) were measured. The histological changes of tissue were observed by a light microscopy using hematoxylin & eosin staining. Weights of the reproductive and accessory organs progressively declined after the EDS treatments (weeks 1, 2 and 3). After this, the decrease was stopped, then gradually returned to the normal levels. There was a partial (about 60%) recovery of the epididymis weight during weeks $6{\sim}7$. The cross section of epididymis revealed an increase in thickness of the epithelium during weeks $1{\sim}3$. In contrast, considerable reduction of epithelial thickness in seminal vesicle was observed during same period. Similarly, a reduction in thickness of prostate epithelial layer was found during weeks $1{\sim}3$, then it was back to normal thickness after week 4. Taken together, the present study demonstrated that the temporally induced androgen-deficiency by EDS treatment could result the prominent alterations in histology of the accessory sex organs. Further studies on the physiological and molecular regulation of these androgen-sensitive organs using EDS model will be helpful to understand the normal and pathological development and differentiation mechanism of these organs.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.281-286
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• 2000

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-Dioxin (TCDD), a ubiquitous environmental contaminant, causes a variety of adverse effects on the male reproductive system in rats. The effect of green tea extract (GTE) was investigated on the testicular function in Spragure-Dawley rats after a single exposure of 10$\mu\textrm{g}$ TCDD/kg body weight. The exposure of rat to TCDD significantly increased the weights of the epididymis and ventral prostate, yet significantly decresed the weight of the seminal vesicle when compared to the controls (p<0.05). In a combined treatment of TCDD with GTE, the organ weight changes caused by TCDD treatment disappeared. Significant decreases in sperm motility and sperm numbers were observed in the TCDD-treated rats, when compared to the control (p<0.05). GTE treatment reversed the decrease of sperm motility and sperm numbers caused by TCDD. There were no differences in sperm morphology, histological changes of the reproductive organs, and spermatogenesis between all the treated groups. In the ventral prostate and seminal vesicle, TCDD increased the CYP1A1 mRNA level, however, it did not affect the estrogen receptor $\beta$ (ER-$\beta$) mRNA level. GTE treatment did not influence the effect of TCDD on the levels of CYP1A1 and Er-$\beta$ mRNA. These results seem to indicate that green tea protects the testicular function against TCDD-induced reproductive toxicity, not because of a receptor-mediated mechanism but rather due to a secondary change of testes or accessory sex organs.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.125-132
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• 2008

Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine), a major hormone of pineal gland in vertebrates, is known to be associated with regulation of the dynamic physiological functions in general and has some functions on reproduction in the ovarian follicles in particular. And its antioxidant properties as a scavenger are also reported. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of melatonin on the in vitro maturation of mouse germinal vesicle (GV)-stage oocytes. Oocyte maturation, apoptosis, and mRNA expression of melatonin receptor were analyzed in the cumulus cell-enclosed oocytes (CEOs) cultured with melatonin for 18 h. The CEOs were obtained from 3 wk-old ICR female mice cultured in media with 0, 0.1 nM, 10 nM, or 1,000 nM melatonin for 18 h. And then the extrusion of the first polar body was assessed to evaluate the maturation rate. The apoptosis and mRNA expression of melatonin receptor (Mtnr1-a and Mtnr1-b) in cumulus cells of each group were measured by TUNEL assay, ELISA, and real time RT-PCR after in vitro maturation(IVM). The addition of melatonin in the IVM medium significantly improved nuclear maturation of the mouse GV oocytes and the highest maturation rate were obtained from the group treated with 1,000 nM melatonin. Apoptosis was not detected in IVM oocytes, but detected in cumulus cells. And cumulus cells treated with 1,000 nM melatonin exhibited significantly lower apoptosis. In the group treated with 1,000 nM melatonin, the expression of melatonin receptor mRNA was decreased in CEOs. In conclusion, melatonin has a potentially important role for regulating oocyte maturation and reduces the apoptosis of cumulus cells in vitro.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.10
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• pp.1070-1077
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• 2014

In this study, the estrogen receptor agonist propyl pyrazole triol (PPT), which has high-affinity with the estrogen receptor alpha, was subcutaneously injected into adult male mice every 2 days for 8, 16 and 24 days, after which histological changes in accessory genital glands, including the prostate and seminal vesicle, and the liver were observed. The body and genital gland weights decreased in the PPT group relative to those of the control group. However, the liver weight was two times greater in the PPT group. The luminal area of the prostate and seminal vesicle organs was lower in the PPT group, and the epithelial cell height of the prostate was increased relative to that of the control. There were many secretory vacuoles in the supranuclear cytoplasm of epithelial cells in the seminal vesicles of the control group, but these were not observed in the PPT group. The short sinusoidal diameter of the liver was 147.0%, 198.7%, and 223.3% greater in the PPT group than in the control group after 8, 16, and 24 days of treatment, respectively. These results suggest that PPT administration affected the reproductive organs and the liver and that the histological changes increased in accordance with a rise in the concentration of PPT. Overall, the PPT treatment caused changes in the epithelial cell height and resulted in atrophy of the luminal area of the prostate, leading to altered fertility. The sinusoidal diameter of the liver dramatically increased in response to the administration of PPT, increasing the liver weight.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.204-210
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• 2011

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of water states (water, osmotic potential and turgor pressure) of fruit vesicle and leaf on soluble solids and organic acid contents of fruits of 'Shiranuhi' mandarin hybrid, M16 A line during the fruit maturing season in plastic house cultivation. The 'Shirauhi' grafted on 'Swingle citrumelo', strong strength of rootstock, produced fruit with lower soluble solids and organic acid content than 'Trifoliate' orange rootstock. The fruits vesicle water potential and turgor pressure measured before dawn in 'Swingle citrumelo' were higher tendency than the 'Trifoliate' orange, but osmotic potential values were lower than the 'Trifoliate' orange. The changes of leaf water potential were very similar to the fruit. The results suggest that in the 'Shirauhi' fruits grafted on two rootstocks changes of soluble solids and organic acid content of the fruit were influenced by the leaf water potential and the osmotic potential of the fruit vesicles, which might be caused by the difference of root distribution between two rootstocks.