• Development and Reproduction
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.175-180
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• 2001

The ectopic expression of gonadotropin releasing hormone(GnRH and luteinizing hormone(LH) in several tissues is a quite intriguing phenomenon. Recently, the presence of GnRH and its receptor has been clearly demonstrated in rodents and human mammary gland. In this context, one can postulate that the presence of local circuit composed of GnRH and LH in the gland. The present study was undertaken to elucidate whether there is a correlation between the LH expression in rat mammary gland and physiological status during the process of mammary differentiation. LH contents in mammary gland from cycling to weaning rats were measured by radioimmunoassay(RIA). In cycling rats, changes of the LH level in both serum and mammary gland showed similar pattern as the highest level in proestrus and the lowest level in diestrus II stage. While the serum LH levels were fluctuated from pregnant through involution stage, a sharp decline of mammary LH contents was observed in the lactating rats. This decrement was recovered in involuting rats to the level of proestrus stage. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Southern blot analyses demonstrated that the transcriptional activities of the mammary LH and GnRH were increased from diestrus I stage to estrus stage, and the increased levels were maintained in pregnant, lactation and involution stages. To test the hypothesis that the alteration in mammary LH expression might be steroid-dependant, ovariectomy(OVX) and steroid supplement model was employed. As expected, supplement of estradiol(E$_2$) after OVX remarkably decreased serum LH level compared to that in serum from vehicle-only treated rats. Likewise, administration of E$_2$ significantly reduced the mammary LH content. The present study demonstrated that (i) the LH expression in mammary gland could be altered by some physiological parameters such as estrous cycle, pregnancy, lactation and involution, and (ii) ovarian steroid especially estrogen seems to be one of major endocrine factors which are responsible for regulation of mammary LH expression.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.226-231
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• 2008

Ginsenosides have been regarded as the principal components responsible for the pharmacological and biological activities of ginseng. Absorption of major ginsenosides from the gastrointestinal tract is extremely low, when ginseng is orally administered. In order to improve absorption and its bioavailability, conversion of major ginsenosides into more active minor ginsenoside is very much required. Here, we isolated lactic acid bacterium (Lactobacillus brevis LH8) having ${\beta}-glucosidase$ activity from Kimchi. Bioconversion ginsenoside Rd by this bacterium in different temperatures was investigated. The maximum activities of crude enzymes precipitated by ethanol were shown in $30^{\circ}C$ and then gradually decreased. In order to compare the effect of pH, the crude enzymes of L. brevis LH8 were mixed in 20mM sodium phosphate buffer (pH 3.5 to pH 8.0) and reacted ginsenoside Rd. Ginsenoside Rd was almost hydrolyzed between pH 6.0 and pH 12.0, but not hydrolyzed under pH 5.0 and above pH 13.0. Ginsenoside Rd was hydrolyzed after 48 h incubation, whereas ginsenoside F2 appeared from 48 h to 72 h, and ginsenoside Rd was almost converted into compound K after 72 h.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.595-602
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• 1997

Treatment of newborn female rats with gonadal steroids induces permanent sterility in adulthood. We investigated the alteration in expression patterns of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) in neonatally estrogenized sterile rats (ESR). Newborn female rats received daily injections of 17${\beta}$-estradiol (E, 10 ${\mu}$g) from the day of birth (day 1) to postnatal day 5. Controls were subjected to vehicles over the same period. All animals were sacrificed on week 7 after birth. Hypothalamic GnRH mANA levels were markedly higher in all ESR than in controls, while hypothalamic GnRH contents in ESR increased in proportion to the frequency of daily administration of E. However, both pituitary LH6 mRNA and serum LH levels were inversely decreased by the same treatment. The data indicate that neonatal exposure of E equally elevates the expression of GnRH gene, but reduces the secretion of GnRH, accordingly leading to attenuation of LH6 gene expression and circulating LH levels. The temporal effect of E and/or progesterone (P) on GnRH and LH6 mRNA levels was also examined in ESR. Newborn female rats were daily injected with E (10 ${\mu}$g) or vehicle for five successive days from day 1 and ovariectomized at week 5. They were implanted with E (235 ${\mu}$g/ml) two days prior to week 7, injected with P (1 mg) 42 h later, and sacrificed 7 h after P administration. In ovariectomized controls, hypothalamic GnRH mRNA levels were dropped to half by treatment of E and restored by subsequent treatment of P. The negative feedback action of E on GnRH mRNA levels observed in ovariectomized rats was completely blocked by neonatal exposure of E. The change in pituitary LH mRNA levels was similar to that in hypothalamic GnRH mRNA levels. Taken together, the results suggest that neonatal treatment of E alters the synthesis and release of GnRH in adulthood and furthermore blocks the negative feedback regulation of E which occurs normally after ovariectomy.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.229-236
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• 2009

The glycoprotein hormone family represents a class of heterodimers, that includes the placental hormone equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) and the anterior pituitary hormones- follitropin (FSH), lutropin (LH), and thyrotropin (TSH). The 4 hormones are heterodimers, with a common $\alpha$-subunit and unique $\beta$-subunits. eCG is the most heavily glycosylated of the known pituitary and placental glycoprotein hormones. Recent observations using single chain glycoprotein hormone analogs in which, the $\beta$-and $\alpha$-subunits are linked, implied that heterodimeric-like quaternary configuration is not a prerequisite for receptor/signal transduction. To study the function and signal transduction of tethered rec-eCG, a single chain eCG molecule was constructed and rec-eCG protein was produced. Molecular mass of the single chain is about 45 kDa. All mice were ovulated by tethered rec-eCG treatment. The dual activity of tethered rec-eCG was determined in receptor cell lines of nonequid species; in fact, this dual activity was proven in species other than horse. Tethered rec-eCG in equids does not bind to FSH receptors, suggesting that eCG is primarily an LH-like hormone in the horse. Taken together, these data suggest that tethered rec-eCG has dual activity in nonequid species in vitro. However, it has only LH-like activity in equid species in vitro.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.241-246
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• 2013

To effects of sex maturation in olive flounder by regulating long photoperiod, gonadal development and GTH mRNA expression in the pituitary were investigated. Photoperiod was treated natural photoperiod and long photoperiod (15L:9D) conditions from September 2011 to March 2012. The results showed that natural photoperiodic group showed a higher gonadosomatic index (GSI) than long photoperiodic group during the spawning season (March 2012). The histological analysis of ovarian tissue showed that natural photoperiod group of ovaries contained vitellogenic oocytes, but long photoperiod group of ovaries mainly contained perinucleolus staged oocyte and oil-drop staged oocytes. The FSH mRNA of olive flounder, under natural photoperiod group, showed a significantly higher expression but no significant difference under long photoperiod group. The $LH{\beta}$ mRNA showed a significantly higher expression only under natural photoperiod group. These results may suggest that long photoperiodic information regulates secretion of pituitary FSH and LH and maintain early growing stage of gonadal development in this species.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.233-243
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• 1984

The present study was carried out to determine the changes of the sex hormone levels in serum throughout the estrous cycle and the gestation period on the Landrace gilts. The blood samples were taken from the vein of six gilts. LH, FSH, prolactin, progesterone, $estradiol-17{\beta}$ and cortisol in serum were analyzed by the radioimmunoassay methods. The results obtained on this study were summarized as follows; 1. The age at puberal estrus was 179.5 days, the weight at puberal estrus was 88.2kg, the length of estrous cycle was 21.3days, the gestation length was 114days and the litter size was 9.5 head in the Landrace gilts. 2. During the estrous cycle, the serum LH and prolactin concentrations were below 1.56mIU/ml and 2.4ng/ml, respectively, under the limit of detection of the assay. The FSH concentrations ranged from 1.50 to 2.20mIU/ml for day 6~15 after the estrus and they were below 1.25mIU/ml from day 3 to day + 3, with day 0 being the first day of the estrus. 3. Progesterone concentrations were 1.90ng/ml at day 0 of the estrus and increased about 13.1ng/ml at day 3 of the estrus, and reached peak levels at day 9. $Estradiol-17{\beta}$ concentrations were below 27.2pg/ml throughout the luteal phase, and reached about 27.2pg/ml at day 0 and day 18. Cortisol concentrations reached peak levels at dey 0 and ranged from 24.65 to 28.57ng/ml throughout the luteal phase. 4. During the gestation period, the concentrations of LH, FSH and prolactin ranged of 3.10~4.37mIU/ml, 1.30~1.80mIU/ml and 2.60~6.70ng/ml, respectively. 5. Progesterone concentrations declined from 38.90~16.85ng/ml throughout the pregnancy to 1.90ng/ml at the time of parturition. $Estradiol-17{\beta}$ concentrations increased from 27.20pg/ml at 15 days after the pregnancy to 620.17pg/ml at the time of parturition. Cortisol concentrations reached peak levels at the time of parturition and ranged from 13.58 to 22.31ng/ml throughout the pregnancy.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.257-264
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• 2009

A neurotoxin, 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) has been widely used to create animal model for Parkinson's disease (PD) due to its specific toxicity against dopaminergic (DA) neurons. Since DA signals modulate a broad spectrum of CNS physiology, one can expect profound alterations in neuroendocrine activities of both PD patients and 6-OHDA treated animals. Limited applications of 6-OHDA injection model, however, have been made on the studies of hypothalamuspituitary neuroendocrine circuits. The present study was performed to examine whether blockade of brain catecholamine (CA) biosynthesis with 6-OHDA can make any alteration in the transcriptional activities of hypothalamus-pituitary hormone genes in adult male rats. Three-month-old male rats (SD strain) were received 6-OHDA ($200{\mu}g$ in $10{\mu}\ell$ of saline/animal) by intracerebroventricular (icv) injection, and sacrificed after two weeks. To determine the mRNA levels of hypothalamuspituitary hormone genes, total RNAs were extracted and applied to the semi-quantitative RT-PCRs. The mRNA levels of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), the rate-limiting enzyme for the catecholamine biosynthesis, were significantly lower than those from the control group (control:6-OHDA=1:0.72${\pm}$0.02AU, p<0.001), confirming the efficacy of 6-OHDA injection. The mRNA levels of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) in the hypothalami from 6-OHDA group were significantly lower than those from the control group (GnRH, control:6-OHDA=1:0.39${\pm}$0.03AU, p<0.001; CRH, control:6-OHDA=1:0.76${\pm}$0.07AU, p<0.01). There were significant decreases in the mRNA levels of common alpha subunit of glycoprotein homones (Cg$\alpha$), LH beta subunit (LH-$\beta$), and FSH beta subunit (FSH-$\beta$) in pituitaries from 6-OHDA group compared to control values (Cg$\alpha$, control:6-OHDA=1:0.81${\pm}$0.02AU, p<0.001; LH-$\beta$, control:6-OHDA=1:0.68${\pm}$0.04AU, p<0.001; FSH-$\beta$, control:6-OHDA=1:0.84${\pm}$0.05AU, p<0.001). Similarly, the level of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) transcripts from 6-OHDA group was significantly lower than that from the control group (control: 6-OHDA=1:0.86${\pm}$0.04AU, p<0.01). The present study demonstrated that centrally injected DA neurotoxin could downregulate the transcriptional activities of the two hypothalamus-pituitary neuroendocrine circuits, i.e., GnRH-gonadotropins and CRH-ACTH systems. These results suggested that hypothalamic CA input might affect on the activities of gonad and adrenal through modulation of hypothalamus-pituitary function, providing plausible explanation for frequent occurrence of sexual dysfunction and poor stress-response in PD patients.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.70-74
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• 1985

Serum levels of LH, FSH, prolactin, estradiol-$17{\beta}$ and progesterone were investigated every 20 days after the day of mating for the period of 140 days, at the day of parturition and thereafter 10 th and 20th day postpartum in Korean native goats. Serum levels of LH were highest with 1.95 mIU/ml at the 60 days after gestation, but maintained high levels until 100 days after gestation, and thereafter decreased gradually to 0.02 mIU/ml at the day of parturition. Prolactin concentrations increased from the 140 days after gestation, and showed highest levels with 29.75 ng/ml at the day of parturition, then decreased gradually. FSH levels determined were below 1.25 mIU/ml during the experimental period. Estradiol-$17{\beta}$ concentrations increased gradually from 7.51 pg/ml at the 20 days after gestation to 159.62 pg/ml at the day of parturition, and decreased rapidly after parturition. Progesterone levels were highest with 6.62 ng/ml at the 120 days after gestation, the decreased rapidly to 1.25 ng/ml at the day of parturition.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.83-87
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• 2006

The leaves of Paulownia coreana Uyeki were extracted with acetone-$H_2O$ (7:3, v/v), concentrated under reduced pressure and fractionated successively with n-hexane, methylene chloride and ethyl acetate, leaving residual water soluble fraction. A portion of the resulting aqueous soluble powder was chromatographed on a Sephadex LH-20 column using aqueous methanol and ethanol-hexane as washing solvents. Three apigenin derivatives were isolated and identified as apigenin-7-O-${\beta}$-D-glucpyranoside, apigenin-7-O-${\beta}$-D-glucuronopyranoside and apigenin-7-O-[${\beta}$-D-glucuronopyranosyl($1{\rightarrow}2$)-O-${\beta}$-D-glucuronopyranoside] by spectroscopic methods including NMR and FAB-MS.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.111-117
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• 2004

Objectives: To investigate the effect of LH receptor in folliculogenesis, we confirm the expression level of LH receptor (LH-R) mRNA in human granulosa cells (GCs) and its expression levels were analyzed by comparison to embryo developmental rate and pregnancy rate. Materials and Methods: GCs were obtained at the time of oocyte retrieval from the patients undergoing IVF-ET program. The patients were divided into two groups: Group I (n=20) is poor responder (retrieved oocyte(s)$\leq$3ea), Group II (n=80) is normal responder (retrieved oocytes>3ea). After the extraction of total RNA, semiquantitative RT-PCR was performed and the expression level of LH-R mRNA was normalized by $\beta$-actin. Statistical analysis was performed by using $X^2$ test, Student's t-test and Pearson correlation. Results: In Group II, the relative values of LH-R mRNA (0.680 vs. 0.463, p<0.005) and pregnancy rate (54.7% vs. 23.1%, p<0.05) were significantly higher than in Group I. Number of retrieved oocyte(s) was gradually increased when the expression of LH-R mRNA was increased (p<0.05). But the quality of retrieved oocyte and transferred embryo were not related with the expression of LH-R mRNA. When the pregnancy rate was compared with FSH only group and FSH combined with hMG group in the ovarian stimulation protocol, FSH combined with hMG group was significantly higher than FSH only group in Group I (37.5% vs. 0%), and the expression of LH-R mRNA was significantly higher in hMG combined group than FSH only group (p<0.05). Conclusion: Expression level of LH-R mRNA has important role in ovarian function related with the response to gonadotrophin in human folliculogenesis. Furthermore these data might provide the evidence that additional use of hMG is helpful to poor responders.