• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.579-585
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• 1997

To gain further insight into the mechanism of action of antiestrogens, we examined the interaction of antiestrogen with the estrogen receptor system and with estrogen- noncompetable antiestrogen binding sites. In addition to binding directly to the estrogen receptor, antiestrogens can be found associated with binding sites that are distinct from the estrogen receptor. In contrast to the restriction of estrogen receptors to estrogen target cells, such as those of uterus and mammary glands, antiestrogen binding sites are present in equal amounts in estrogen receptor-positive and -negative human breast cancer cell lines, such as MCF-7, T47D, and MDA-MB-231 that differ markedly in their sensitivity to antiestrogens. In order to gain greater insight into the role of these antiestrogen binding sites in the action of antiestrogens, we have examined the biopotency of different antiestrogens for the antiestrogen binding sites and that is CI628 > tamoxifen > trans-hydroxy tamoxifen > CI628M > H1285 > LY117018. This order of affinities does not parallel the affinity of these compounds for the estrogen receptor nor the potency of these compounds as antiestrogens. Indeed, compounds with high affinity for the estrogen receptor and greatest antiestrogenic potency have low affinities for these antiestrogen binding sites. Antiestrogenic potency correlates best with estrogen receptor affinity and not with affinity for antiestrogen binding sites. In summary, our findings suggested that interaction with the estrogen receptor is most likely the mechanism through which antiestrogens evoke their growth inhibitory effects.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.167-176
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• 1990

In the present study, we examined the effects of tamoxifen and LY117018 on various parameters for the estrogenic actions in order to understand the mechanism by which tamoxifen and LY117018 act on the uterine cells in 21-23 day old immature rats. Tamoxifen and LY117018 stimulated uterine weight and uterine contents of DNA, protein, and peroxidase activity in the absence of estradiol while inhibited above parameters in the presence of estradiol. Both cytosolic and nuclear progesterone receptors were increased by the treatment of tamoxifen and LY117018 as well as estradiol, but estradiol-induced increase in the progesterone receptors were reduced by the treatment of antiestrogens. These effects were enhanced by the multiple injections of antiestrogens. It seemed that tamoxifen was more agonistic than LY117018 but less antagonistic than LY117018, judged by their effects on various parameters for the estrogenic action. The affinities of estradiol, tamoxifen, and LY117018 for the estrogen receptor were $0.17{\pm}0.01nM(100%)$, $1.10{\pm}0.01nM(6.3%)$, and $0.23{\pm}0.01nM(77%)$, respectively. Furthermore, LY117018 was the competitive ligand for the estrogen receptor in dose-related manner but tamoxifen was not. Following estradiol treatment, nuclear estrogen receptor was sharply increased by 1 h, reaching the maximum by 16 h, while tamoxifen and LY117018 slightly increased nuclear estrogen receptor by 1 h and then decreased thereafter. It is therefore concluded that LY117018 is a competitive antagonist for the estrogen receptor with less estrogenic activity, compared to tamoxifen with low affinity to the estrogen receptor, and tamoxifen may act through other binding site than the estrogen receptor.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.473-484
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• 2001

There is clearly a need for novel breast cancer chemopreventive agents with enhanced potency and specificity with tittle or no side effects. To this end, several new chemical moieties have been synthesized or isolated from natural sources. In this reviewal we have described some agents currently in use or under development for treatment or prevention of breast cancer, as well as our own strategies for the discovery of natural product modulators of estrogen biosynthesis and function. In particulars bioassay-guided fractionation of active plant extracts is a unique method for identifying agents with novel mechanisms of action, some of which should be useful for prevention of human cancer. Further, with the advent of combinatorial chemistry and high throughput screening, even greater progress may now be expected with natural product leads.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.81-97
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• 2007

Punica granatum, L. (Pomegranate) has 613 seeds which accidentally corresponds to the 613 commandments in the Bible. Accordingly, the fruit has been worshipped by the Jewish and other religious people from the ancient. Pomegranate's seed, peel and juice contain a variety of ethnomedical components so much as the sum of three kinds of other common fruits. The number of published papers related to the pomegranate in recent 7 years flourished 7 times more than before at the bases of Medline record. Since the containments of estrogen, as $17{\alpha}-estradiol,\;17{\beta}-estradiol$, estrone, and estradiol, etc., in pomegranate have been reported, public interests and commercial values of pomegranate arose considerably. The report was disproved later, however, merits of this fruit remained yet; clinical efficacy for preventing and remediating cancers including breast and prostate cancers by oral administration of the juice, seed oil, and peel extract is still believed to be true. In this review, target components of pomegranate such as antioxidants, anticancers, antiestrogens and ethnomedical components were analyzed and discussed along with examining its pharmaceutical efficacy and prescription to postmenopausal lesion, cardiosclerosis, cosmetic beautification, viral and allergic symptoms, and diabetes mellitus, etc.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.189-196
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• 2011

We investigated the in vitro effects of nonylphenol (NP) and 3,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB126) on steroidogenesis in redlip mullet, Chelon haematocheilus, oocytes. In experiment 1, we investigated the effects of NP and PCB126 on steroid production from exogenous steroid precursors. Vitellogenic oocytes (0.75 mm in diameter) were incubated with 10 and 100 ng/ml NP or PCB126 with $[^3H]17{\alpha}$-hydroxyprogesterone as a precursor. The major metabolites produced were androstenedione, testosterone (T), estrone, and estradiol-$17{\beta}$ ($E_2$). Both NP and PCB126 increased T production and decreased $E_2$ production, except for 100 ng/ml PCB126. In experiment 2, oocytes (0.65-0.75 mm in diameter) were exposed to NP and PCB126 at different concentrations (0.01, 0.1, 1, 10, and 100 ng/mL). After the incubation, T and $E_2$ production was measured by radioimmunoassay. NP inhibited $E_2$ production at concentrations of 0.01 and 0.1 ng/ml in 0.75-mm-diameter oocytes. NP at 1 and 100 ng/mL stimulated T production, but had no observable effect on $E_2$ production. PCB126 treatment did not affect $E_2$ production at any of the concentrations tested. NP alone at 0.1 ng/mL resulted in a significant decrease in $E_2$ production in 0.65-mm-diameter oocytes. PCB126 did not show any significant effects on either T or $E_2$ production at all concentrations tested. These results suggest that NP acts like an antiestrogen at lower concentrations (0.01-0.1 ng/ml) in vitellogenic oocytes of redlip mullet.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.271-278
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• 1986

These studies were carried out to investigate the effects of the antiestrogens, LY-117018 and tamoxifen, on implantation in ovariectomized or intact adult rats. A Quantity of $80\;{\mu}g$ of LY-l17018 or tamoxifen was given to adult female rats on Day 1, 2, 3 and 4 of pregnancy and investigated the implantation sites on Bay 8 of pregnancy. The rats were ovariectomized at the first day of pregnancy and treated with various doses of LY-l17018 or tamoxifen together with progesterone daily from Day 2 to 8 of pregnancy and then investigated the implantation sites on Day 8 of pregnancy The results were summarized as follows; When a single dose of $80\;{\mu}g$ LY-l17018 and tamoxifen was given during the first 4 days of pregnancy, the implantation was intesively inhibited in the pregnant rat treated with LY-l17018 on Day 2 $(14.4{\pm}3.5%),\;3(16.3{\pm}5.3%)\;and\;tamoxifen\;on\;Days\;2\;(17.4{\pm}4.6%),\;3\;(16.3{\pm}2.8%)\;and\;4\;(13.9{\pm}3.5%).$ LY-l17018 was apt to inhibit more potently the implantation than tamoxifen except on Day 4 of pregnancy In rats ovariectomized on Day 1 of pregnancy and treated continucusly with 12? r9 of LY-117018 and tamoxifen together with progesterone showed the highest implantation rate, compared with the rats treated continuously with different doses of the two drugs. The correlation coefficients between the dosage of drugs and implantation rate were r= 0.91 (LY-117018), 0.51 (tamoxifen), respectively, except treatment with $625\;{\mu}g$ of the drugs. Tamoxifen was apt to stimulate the implantation more potently than LY-l17018 except groups treated with $625\;{\mu}g$ of the two drugs.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.572-578
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• 1997

To gain further insight into how antiestrogens modulate cell function, the effects of antiestrogen on cell proliferation were studied in human breast cancer cells. We examined the effects of trans-tamoxifen on the proliferation of three human breast cancer cell lines that differed in their estrogen receptor contents. Trans-tamoxifen $(1{\mu}M)$ markedly inhibited the estrogen stimulated proliferation of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells that contained high levels of estrogen receptor $(1.15{\pm}0.03 pmole/mg protein)$ over that of control. In T47D cells that contained low levels of estrogen receptor $(0.23{\pm}0.05 pmole/mg protein)$, trans-tamoxifen $(1{\mu}M)$ showed minimal inhibition of estrogen stimulated cell proliferation over that of control. MDA-MB-231 cells, that contained no detectable levels of estrogen receptors, had their growth unaffected by trans-tamoxifen treatment. These results showed their sensitivity to growth inhibition by antiestrogen conrrelated well with their estrogen receptor content. Also we examined the effect of antiestrogen on cellular progestrone receptor level as well as plasminogen activator activity in MCF-7 cells. Trans-tamoxifen $(1{\mu}M)$ showed maximal inhibition of estrogen stimulated progestrone receptor level as well as plasminogen activator activity in MCF-7 cells that were stimulated by estrogen. It is not clear whether these inhibitions of progestrone receptor and plasminogen activator activity by estrogen are related to the antiestrogen inhibition of cell proliferation of MCF-7 cells. From the results of this study, it is clearly demonstrated that trans-tamoxifen is an antiestrogen in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. Our data suggest that the biological effectiveness of trans-tamoxifen appear to result from its affinity of interaction with the estrogen receptor.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.61-70
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• 1987

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of the antiestrogens, LY-117018 and tamoxifen on reproductive organ of ovariectomized immature rats and also to elucidate the mechanism of action of said compounds by bioassay. Each of LY-117018, tamoxifen and estradiol-17${\beta}$ was administered to ovariectomized immature rats at various dose levels. Forty hours after drug administration, tested rats were sacrificed and uterine wet weight, DNA and RNA contents in uterine and liver tissues were investigated. At the same time, uterine wet weight was also investigated with some other rats treated with 125${\mu}g$ of LY-117018 together with increasing doses of tamoxifen. Ovariectomized immature rats given 25${\mu}g$ single dose of each drug were sacrificed on Day 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 after drug administration and uterine was weighed to estimate the duration of action of LY-117018 and tamoxifen. The results were summarized as follows: 1. The administration of LY-117018 or tamoxifen to ovariectomized rats increased uterine wet weight and DNA and RNA contents in uterine tissues with more increase in tamoxifen groups, but significant differences between groups treated at dose levels of 5${\beta}$ or more of both drugs were observed. Estradiol-17${\beta}$ groups showed significant increases in each group(P<0.01). 2. The administration of LY-117018 or tamoxifen to each group significantly increased DNA and RNA contents in liver tissues with more increase in tamoxifen groups. Estradiol-17${\beta}$ groups showed no significant differences between treatment groups of 5${\beta}$ or more. 3. Treatment with 125${\beta}$ of LY-117018 together with various doses of tamoxifen resulted in more increase of uterine wet weight than treatment with a single dose of LY-117018 or tamoxifen. 4. Treatment with 0.2${\beta}$ of LY-117018 or tamoxifen in ovariectomized rats decreased uterine wet weight,DNA and RNA contents in liver and uterine tissues compared with ovariectomized control. 5. The duration of effective action of LY-1l7018 and tamoxifen was 4 days or more. 6. There was significant difference(P<0.001) in uterine wet weight between Day 9after ovariectomy (two days after LY-117018 or tamoxifen treatment) and Day 10(63.7${\pm}$3.5mg, 39.2${\pm}$9.9mg, respectively).