• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.274-278
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• 2002

Phthalates, suspected endocrine disruptor, are plasticizer and solvent used in industry, and some phthalates are known as potential carcinogen. Most common human exposure to this compounds may occur with contaminated food. It may migrate into food from plastic wrap or may enter food from general environmental contamination, and it has become widespread environmental pollutants, thus leading to a variety of phthalates that possibly threaten the public health. Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) may playa part of cell proliferator, which mediates changes in gene expression and the metabolism of xenobiotics. An understanding of the role of DBP in modulating gene regulation should provide insight regarding mechanisms of DBP induced xenoestrogenic impact. To elucidate the type of genes that are associated with estrogenic activity induced by DBP at the dose (10$^{-8}$ M) appeared proliferating effects, the pattern of gene expression in MCF7 cells was compared between 17$\beta$-estradiol and DBP exposure in the cDNA microarray. From the results, it showed some differences of gene expression patterns between MCF7 cells treated with 17$\beta$-estradiol and DBP, and also DBP shows estrogenic potential with changes in estrogen-related gene expression levels.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.95-102
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• 2004

The present study was conducted to test and evaluate estrogenic effect of 17 pesticides including benomy1 and carbaryl, being suspected as endocrine disrupting chemicals. For estrogenic effect examination, luciferase assay were achieved with human ovarian cancer cell, BG1Luc4E2. Estrogenic effects of cypermethrin, dicofol, endosulfan, esfenvalerate, and fenvalerate were observed at the concentration of $10^{-5}$ M by estrogen receptor binding assay. Relative luciferase potency and relative luciferase effects compared with $10^{-10}$ M 17 $\beta$-estradiol were $10^{-5}$, 56% for dicofol, and $10^{-5}$, 72% for endosulfan, respectively. Estimated maximum daily intake for pesticides was calculated from maximum residue limit of agricultural commodity and food consumption was 1.2298 mg/person. Theoretically calculated blood estrogen level from dietary intake for pesticides based on MRL in Korea, 3.075 ng/L was equivalent to 15% of estrogen concentration in normal blood, but practical monitoring data, 0.01938 ng/L was equal to 0.09693% of estrogen concentration in normal blood.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.667-672
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• 2015

Cynanchum wilfordii and Phlomis umbrosa Turcz. are known to contain isoflavone, a representative phytoestrogen. This study was performed to determine whether the extract mixture of C. wilfordii and P. umbrosa Turcz. would induce an estrogenic effect in ovariectomized rats. The extracts were administered to the ovariectomized rats at 30, 60, 120 mg/kg per day for 4 weeks, respectively. They showed no estrogenic effect, which was indicated by the decrease in uterus wall thickness as well as the increase in body weight and the level of cholesterol and triglyceride. The extracts also had no effect on the concentrations of estrogen and growth hormone in the serum. However, the increase in alkaline phosphatase activity, which leads to protection against the bone loss caused by ovariectomy, was noted on administration of the extract. Therefore, it seemed that the extracts of C. wilfordii and P. umbrosa Turcz. had no estrogenic effect in rats.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.527-538
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• 2019

Background: Ginsenoside Rg1 was shown to exert ligand-independent activation of estrogen receptor (ER) via mitogen-activated protein kinase-mediated pathway. Our study aimed to delineate the mechanisms by which Rg1 activates the rapid ER signaling pathways. Methods: ER-positive human breast cancer MCF-7 cells and ER-negative human embryonic kidney HEK293 cells were treated with Rg1 ($10^{-12}M$, $10^{-8}M$), $17{\beta}$-estradiol ($10^{-8}M$), or vehicle. Immunoprecipitation was conducted to investigate the interactions between signaling protein and ER in MCF-7 cells. To determine the roles of these signaling proteins in the actions of Rg1, small interfering RNA or their inhibitors were applied. Results: Rg1 rapidly induced $ER{\alpha}$ translocation to plasma membrane via caveolin-1 and the formation of signaling complex involving linker protein (Shc), insulin-like growth factor-I receptor, modulator of nongenomic activity of ER (MNAR), $ER{\alpha}$, and cellular nonreceptor tyrosine kinase (c-Src) in MCF-7 cells. The induction of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) phosphorylation in MCF-7 cells by Rg1 was suppressed by cotreatment with small interfering RNA against these signaling proteins. The stimulatory effects of Rg1 on MEK phosphorylation in these cells were suppressed by both PP2 (Src kinase inhibitor) and AG1478 [epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor]. In addition, Rg1-induced estrogenic activities, EGFR and MEK phosphorylation in MCF-7 cells were abolished by cotreatment with G15 (G protein-coupled estrogen receptor-1 antagonist). The increase in intracellular cyclic AMP accumulation, but not Ca mobilization, in MCF-7 cells by Rg1 could be abolished by G15. Conclusion: Ginsenoside Rg1 exerted estrogenic actions by rapidly inducing the formation of ER containing signalosome in MCF-7 cells. Additionally, Rg1 could activate EGFR and c-Src ER-independently and exert estrogenic effects via rapid activation of membrane-associated ER and G protein-coupled estrogen receptor.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.767-772
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• 2008

Biodegradation of endocrine-disrupting phthalates [diethyl phthalate (DEP), dimethyl phthalate (DMP), butylbenzyl phthalate (BBP)] was investigated with 10 white rot fungi isolated in Korea. When the fungal mycelia were added together with 100 mg/l of phthalate into yeast extract-malt extract-glucose (YMG) medium, Pleurotus ostreatus, Irpex lacteus, Polyporus brumalis, Merulius tremellosus, Trametes versicolor, and T. versicolor MrP1 and MrP13 (transformant of the Mn-repressed peroxidase gene of T. versicolor) could remove almost all of the 3 kinds of phthalates within 12 days of incubation. When the phthalates were added to 5-day pregrown fungal cultures, most fungi except I. lacteus showed the increased removal of the phthalates compared with those of the non-pregrown cultures. In both culture conditions, p. ostreatus showed the highest degradation rates for the 3 phthalates tested. BBP was degraded with the highest rates among the 3 phthalates by all fungal strains. Only 14.9% of 100 mg/I BBP was degraded by the supernatant of P. ostreatus culture in YMG medium in 4 days of incubation, but the washed or homogenized mycelium of P. ostreatus could remove 100% of BBP within 2 days even in distilled water, indicating that the initial BBP biodegradation by P. ostreatus may be attributed to mycelium-associated enzymes rather than extracellular enzymes. The biodegradation rate of BBP by the immobilized cells of P. ostreatus was almost same as that in the suspended culture. The estrogenic activity of 100 mg/I DMP decreased during biodegradation by P. ostreatus.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.175-182
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• 2002

Endocrine disruptors (EDs) are the chemicals that affect endocrine systems through activation or inhibition of steroid hormone response. It is necessary to have a good system to evaluate rapidly and accurately endocrine-disrupting activities of suspected chemicals and their degradation products. The key targets of EDs are nuclear hormone receptors, which bind to steroid hormones and regulate their gene transcription. We constructed a co-expression system of Gal4p DNA binding domain (DBD)- ligand binding domain of human estrogen receptor $\alpha$ or $\beta$, and Gal4p transactivation domain (TAD)-co-activator AIB-1, SRC-1 or TIF-2 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae with a chromosome-integrated lacZ reporter gene under the control of CYC1 promoter and Gal4p binding site (GAL4 upstream activating sequence, GAL4$_{UAS}$). Expression of this reporter gene was dependent on the presence of estrogen or EDs in the culture medium. We found that the two-hybrid system with combination of the hER$\beta$ LBD and co-activator SRC-1 was most effective in the xenoestrogen-dependent induction of reporter activity. The extent of transcriptional activation by those chemicals correlated with their estrogenic activities measured by other assay systems, indicating that this assay system is efficient and reliable for measuring estrogenic activity. The data in this research demonstrated that the yeast detection system using steroid hormone receptor and co-activator is a useful tool for identifying chemicals that interact with steroid receptors.s.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.7-15
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• 2003

Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), is a widely used plasticizer known to be a suspected endocrine disrupter, but its exact effects on aquatic organisms are not yet known. When Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) were exposed from the time of hatching to 3 months of age to an aqueous DEHP solution at nominal concentrations of 1, 10, and 50 $\mu\textrm{g}$/l, DEHP treated female fish showed distinct reproductive effect. And the midge (Chironomus riparius.). an aquatic invertebrate, was exposed to DEHP to evaluate the effects on reproductive processes via sediment toxicity. The test endpoints included emergence, sex ratio, fecundity, and the viability of F1 offspring egg ropes. The result implied that the normal developmental and/or reproductive processes in C. riparius had been disrupted when exposed to DEHP, the effect also being displayed in the next generation. In summary, DEHP hinders the development of reproductive organs in the female Japanese medaka and C. riparius.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.37 no.1 s.144
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• pp.21-27
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• 2006

Yeast based estrogenicity assay is the simplest and useful for the assay and the discovery of novel estrogenic substances in natural specimens, The estrogen receptor(ER) modulation activity of 50% EtOH extracts of 101 traditional medicinal herbs was assessed using a recombinant yeast assay system with both a human estrogen receptor expression plasmid and a receptor plasmid. Among them, 14 species proved to be active. Pureariae Flos (flower of Puerraria thunbergiana BENTH.) had the highest estrogenic relative potency$(7.75{\times}10^{-3})$ $(EC_{50}=9.39\;{\mu}g/ml)$. The $EC_{50}$ value of $17{\beta}-estradiol$ used as the positive control was $0.073\;{\mu}g/ml)$ (Relative Potency=1.00). There results demonstrated that some of the traditional medical herb may be useful in the therapy of estrogen replacement.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.13-21
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of bisphenol A (BPA), which is known to have estrogenic activity, on the early development of medaka fish (Oryzias latipes). The fertilized eggs of medaka were treated with BPA at different concentrations for 3 weeks. Embryonic growth, deformation, hatching success, and gonadal differentiation were determined to observe the effects of this chemical. Also we tried to measure the estrogenic activity of bisphenol A using ELISA and RT-PCR methods. By using this techniques, we evaluated the induction of vitellogenin, an estrogen-regulated gene from the whole body-homogenates of larvae. At results, a reduced blood circulation was seen in embryos and peritoneal edema and hindrance of yolk-sac absorption were observed in larvae of treated group. However, BPA at the concentrations tested (2～200 ㎍/L) did not have severe adverse effects on the early life-stages. According to the observation of gonadal histology, inter-sex or sex -reversal was not found in all test fish. After the exposure was ended, vitellogenin mRNA and protein levels were measured in larvae and then their levels were found to be increased in treated group with 200㎍/L. These results indicate that BPA can induce the expression of vitellogenin in early life-stages as well as in adult male fish.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.197-203
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• 2006

Parabens are most wildly used in food, cosmetics and pharmaceutic products as preservatives caused of safety and cheap. we had examined that paraben had estrogenic activity through the in vivo and in vitro experiments in last year. We demonstrated that most of parabens(ethyl, butyl, propyl, isobutyl, isopropyl) increased significantly uterus weight as well as induced proliferation of MCF-7 cell and binding of estrogen receptor as endocrine disrupter compounds. In this study, we evaluated that whether parabens have effect on male reproductive system or not. the male rats were administrated parabens by oral injection then examined separation of preputial day for $PND23\simPND52$. As the results, most parabens delayed pubertal development compare to control group. The separation of preputial day of Butyl and Propyl parabens at high concentration were PND 44 days and PND 45days compared to control group as PND 40 days. Even though, parabens as endocrine disrupter wildly spread in food, cosmetics and pharmaceutic products, we didn't have the safe guideline. In abroad, they are re-evaluating safety assessment for parabens. In conclusion, parabens delayed pubertal development in juvenile parabens are consider as endocrine disrupter chemicals.