• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.251-260
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• 1998

It is well known that the clinical test for responsibility of accurate fertilization capacity in male partners is very important to diagnose and treat the infertility. However, it has been reported that the traditional semen analysis cannot accurately predict fertilization and pregnancy potential. The present study was performed to evaluate the acrosomal reaction to ionophore challenge (ARIC) test as a prognostic indicator for fertilization of sperm and oocyte in an in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) program. From March 1996 to Februry 1997, 30 couples undergoing IVF program were allocated to this study group. All female partners in the study group were 35 years old or less and their serum level of basal follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and estradiol $(E_2)$ were normal. All the male partners have normal parameters of semen analysis. The ARIC tests were performed on the day of ovum pick up and in vitro insemination in all the male partners. The controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) using luteal long protocol of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist was used in all couples for IVF-ET. The acrosomal reaction with $10{\mu}l$ of 10% DMSO was induced spontaneously in $10.1{\pm}9.8%$, and acrosomal reaction with calcium ionophore A 23187 was induced in $27.4{\pm}18.1%$, and the ARIC value was $17.4{\pm}16.2%$. There were no significant correlation between the ARIC value and the fertilization rate ($r^2$=0.044, p=0.268). There were also no significant correlation between the ARIC value and the percentage of the grade I, II embryos ($r^2$=0.046, p=0.261). On the basis of above results, it was suggested that ARIC test might not be a useful prognostic indicator for fertilization in IVF-ET in male partners with normal parameters of conventional semen analysis. We guessed that IVF-ET could be performed to the patients primarily without universal appilcation of ARIC test to all male partenrs, and if fertilization failure occurs, the micro assisted fertilization (MAF) such as intracytoplsmic sperm injection (ICSI) might be used as an alternative mode of treatment with acceptable success rate.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.194-206
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• 2020

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate microRNAs (miRNAs) related to follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) responsiveness using miRNA microarrays and to identify their target genes to determine the molecular regulatory pathways involved in FSH signaling in KGN cells. Methods: To change the cellular responsiveness to FSH, KGN cells were treated with FSH receptor (FSHR)-specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) followed by FSH. miRNA expression profiles were determined through miRNA microarray analysis. Potential target genes of selected miRNAs were predicted using bioinformatics tools, and their regulatory function was confirmed in KGN cells. Results: We found that six miRNAs (miR-1261, miR-130a-3p, miR-329-3p, miR-185-5p, miR-144-5p and miR-4463) were differentially expressed after FSHR siRNA treatment in KGN cells. Through a bioinformatics analysis, we showed that these miRNAs were predicted to regulate a large number of genes, which we narrowed down to cytochrome P450 family 19 subfamily A member 1 (CYP19A1) and estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1) as the main targets for miR-4463. Functional analysis revealed that miR-4463 is a regulatory factor for aromatase expression and function in KGN cells. Conclusion: In this study, we identified differentially expressed miRNAs related to FSH responsiveness. In particular, upregulation of miR-4463 expression by FSHR deficiency in human granulosa cells impaired 17β-estradiol synthesis by targeting CYP19A1 and ESR1. Therefore, our data might provide novel candidates for molecular biomarkers for use in research into poor responders.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.12
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• pp.4959-4964
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• 2015

Background: To assess the immunohistochemical expression of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PgR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) neu receptor in breast cancer and their associations with various clinicopathological characteristics. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of women who presented with primary, unilateral breast cancer in the Department of Medical Oncology at Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre, Delhi, India during the period from January 2008 to December 2011. Data were retrieved from the medical records of the hospital including both early and locally advanced cancer cases. ER, PgR and HER2neu expression in these patients was assessed and triple negative patients were identified. Associations of triple negative and non-triple negative groups with clinicopathological characteristics were also evaluated. Results: A total of 1,284 women (mean age 52.1 years, 41.9% premenopausal) were included in the analysis. Hormone receptor positivity (ER and/or PgR) was seen in 63.4% patients, while 23.8% of tumors were triple negative. Only 23.0% were HER2 positive. Around 10.0% of tumors were both ER and HER2 positive. ER and PgR positivity was significantly associated with negative HER2 status (p-value <0.0001). Younger age, premenopausal status, higher tumor grade, lymph node negativity, advanced cancer stage, and type of tumor were strongly associated with triple negativity. Significantly, a smaller proportion of women had ductal carcinoma in situ in the triple negative group compared with the non-triple negative group (35.6% versus 60.8%, p-value<0.01). Conclusions: The present analysis is one of the largest studies from India. The majority of the Indian breast cancer patients seen in our hospital present with ER and PgR positive tumors. The triple negative patients tended to be younger, premenopausal, and were associated with higher tumor grades, negative lymph nodes status and lower frequency of ductal carcinoma in situ.

• Journal of Pathology and Translational Medicine
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.396-403
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• 2018

Background: In the current American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system of breast cancer, only tumor size determines T-category regardless of whether the tumor is single or multiple. This study evaluated if tumor multiplicity has prognostic value and can be used to subclassify breast cancer. Methods: We included 5,758 patients with invasive breast cancer who underwent surgery at Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea, from 1995 to 2012. Results: Patients were divided into two groups according to multiplicity (single, n=4,744; multiple, n=1,014). Statistically significant differences in lymph node involvement and lymphatic invasion were found between the two groups (p<.001). Patients with multiple masses tended to have luminal A molecular subtype (p<.001). On Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, patients with multiple masses had significantly poorer disease-free survival (DFS) (p=.016). The prognostic significance of multiplicity was seen in patients with anatomic staging group I and prognostic staging group IA (p=.019 and p=.032, respectively). When targeting patients with T1-2 N0 M0, hormone receptor-positive, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative cancer, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis also revealed significantly reduced DFS with multiple cancer (p=.031). The multivariate analysis indicated that multiplicity was independently correlated with worse DFS (hazard ratio, 1.23; 95% confidence interval, 1.03 to 1.47; p=.025). The results of this study indicate that tumor multiplicity is frequently found in luminal A subtype, is associated with frequent lymph node metastasis, and is correlated with worse DFS. Conclusions: Tumor multiplicity has prognostic value and could be used to subclassify invasive breast cancer at early stages. Adjuvant chemotherapy would be necessary for multiple masses of T1-2 N0 M0, hormone-receptor-positive, and HER2-negative cancer.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.219-224
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• 2009

Objective: Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH) is an uncommon cause of male infertility. We investigated the outcome of gonadotropin therapy for restoring fertility and pregnancy outcomes in patients with HH. Methods: Medical charts of 10 infertile male patients with HH treated with gonadotropin were reviewed. Initial testicular volume were estimated. Semen analysis parameters (semen volume, sperm counts, motility), serum leutenizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), total testosterone were determined before and after human chorionic gonadotropin/human menopausal gonadotropin (hCG/hMG) treatment. Differences were analyzed statistically. Results: Of 10 patients, 7 (70%) succeed at pregnancy (nature pregnancy in 4). Semen analysis parameters, serum FSH, and testosterone were increased significantly after treatment. The population was stratified according to initial testicular volume into a small testis subset (testicular volume less than 10 cc in 4) and a large testis subset (testicular volume 10 cc or greater in 6). Semen analysis parameters and serum testosterone were increased significantly after treatment in large testis subset. Conclusion: Infertile men with HH initiate and maintain spermatogenesis with gonadotropin (hCG/hMG alone or combined) therapy, thus gonadotropin therapy is good choice in infertile men with HH.

• Proceedings of the Korean Aquaculture Society Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.42-42
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• 2003

The far eastern catfish (Silurus asotus) growth hormone (GH) gene was cloned and characterized. The complete nucleotide sequences of genomic GH gene sequences as well as a catfish GH cDNA were obtained by RT-PCR and gene filter screening. The GH cDNA and genomic gene span 1.0 and 1.8 kb from the start codon to the polyadenylation signal, respectively. Both on cDNA and gDNA GH genes, the sequence polymorphism was detected including various silence mutations. The genomic GH gene comprised of only four exons and three introns, which was novel type of fish GH gene structure. The evolutionary relation of the catfish GH gene was inferred based on the comparative phylogenic analysis using the gene structures and sequences.

• Journal of Integrative Natural Science
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.74-77
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• 2017

Bradykinin receptor B2 (B2R) is a GPCR protein which binds with the inflammatory mediator hormone bradkynin. Kallidin, a decapeptide, also signals through this receptor. B2R is crucial in the cross-talk between renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and the kinin-kallikrein system (KKS) and in many processes including vasodilation, edema, smooth muscle spasm and pain fiber stimulation. Thus the structural study of the receptor becomes important. We have predicted the peptide structures of Bradykinin and Kallidin from their amino acid sequences and the structures were docked with the receptor structure. The results obtained from protein-protein docking could be helpful in studying the B2R structural features and in the pathophysiology in various diseases related to it.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.14 no.1_2
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• pp.55-63
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• 1999

Endocrine disrupting chemicals probably cause the cytological or/and morphological changes of germinal cells in gonad. Accordingly, this study was aimed to make sure that the effect of hormone-mimicking chemicals on gonad morphology such as decrease of germinal cells, inhibition of cellular maturation and change in the ratio of germinal cells in the different developmental phase can be observed by histopathological procedures and can be a useful bio-indicator for the evaluation of endocrine disruption by environmental chemicals. In this experiment, female Japanese medaka were exposured to quercetin, a phytoestrogen, at the concentration of 100 $\mu\textrm{g}$/L. quercetin showed the significant decrease in the number and rate of vitellogenic follicular oocytes in the treated group for 4 and 6 weeks. The weak development of yolk could be also observed. We could conclude that quercetin has anti-estrogenic or androgen-like potency by exerting the inhibition effect on oogenesis in fish female- gonad. From the result of this study, the applied methods and techniques can be evaluated to be a useful biomonitoring means for water pollution, expecting a good result of the subsequent study on apoptosis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.620-623
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• 2003

The delta sleep-inducing peptides (DSIP, Trp-Ala-Gly-Gly-Asp-Ala-Ser-Gly-Glu) is an important regulatory hormone, controlling hypothalamus and pituitary functions. In the current study, an expression system was designed for the rapid and economic expression oi recombinant DSIP for biophysical studies. Artificially synthesized oligonucleotides encoding DSIP were cloned into a pGEX-KG vector and expressed in E. coli (BL21). The recombinant GST-DSIP was then readily purified using a GST affinity column. To obtain intact DSIP from the GST-DSIP, thrombin cleavage and a CNBr reaction were successively carried out. The DSIP in the CNBr reaction mixture was subjected to RP-HPLC purification to yield 1.2 mg DSIP from a 1 liter culture of E. coli. Identification of the DSIP was peformed using MALDI-MS and an amino acid composition analysis.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.57-61
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• 2003

Plasma melatonin in the seasonal light-period is circadian rhythmically secreted. Maximal secretion showed at 14 o'clock in summer- and winter-like period, but minimal secretion showed at 5 o'clock in summer-like period and at 8 in winter-like period. These times of minimal secretions were at the beginning of light period. Plasma melatonin in the light period is secreted 62.5％ more than in the dark period in summer- like period and 45.9％ more in winter- like period. Total plasma melatonin in winter-like period is secreted 56.5％ more than in summer-like period. The weights of testis (-20.8％) and body (-7.1％) were reduced in the winter-like period. By the increase of plasma melatonin in mice, body - and testis -weights are decreased, on the contrary by the decrease of plasma melatonin in mice, body and testis weights are increased. In view of the results so far achieved melatonin changes on the body weight and reproductive organ in mice. It is presumed that melatonin effects on the metabolism and sex hormone.