• 대한생식의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한불임학회 2001년도 제41차 추계학술대회
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• pp.57-62
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• 2001

One of recent advances of mammalian fertilization is the understanding of the molecular basis of fertilization. Several proteins localized in sperm nucleus or on sperm surface are necessary for the fertilization process. Protamines, sperm nuclear proteins, are required for normal sperm function that leads to fertilization. Fertilin and cyritestin are sperm surface proteins and essential for sperm-egg binding. Fertilin is also required for sperm transport in the female reproductive tracts. Metalloproteses on sperm plasma membrane are found to play a role in sperm-egg fusion. The functional analysis of these proteins provides a new insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying mammalian fertilization and male fertility.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제23권12호
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• pp.1566-1577
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• 2010

Nandrolone, 19-nortestosterone, is a synthetic androgenic-anabolic steroid promoting muscle growth. Nandrolone is also present in pig meat and sera at non-negligible levels. A number of scientific reports have suggested a positive relationship between incidence of infertility and increased meat consumption in humans. The present study was designed to determine out the effect of feeding nandrolone on the testis of the male reproductive tract. Mixtures of food and nandrolone at different concentrations (0.005 ppm and 0.5 ppm) were supplied to pubertal male rats for 6 weeks. Body weight was recorded every week during the entire experimental period. At the end of the treatment, the testis, epididymis, and epididymal fat were collected and weighted. Sperm numbers in the caudal epididymis were counted. Differential gene or protein expression of steroidogenic enzymes in the testes among experimental groups was determined by semi-quantitative real-time PCR or western blotting analysis, respectively. Histological changes of the testis induced by nandrolone treatment were examined by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Immunohistochemical analysis was employed to detect changes in the localization of steroidogenic enzymes in the testes among experimental animals. There were no significant changes on body, testis, epididymis, and epididymal fat weights among experimental groups. A significant increase of caudal sperm number was found in the 0.5 ppm nandrolone-treated group. Histological examination of the testes noted a high frequency of germ cell sloughing in seminiferous tubules of 0.5 ppm nandrolone-treated rats. Even though transcript levels of $3{\beta}$-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD) I, $17{\beta}$-HSD4, and $17{\alpha}$-hydroxylase were influenced by nandrolone treatments, protein levels of all molecules examined in the present study were not significantly affected. Immunohistochemical analysis showed no visible changes in the localization of steroidogenic enzymes in the testes among experimental groups. The current study showed that oral intake of nandrolone in male rats for 6 weeks did not cause significant damage to the testis. It is considered that a feeding effect of nandrolone on male fertility would not be remarkable.

• 한국동물생명공학회지
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• 제37권3호
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• pp.209-212
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• 2022

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is frequently observed in intact middle-aged or older male dogs with symptoms ranging from asymptomatic to various symptoms such as urination, dyschezia, dysuria, tenesmus, and intermittent serosanguinous or clear serous exudate. A 4-year-old, intact male Welsh corgi with symptoms of intermittent hematuria and serosanguinous exudate at the urethral opening was diagnosed with BPH and intraprostatic hematocyst through ultrasonographic examination and cytology test. The dog was internationally adopted for reproductive purposes and needed to undergo BPH treatment while maintaining fertility. Thus, 2.5 mg finasteride was administered orally once a day for treatment option and therapeutic effects were observed, including loss of clinical symptoms and reduced prostate and intraparenchymal cyst size.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제50권1호
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• pp.12-18
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• 2023

Propolis is a sticky natural product produced by honeybees. Research studies have discussed the effectiveness of propolis, directly or indirectly, for ameliorating reproductive toxicity in males; however, this research has not yet been reviewed. The current paper presents an integrative summary of all research studies in Scopus and PubMed that investigated the effects of propolis on semen quality, and hence on male fertility, in conditions of reproductive toxicity. The consensus indicates that propolis ameliorates reproductive toxicity and enhances semen quality in vivo in test animals. These effects may be attributable to the ability of propolis to reduce testicular oxidative damage, enhance testicular antioxidant defense mechanisms, increase nitric oxide production, reduce testicular apoptotic injury, and boost testosterone production. However, to generalize these effects in humans would require further research.

• 원예과학기술지
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• 제30권1호
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• pp.73-78
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• 2012

KC00256, KC00406, KC00462, KC00463, KC00820, and KC00821, the genetic resources that have previously been reported as moderately resistant to Phytophthora capsici, as well as the line KC01322, a new source of moderate resistance introduced from Laos, were tested against two strains (Pc003 and Pc005) of P. capsici. We also determined the nuclear restorer genotypes of these lines, in regards to their interaction with cytoplasmic male sterility, through crossing the resources with cytoplasmic male sterile Punggok-A (Srfrf) and determining the fertility of the $F_1$ hybrids. The studied lines exhibited a low level of resistance to both the strains of P. capsici compared to highly resistant CM334, but their response was fairly consistent for both P. capsici strains. KC00406, KC00462, KC00463, and KC01322 produced stable, male fertile $F_1$ plants indicating that they are restorers with genotype N(S)RfRf. KC00821 produced male sterile $F_1$ plants and was identified as a maintainer with genotype Nrfrf. The $F_1$ plants of the KC00820 cross, however, set a few male fertile flowers in the greenhouse at seedling stage, then became male sterile after being transplanted to the plastic greenhouse soil in May and remained so to the end of the growing season. Therefore, KC00820 is an unstable maintainer with genotype Nrfrf. The moderate resistance exhibited by these genetic resources may be integrated into breeding programs aimed at promoting higher levels resistance via recurrent selection or hybridization.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제10권2호
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• pp.192-195
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• 1997

Thirty adults Desi and Khaki Campbell ducks were distributed to 6 farmers of Chakcharpur village of Mymensingh district. These ducks were subjected 3 types of mating e.g. Desi ${\times}$ Desi, Khaki Campbell ${\times}$ Khaki Campbell and Khaki Campbell ${\times}$ Desi-having 10 ducks (male : female = 1 : 4) in each mating group. Each mating group was then divided into two having 5 ducks(male : female = 1 : 4) and distributed to 2 farmers. After collecting eggs from each mating category, these were hatched by broody hens from which a total of 90 day old ducklings, 30 from each genotype were raised from birth to 90 days after the onest of laying. Although the weight of the day old chicks were similar in all genotypes (40-43 g), body weight was the highest (p <0.01) for Khaki Campbell ${\times}$ Desi (1,543) before the onset of laying followed by Khaki Campbell (1,552 g) and Desi (1,448 g) ducks. Khaki Campbell attained maturity at an earlier (p < 0.01) age (147 days) followed by Khaki Campbell ${\times}$ Desi, (154 days) and Desi (161 days) ducks. Khaki Campbell laid maximum (p < 0.01) number of eggs (46) compared to Khaki Campbell ${\times}$ Desi, (30) and Desi (18) ducks 90 days after the onset of laying. However, eggs were heavier (p < 0.01) in Desi (61.9) ducks compared to other genotypes. Fertility and hatchability were also higher in Desi ducks than the other two genotypes. Mortality was also lover in Desi ducks (3.33%) followed by Khaki Campbell ${\times}$ Desi (6.66%) and Khaki Campbell (16.66%) ducks. The results presented here indicated the superiority of Desi ducks over the other two genotypes with respect to egg weight, fertility, hatchability and mortality under village condition. Pure and crossbreds, on the other hand, were heavier at sexual maturity at relatively younger age and laid more eggs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제13권11호
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• pp.1518-1522
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• 2000

Since the n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid, docosatetraenoic acid (22:4n-6), is a major functional constituent of avian spermatozoa, the effects of two dietary oils rich in fatty acids which are metabolic precursors of 22:4n-6 on the fatty acid profiles of testicular lipids were investigated during a 39 week period of supplementation from 21 to 60 weeks of age. The effects on liver lipids were determined for comparison. Dietary supplementation of male chickens with Arasco Oil, which provides a large amount of arachidonic acid (20:4n-6), increased the proportion of 20:4n-6 in liver phospholipid by almost 2.5-fold. Although liver phospholipid normally contains very little 22:4n-6, this proportion was significantly increased as a result of Arasco feeding, indicating that the conversion of 20:4n-6 to 22:4n-6 was occurring. The phospholipid of the testis contains much higher proportions of 20:4n-6 and particularly of 22:4n-6 than the liver; supplementation with Arasco Oil significantly increased the proportions of both these polyunsaturates in testis phospholipid but the magnitude of this effect was much lower than that which occurred in the liver. Dietary supplementation with Evening Primrose Oil which contains ${\gamma}-linolenic $ acid (18:3n-6) resulted in significant increases in the proportions of 20:4n-6 and 22:4n-6 in liver phospholipid, although the extent of this increase was less than that produced by the Arasco Oil. By contrast, the feeding of Evening Primrose Oil did not alter the fatty acid composition of phospholipid in the testis. The findings raise the possibility that dietary supplementation with Arasco Oil may modulate the fatty acid profile of avian spermatozoa in a way which could potentially be beneficial for fertility. Moreover, the weights of the testes were almost doubled as a result of supplementation with Arasco Oil or Evening Primrose Oil.

• 한국동물생명공학회지
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• 제35권1호
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• pp.73-85
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• 2020

A high-cholesterol diet can reduce male fertility. However, it is not known whether a high-cholesterol diet can regulate the expression of genes involved in sperm maturation and sperm fertilizing ability. Quercetin, a natural product, is known to have cytoprotective effects by regulating lipid metabolism in various cell types. This study aimed to confirm the expression of genes involved in sperm maturation in the testes of mice fed a high-cholesterol diet and to determine whether quercetin can reverse the genetic regulation of cholesterol. Mice were divided into groups fed a normal chow diet and a high-cholesterol diet. Mice fed the high-cholesterol diet were dose-dependently supplemented with quercetin for 6 weeks. Investigations using quantitative PCR and in situ hybridization revealed that the high-cholesterol diet alters the expression of genes associated with sperm maturation in the testes of mice, and this was reversed with the supplementation of quercetin. In addition, the high-cholesterol diet regulated the expression of genes related to lipid metabolism in the liver of mice. Under a high-cholesterol diet, quercetin can improve male fertility by regulating the expression of genes involved in sperm maturation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제32권1호
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• pp.118-125
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• 2019

Objective: This study investigated the effects of soapnut (Sapindus mukorossi) shell powder (SSP) on serum hormone level, egg quality, semen characteristics and reproductive performance of broiler breeders fed with a maize-soybean meal based diet. Methods: Ninety six female and twenty four male CARIBRO-VISHAL broiler breeders, 38-week old, were individually caged and randomly allocated to four treatment groups (24 female breeders/treatment and 6 male breeders/treatment): an un-supplemented control (T1) and three groups with 0.0176% SSP (group T2), 0.026% SSP (group T3) and 0.0528% SSP (group T4), to have supplementary saponin at 0, 50, 75, and 150 ppm, respectively, for 42 days. Results: The results indicated that serum (p<0.001) and seminal plasma (p<0.05) testosterone level, semen volume (p<0.001), mass motility (p<0.001), and live spermatozoa count (p<0.001) was increased in groups T3 and T4 compared to T2 and control groups. Compared with control group, total sperm count was increased (p<0.001) and dead spermatozoa count was decreased (p<0.001) in SSP supplemented groups. Supplementation of SSP did not affected the quality of egg lay. Compared with control group, fertility (p<0.01) and hatchability (total eggs set and fertile eggs set) (p<0.001) were significantly improved in SSP supplemented groups with the highest improvement in T3 treatment group. Embryonic death was decreased (p<0.001) in SSP supplemented groups compared to control; lowest embryonic death was recorded in T3 treatment group. Conclusion: Thus, it was concluded that dietary supplementation of 0.026% SSP (saponin equivalent 75 ppm) improved the reproductive performance of broiler breeders.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제49권4호
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• pp.277-284
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• 2022

Objective: Oxidative stress is a key player in the development of idiopathic male infertility (IMI), and various antioxidants have been used for the treatment of IMI with inconsistent results. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a cofactor and an antioxidant that may improve semen parameters and reduce oxidative stress in patients with idiopathic oligoasthenospermia (OA). Therefore, this study aimed to explore the effect of CoQ10 on semen parameters and antioxidant markers in patients with idiopathic OA. Methods: Fifty patients with idiopathic OA and 35 fertile controls were enrolled in this prospective controlled study. All participants underwent a comprehensive fertility assessment. All patients received CoQ10 (300 mg/day) orally once daily for 3 months. Semen parameters, seminal CoQ10 levels, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were measured in patients and controls at the start of the study and after 3 months. Results: Treatment with CoQ10 resulted in increased sperm progressive motility (p<0.05), total motility (p<0.01), seminal TAC (p<0.01), SOD (p<0.05), GPx (p<0.001), and seminal CoQ10 (p<0.001) levels and reduced ROS (p<0.01) in patients as compared to baseline. Sperm concentration and motility were also significantly correlated with antioxidant measures and seminal CoQ10 levels (r=0.38-0.57). Conclusion: CoQ10 therapy (300 mg/day for 3 months) improved sperm motility and seminal antioxidant markers in patients with idiopathic OA. Therefore, CoQ10 could be a promising treatment for patients with idiopathic infertility and may improve their fertility potential.