• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2004

Prolyl endopeptidase (PEP) is proline-specific serine protease, cleaving peptide bonds on the biologically active neuropeptides such as substance P, vassopressin, and thyrotropin-releasing hormone and is, therefore, suggested to play important roles in learning and memory process. In this work, the inhibitory effect of plant extracts on PEP was investigated. Out of 200 plant extracts, Prunus mume, Pyrola. japonica, Hypericum ascyron, Astilbe chinensis var. typica, and Elaeagnus umbellata inhibited more than 90% of PEP activity at the concentration of 5 ppm.

• 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.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.135-144
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• 1988

When ginseng saponin fractions were treated with secretion regulatory agents, it increased cAMP level at the case of thyrotropin (but the amounts were small). Total saponin increased cAMP level at DEcAMP and isoproterenol, and decreased the level at carbachol and propranolol, but at NaF it had little effect. When diol saponin or triol saponin were treated with secretion regulatory agents, biol saponin decreased cAMP level but triol saponin increased it except for isoproterenol. Also, in propra%olol, which inhibits the increase of CAMP level, diol and triol saponin showed crossing effect, too. From the above results, ginseng saponin fractions are believed that it has the, effects of promotion or inhibition on cAMP production in the thyroid , both diol saponin and triol saponin have crossing effect on thyroid hormone secretion regulatory agents. The normalizatin action of ginseng saponin fractions is notable at the case of NaF and carbachol.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.556-565
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• 2017

Background: Recent studies have revealed that the properties Traditional Chinese Medicine is mostly associated with are substance and energy metabolism. Our study aimed to compare the effect of red ginseng (RG) (warm property) and ginseng leaves (GL; cold property) on the substance and energy metabolism of rats with hypothyroidism. Materials and methods: Rats were administered propylthiouracil intraperitoneally for 20 d to cause hypothyroidism. The reference group was orally administered Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparaia [FZ (Fuzi in Chinese)], while both the RG and GL groups were orally administrated crude drugs. The rectal, tail, toe, and axilla temperature of the rats were assayed every 3 d. Oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production, heat production, and energy expenditure were measured via TSE phenoMaster/LabMaster animal monitoring system. Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase, $Na^+-K^+$-ATPase, fumarase, pyruvic acid and cyclic adenosine monophosphate/cyclic guanosine monophosphate were determined. Results: The lower levels of triiodothyronine, tetraiodothyronine, and thyrotropin-releasing hormone and the higher level of thyroid stimulating hormone revealed the successful establishment of a hypothyroidism model. Oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production, heat production, and energy expenditure in the FZ and RG groups were obviously increased. The activity of $Na^+-K^+$-ATPase and fumarase in the FZ and RG groups was significantly increased. The cyclic adenosine monophosphate/cyclic guanosine monophosphate level in the FZ and RG groups was increased, while the GL group showed the opposite. Conclusion: Our research provides a new way to explore the efficiency of Chinese medicine on the basis of the relationship between drug property and effects on substance and energy metabolism.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.93-100
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• 1990

To evaluate the utility of autoradiographic technique in the detection of TRH receptor changes in brain after the various kinds of stimulation or drug administration, we tried the characterization of TRH receptor in mouse brain and autoradiography in rat brain as a preliminary study. The Kd value of [3-H] MeTRH to TRH receptors of adult male ICR mouse brain (cebellum and spinal cord were excluded) was 3.55+0.6 nM and Bmax was 3.44+0.52 fmol/mg wet tissue by saturation analysis. The Kd value of TRH to TRH receptors was 133.8+28.2 nM by competition analysis. And we could visualize the distribution of TRH receptors in rat brain by autoradiographic technique.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.31 no.1 s.57
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• pp.11-15
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• 1995

Serotonergic neurons in medulla oblongata play an important role in the endogenous descending pain inhibitory system. To illucidate the factors involved in the regulation of medullary serotonergic neurons, we studied the effects of cholecystokinin (CCK) and agents acting on various second messenger systems on 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) release from cultured neurons of rat fetal (gestational age 14th day) medulla oblongata. Cultured cells maintained for 10 days in vitro were stimulated for 48 hours with CCK or other neuropeptides at 10 micromolar concentration. CCK ($10{\mu}M$) and substance P ($10{\mu}M$) significantly increased. 5-HT release. However, somatostatin, proctolin, thyrotropin releasing hormone, and interleukin-6 did not have any effects on 5-HT release. Nimodipine ($1{\mu}M$), a calcium channel blocker, almost completely, and calmidazolium ($1{\mu}M$), a calmodulin antagonist, significantly inhibited the CCK-induced 5-HT release. The total 5-HT content (intracellular 5-HT plus released 5-HT) was significantly increased by CCK. However, the intracellular 5-HT content was not significantly changed by CCK. Forskolin ($5{\mu}M$), an adenylate cyclase activiator, but not $2{\mu}M$ phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), a protein kinase C activator, significantly enhanced 5-HT release. The total 5-HT content (intracellular 5-HT plus released 5-HT) was significantly increased by forskolin. However, the intracellular 5-HT content was not significantly changed by forskolin. PMA had no effect on intracellular 5-HT levels. These results suggest that CCK regulates serotonergic neurons in the medulla oblongata by enhancing 5-HT secretion through calcium influx and caimodulin, and that cyclic AMP system but not protein kinase C system is involved in 5-HT release.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.294-300
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• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate if short-term serum thyroglobulin (Tg) elevation after radioiodine administration can predict successful radioiodine remnant ablation (RRA) and whether comparable RRA effectiveness is exhibited between a group administered with recombinant human thyrotropin (rhTSH) and a group experiencing thyroid hormone withdrawal (THW), in preparation for RRA. Materials and Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed on 39 patients in the rhTSH group and 46 patients in the THW group. They were treated for differentiated thyroid carcinoma by total or near total thyroidectomy, and referred for RRA between 2003 and 2006 (the rhTSH group) and between January and June of 2006 (the THW group). They were assessed for serum Tg levels just before I-131 administration (TgD0), reassessed 9 days later (TgD9), and again 6-12 months later. Results: RRA was successful in 64 (37 from the THW group and 27 from the rhTSH group) of the total 85 patients. The success rates of RRA had no statistically significant differences between the two groups. In both groups, TgD9/TgD0 values were significantly higher in the RRA success group (the rhTSH group; P = 0.03, the THW group; P = 0.04). By combining cutoff values of TgD0 and TgD9/TgD0, the successful RRA value was determined to be 96.7% (29/30) with TgD0$\leq$5.28 ng/mL and TgD9/TgD0>4.37 in both groups (the rhTSH group; 100% (16/16), the THW group; 92.9% (13/14)). Using logistic multivariate analysis, only TgD0 was independently associated with successful RRA. Conclusion: We may predict successful ablation by evaluating short-term serum Tg elevation after I-131 administration for RRA, in both rhTSH and THW patients.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.87-93
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• 2000

Equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) consists of highly glycosylated noncovalently linked $\alpha$- and $\beta$-subunits and belongs to the glycoprotein hormone family that includes lutropin (LH), follitropin (FSH), and thyrotropin (FSH). eCG is a unique member of the gonadotropin family because it elicits response characteristics of both FSH and LH in other species than the hone. eCG is synthesized and secreted by trophoblastic cells of the endometial cups between 40 and 130 days of gestation. In the present study, mRNA expression ratio of eCG, eLH and eFSH $\alpha$- and $\beta$-subunints was investigated in the placenta and pituitary. mRNA was extracted from equine placenta on day 70 of gestation and from pituitary of male horse (27 month-old). When the expression of both subunit mRNAs of eCG in the equine placenta was compared by Northern blotting, the expression of the $\beta$ -subunit mRNA was relatively greater than that of the $\alpha$-subunit. And mRNA expression of $\alpha$-, LH $\beta$- and FSH $\beta$-subunits was analysed in the equine pituitary. An $\alpha$-subunit was revealed with a size of approximately 0.8 kb. FSH $\beta$-subunit mRNA also was detected out 1.8 kb. It is the same size of the FSH $\beta$ -subunit mRNA cloned. The intensity of $\alpha$-subunit mRNA was greater than that of the $\beta$-subunit suggesting that the expression of $\alpha$ -subunit was dominant in the equine anterior pituitary. Thus, the subunit mRNA levels seem to be independently regulated and their imbalance may account for differences in the quantities of $\alpha$- and $\beta$-subunits in the equine placenta and pituitary.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.101-108
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• 1998

We investigated the effect of ${\alpha}-subunit$ of the stimulatory GTP-binding protein ($G{\alpha}_s$) gene mutation on the expression of the thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) receptor (TRH-R) gene in GH3 cells and in growth hormone (GH)-secreting adenomas of acromegalic patients. In the presence of cyclohexicmide, forskolin and isobutylmethylxanthine, cholera toxin, and GH-releasing hormone (GHRH) decreased rat TRH-R (rTRH-R) gene expression by about 39%, 43.7%, and 46.7%, respectively. Transient expression of a vector expressing mutant-type $G{\alpha}_s$ decreased the rTRH-R gene expression by about 50% at 24 h of transfection, whereas a wild-type $G{\alpha}_s$ expression vector did not. The transcript of human TRH-R (hTRH-R) gene was detected in 6 of 8 (75%) tumors. Three of them (50%) showed the paradoxical GH response to TRH and the other three patients did not show the response. The relative expression of hTRH-R mRNA in the tumors from patients with the paradoxical response of GH to TRH did not differ from that in the tumors from patients without the paradoxical response. Direct PCR sequencing of $G{\alpha}_s$ gene disclosed a mutant allele and a normal allele only at codon 201 in 4 of 8 tumors. The paradoxical response to TRH was observed in 2 of 4 patients without the mutation, and 2 of 4 patients with the mutation. The hTRH-R gene expression of pituitaty adenomsa did not differ between the tumors without the mutation and those with mutation. The present study suggests that the expression of TRH-R gene is not likely to be a main determinant for the paradoxical response of GH to TRH, and that $G{\alpha}_s$ mutation may suppress the gene expression of TRH-R in GH-secreting adenoma. However, a certain predisposing factor(s) may play an important role in determining the expression of TRH-R.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 1980

Serum TSH levels were measured by radioimmunoassay before and after intravenous administration of synthetic thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) to 15 normal subjects and 55 patients with primary thyroid disease (14 patients with euthyroidism, 24 patients with thyrotoxicosis and 17 patients with hypothyroidism) to evaluate pituitary TSH reserve and its diagnostic availability. The observed results were as follows. 1. In normal subjects, serum TSH responses to synthetic TRH were $3.2{\pm}1.0$ at 0min (baseline TSH level), $8.0{\pm}4.0$ at 10min, $11.7{\pm}5.0$ at 20min, $13.7{\pm}7.1$ at 30min, $9.7{\pm}5.0$ at 60min., $5.2{\pm}2.0$ at 120min. and $3.6{\pm}0.4{\mu}U/ml$ at 180 min. Serum TSH peaked at $20{\sim}30$ minutes and returned nearly to baseline at 180minutes. 2. In euthyroid group, serum TSH responses to synthetic TRH were $3.3{\pm}1.6$ at 0min, $8.6{\pm}8.0$ at 10min, $10.9{\pm}8.5$ at 20min, $12.5{\pm}8.4$ at 30min, $9.0{\pm}5.9$ at 60min, $5.6{\pm}2.6$ at 120min and $3.5{\pm}1.3{\mu}U/ml$ at 180min. No significant difference revealed between euthyroid group and normal subjects (p>0.05). 3. In hyperthyroid group, serum TSH responses to synthetic TRH were $1.5{\pm}0.6$ at 0min, $2.2{\pm}0.8$ at 10min., $2.3{\pm}1.0$ at 20min., $2.4{\pm}1.5$ at 30min., $2.1{\pm}1.1$ at 60min., $1.9{\pm}0.2$ at 120min. and $1.5{\pm}0.8{\mu}U/ml$ at 180min., No response to TRH showed. 4. In hypothyroid group, mean values of serum TSH response to synthetic TRH were 42.0 at 0min., 60.6 at 10min., 124.8 at 20min., 123.0 at 30min., 101.6 at 60min., 64.3 at 120min. and $15.5{\mu}U/ml$ at 180 min., Patients with primary hypothyroidism showed an exaggerated TSH response to synthetic TRH despite their high basal TSH. 5. Side effects attending synthetic TRH administration were transient nausea (59.0%), desire to micturate (59.0%), feeling of flushing(19.7%), dizziness (45.9%), metallic taste (9.8%) and headache (19.7%). Any side effect didn't show in 16.4%. These symptoms began almost immediately after TRH intravenous injection and lasted several minutes, and not related to dose or response in the person experiencing it.