• Development and Reproduction
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.99-105
• /
• 2010

The seminiferous epithelium, with its division into 12 spermatogenic stages in the mouse, is a very complex tissue. Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) is a representative antioxidant enzyme that is capable of reducing organic hydroperoxides to their corresponding hydroxyl compounds utilizing glutathione and is related to the mammalian spermatogenesis. In this study, a real-time PCR was performed in the stage-specific seminiferous tubules of mouse testes excised by a laser capture microdissection (LCM) in order to quantitate the expression levels of a series of GPx genes including cytosolic GPx (cGPx), gastrointestinal GPx (GI-GPx), plasma GPx (pGPx), and phospholipid hydroperoxide GPx (PHGPx). Frozen sections (10 ${\mu}m$) were obtained from normal adult mouse testes. LCM was used to capture all the cells that were grouped into stages I-V, VII-VIII, and IX-XI in cross-sections of seminiferous tubules. The expression level of PHGPx mRNA was remarkably higher than those of other GPx mRNAs in mouse testes. During spermatogenesis, the expressions of GI-GPx, pGPx, and PHGPx mRNAs were highest on stages VII-VIII, began to decrease after stage XI, and showed a lowest level on stage I-V. However, the expressions of cGPx mRNA were highest on stages VII-VIII, and showed a lowest level on stage XI-XI. These findings indicate that GPx genes are expressed differentially on mouse spermatogenesis and also LCM can be an useful tool in cellular quantitative analysis of testes.

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.83-92
• /
• 1990

Experiment was conducted to establish the weed control system on the paddy fields by investigating species, period and amount of weeds in Gangwon province. Four locations were selected for these experiments : West plain area, Chunchon(74m above the sea level), mid-mountainous area, Hongchon(300 m), high alpine area, Hoengsong(450m), and east sea area, Myungju(14m). Weed emergence was investigated 6 times from 10 days after transplanting to 60 days with 10 days interval. From the experiments stated above, the results were summarized as follows ; The identity of weed species was small in grass family, but broad-leaf family was numerous. Also the dominant weed species was generally the perenial weeds. The weed emergence was initiated from 10 days after translanting. The amounts of weed counted the most in Chunchon. A large number of weeds were emerged between 30-60 days after transplanting in Chunchon and between 40-60 days after transplanting in Hongchon and Hoengsong. Among agronomic characteristics affected by weed emergence during rice development, plant height was decreased by 2~4cm, panicle number by 1.3~2.9, spikelet by 3.7~7.5, ripening rates 3.3~6.5%, and milled yield by 12~17%, respectively.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.19 no.11
• /
• pp.1637-1643
• /
• 2009

Shikonin, a component of Lithospermum erythrorhizon Sieb. et Zucc, exerts various characteristics such as anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and anti-obesity functions. To elucidate the molecular mechanism of shikonin-induced inhibition of adipogenesis, we analyzed the mRNA expression level of various adipogenesis-related factors including C/EBPs (CCAAT/enhancerbinding proteins) and $PPAR{\gamma}$ (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor $\gamma$). The data showed that mRNA expressions of C/$EBP{\beta}$ and C/$EPB{\delta}$ were only slightly changed by shikonin treatment, but mRNA expressions of $PPAR{\gamma}$ and C/$EPB{\alpha}$ were significantly down-regulated. Then, we tested whether upstream regulators of C/$EBP{\beta}$ and $PPAR{\gamma}$ were involved in anti-adipogenesis of shikonin. C/$EBP{\gamma}$ and CHOP (C/EBP homologous protein), which are upstream regulators of C/$EBP{\beta}$, were not affected by shikonin treatment. On the contrary, the mRNA level of KROX20 was markedly down-regulated by shikonin treatment. These results suggest that KROX20 might regulate downstream factors of adipogenesis through C/$EBP{\beta}$-independent pathway. The expression of KLF15 (Kruppel-like factor15), which is a member of KLF family and is a upstream regulator of $PPAR{\gamma}$, was dramatically decreased by shikonin treatment, but KLF2 was not changed. Shikonin had no impact on the expression of KLF5 in the early stage of adipogenesis, but shikonin increased expression of KLF5 in the late stage of adipogenesis. Even though mRNA expression of KLF5 was moderately changed by shikonin treatment, its effect may be small compared with the effect of KLF15, which was markedly inhibited. Taken together, these results suggest that shikonin inhibits adipogenesis through the down-regulation of $PPAR{\gamma}$ and C/$EPB{\alpha}$, which is mediated by the down-regulation of two pro-adipogenic factors, KROX20 and KLF15.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.21 no.12
• /
• pp.1678-1688
• /
• 2011

The apoptogenic effect of p-coumaric acid, a phenolic acid found in various edible plants, on human acute leukemia Jurkat T cells was investigated. Exposure of Jurkat T cells to p-coumaric acid (50-$150{\mu}M$) caused cytotoxicity and TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL)-positive apoptotic DNA fragmentation along with Bak activation, ${\Delta}{\psi}m$ loss, activation of caspase-9, -3, -7, and -8, and PARP degradation in a dose-dependent manner. However,these apoptotic events were completely abrogated in Jurkat T cells overexpressing Bcl-2.Under these conditions, necrosis was not accompanied. Pretreatment of the cells with the pan-caspase inhibitor (z-VAD-fmk) could prevent p-coumaric acid-induced sub-$G_1$ peak representing apoptotic cells, whereas it failed to block ${\Delta}{\psi}m$ loss, indicating that the activation of caspase cascade was prerequisite for p-coumaric acid-induced apoptosis as a downstream event of ${\Delta}{\psi}m$ loss. FADD- and caspase-8-positive wild-type Jurkat T cell clone A3, FADD-deficient Jurkat T cell clone I2.1, and caspase-8-deficient Jurkat T cell clone I9.2 exhibited similar susceptibilities to the cytotoxicity of p-coumaric acid, excluding an involvement of Fas/FasL system in triggering the apoptosis. The apoptogenic activity of p-coumaric acid is more potent in malignant Jurkat T cells than in normal human peripheral T cells. Together, these results demonstrated that p-coumaric acid-induced apoptogenic activity in Jurkat T cellswas mediated by Bak activation, ${\Delta}{\psi}m$ loss, and subsequent activation of multiple caspases such as caspase-9, -3, -7, and-8, and PARP degradation, which could be regulated by anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.141-148
• /
• 2014

Quercetin and genistein, plentifully present in fruits and vegetables, are flavonoid family members that have antioxidative function and plant-derived phytoestrogen activity. The antioxidative effects of quercetin and genistein on boar sperm characteristics and in vitro development of IVF embryo were investigated. The sperm motility was increased by addition of genistein $50{\mu}M$ for 6 hr incubation compared to control (p<0.05). The sperm viability was increased by addition of quercetin 1 and $50{\mu}M$ and genestein 1 and $50{\mu}M$ for 3 hr incubation. In addition, the sperm viability seemed to be increased dose-dependantly by addition of quercetin or genistein 1 and $50{\mu}M$, respectively (p<0.05). The membrane integrities were not increased by quercetin or genistein treatments for 3 hr or 6 hr incubation period except for quercetin $1{\mu}M$ for 3 hr incubation. In mitochondrial activities, addition of quercetin $50{\mu}M$ for 6 hr incubation increased mitochondrial activity but decreased at $100{\mu}M$ concentration compared with control (p<0.05). When porcine IVF embryos were cultured in PZM-3 medium supplemented with low concentrations of quercetin ($1{\sim}10{\mu}M$), the developmental rates to morula and blastocyst increased but significantly decreased at high concentrations of quercetin ($25{\sim}50{\mu}M$). The highest developmental rate to blastocysts among all concentrations of quercetin was shown at quercetin $10{\mu}M$ (p<0.05). The developmental rates to morula or blastocysts at low ($0.01{\sim}1{\mu}M$) and high ($5{\sim}10{\mu}M$) concentrations of genistein were not significantly different among all treatment group and genistein did not affect on IVF embryo development. These results suggest that quercetin and genistein seem to have positive effects at certain concentrations on sperm characteristics such as motility, viability and mitochondrial activity. In addition, low concentrations of quercetin (1, 5 and $10{\mu}M$) in this experiment, seem to have beneficial effect on porcine IVF embryo development but genistein did not affect on it at all given concentrations ($0.01{\sim}10{\mu}M$).

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.100-109
• /
• 2016

Species composition and distribution characteristics of fish were determined by monthly underwater visual census from September. 2013 to August, 2014 at Yeongunri off Tongyeong, Korea. The study area was divided into five habitat types by depth and substrate: (1) sand bottom as depth of 0~2 m, (2) seagrass bed of 2~5 m, (3) rocky outcrop of 0~2 m, (4) rocky bottom of 2~5 m, (5) sandy mud bottom of 5~8 m. A total of 1,673 individuals belonging to 43 species in 26 families were recorded during the study period. The number of species tended to decrease after October, 2013 and increase from March, 2014 showing the highest number in October (autumn), and lowest in January (winter). In terms of the number of species, Gobiidae was the most dominant family (7 species), followed by Scorpaenidae (4 species). Embiotocidae was the most abundant (26.1% in total number of individuals), followed by Scorpaenidae (19.9%) and Gobiidae (19.3%). The dominant species were Sebastes inermis (19.2%), Ditrema temminckii (13.1%), and Neoditrema ransonnetii (12.9%). The number of species and abundance were relatively high at the depth between 2 and 5 m on seagrass bed and rocky bottom, whereas they were lower at the depth between 0 and 2 m on the sand bottom, suggesting that seagrass beds and rocky bottoms provided the diverse habitats for various fish species in this sea.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.321-329
• /
• 2013

Although it has been reported that lysyl oxidase (LOX) is involved in odontoblastic differentiation, the role of LOX on odontoblastic differentiation by hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$) have not been clarified. In the present study, we investigated whether $H_2O_2$, reactive oxygen species (ROS), is modulated the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression and activity of LOX during odontoblastic differentiation of human dental pulp (HDP) cells. The mRNA expression was quantified by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis, and LOX enzyme activity was measured by high sensitive fluorescent assay. Expression of the odontoblastic differentiation marker genes were assessed in the presence and absence of specific small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) of the LOX and LOXL. The $H_2O_2$-induced mRNA expression of LOX family was significant reduction of LOX, LOXL, and LOXL3 mRNA levels in HDP cells. LOX enzyme activity was increased at $H_2O_2$ 0.3 mM for 24 hours. The mRNA expression of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteopontin (OPN), and osteocalcin (OCN) was inhibited by LOX- and LOXL-specific siRNAs whereas the mRNA expression of dentin matrix protein1 (DMP1), and dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP) was inhibited by LOX-specific siRNA. In LOX enzyme activity, siRNA-induced knockdown of both LOX and LOXL inhibited the total amine oxidase activity in HDP cells, as in the case of mRNA expression. In conclusion, the essential role of $H_2O_2$ on odontoblastic differentiation suggests that its regulation by LOX may have pharmacologic importance in HDP cells.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.13 no.10
• /
• pp.5137-5142
• /
• 2012

UHRF2 is a member of the ubiquitin plant homeo domain RING finger family, which has been proven to be frequently up-regulated in colorectal cancer cells and play a role as an oncogene in breast cancer cells. However, the role of UHRF2 in glioma cells remains unclear. In this study, we performed real-time quantitative PCR on 32 pathologically confirmed glioma samples (grade I, 4 cases; grade II, 11 cases; grade III, 10 cases; and grade IV, 7 cases; according to the 2007 WHO classification system) and four glioma cell lines (A172, U251, U373, and U87). The expression of UHRF2 mRNA was significantly lower in the grade III and grade IV groups compared with the noncancerous brain tissue group, whereas its expression was high in A172, U251, and U373 glioma cell lines. An in vitro assay was performed to investigate the functions of UHRF2. Using a lentivirus-based RNA interference (RNAi) approach, we down-regulated UHRF2 expression in the U251 glioma cell line. This down-regulation led to the inhibition of cell proliferation, an increase in cell apoptosis, and a change of cell cycle distribution, in which S stage cells decreased and G2/M stage cells increased. Our results suggest that UHRF2 may be closely related to tumorigenesis and the development of gliomas.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.284-292
• /
• 2016

Objectives: This study compared the differences of postmenopausal women's bone mineral density in relation to the degree of obesity, metabolism index and dietary factors that affect bone mineral density. Methods: The subjects included in the study are 39 postmenopausal women of normal weight with body mass index less than $25kg/m^2$ and 32 postmenopausal who are obese. Anthropometry and biochemical analysis were performed and nutrient intakes and DQI-I were assessed. Results: Normal weight women were $56.03{\pm}3.76years$ old and obese women were $58.09{\pm}5.13years$ old and there was no significant difference in age between the two groups. The T-score of bone mineral density was $0.03{\pm}1.06$ in normal weight women and $-0.60{\pm}1.47$ in obese women and this was significantly different between the two groups (p<0.05). Blood Leptin concentration was significantly lower in normal weight women ($6.09{\pm}3.37ng/mL$) compared to obese women in ($9.01{\pm}4.99ng/mL$) (p<0.05). The total score of diet quality index-international was $70.41{\pm}9.34$ in normal weight women and $64.93{\pm}7.82$ in obese women (p<0.05). T-score of bone mineral density showed negative correlations with percentage of body fat (r = -0.233, p=0.05), BMI (r = -0.197, p=0.017), triglyceride (r = -0.281, p=0.020) and leptin (r = -0.308, p=0.011). The results of multiple regression analysis performed as the method of entry showed that with 22.0% of explanation power, percentage of body fat (${\beta}=-0.048$, p<0.05), triglyceride (${\beta}=-0.005$, p<0.05) and HDL-cholesterol (${\beta}=0.034$, p<0.01), moderation of DQI-I (${\beta}=-0.231$, p<0.05) affected T-score significantly. Conclusions: The results of the study showed that obese women have less bone density than those with normal weight women. In addition, the factor analysis result that affect bone mineral density showed that intake of fat is a very important factor. Therefore, postmenopausal women need to maintain normal weight and manage blood lipid levels within normal range. They also need to take various sources of protein and reduce consumption of empty calorie foods that have high calories, fat, cholesterol and sodium.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.23 no.10
• /
• pp.1239-1245
• /
• 2013

The purpose of this study was to research the biological activity of ethanol extract from Smilax china L. which is a vine shrub belonging to the lily family. For antiwrinkle effects, elastase inhibition effect of ethanol and water extracts from S. china L. showed 41.1% and 16.3% at $1,000{\mu}g/ml$ concentration. The collagenase inhibition effect of ethanol and water extracts from S. china L. showed more than 96.6% and 60.0% at $1,000{\mu}g/ml$ concentration. As a result of having fibroblast measured cell viability on fibroblast cell of ethanol extract from S. china L., it showed 71.7% with cell viability at $100{\mu}g/ml$ concentration. At $50{\mu}g/ml$ concentration, the procollagen biosynthesis effect of ethanol extract from S. china L. was 139.86%. At the same concentration, the matrix metalloprotease (MMP)-1 inhibition effect of the ethanol extract was 74.9%. According to the results of Western blot of ethanol extract from S. china L., the expression of the MMP-1 protein was decreased by 35% at $50{\mu}g/ml$ concentration. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of ethanol extract from S. china L. showed that the expression of MMP-1 mRNA was decreased by 45% at $50{\mu}g/ml$ concentration. The findings suggest that 70% ethanol extract from S. china L. (SC) has great potential as a cosmeceutical ingredient with antiwrinkle effects.