• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.183-190
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• 1990

The present study exarnines the physiological alteradons in prolactin (PRL) messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) and serum PRL levels during the rat estrous cycle and the effed of naloxone, an endogenous oploid peptide receptor antagonist, on PRL gene expression during the rat estrous cycle. Adult female rats exhibiting at least two consecutive 4-day estrous cycles were used in this study. A single injection of naloxone (2mg/kg b.w.) or saline was given sc 30 mm prior to decapitation. Animals were sacrificed at 10:00 h of each stage of the estrous cycle, and at 2-h intervals from 10:00 h to 20:00 h during the proestrus. PRL mRNA and serum PRL levels were determined by a RNA-blot hybridization with the rat PRL cDNA probe and by a PRL radjoimmunoassay, respectively. PRL mRNA and serum PRL levels were not dramatically altered in the morning of each stage of diestrus I, II and proestrus, and naloxone failed to modify the two parameters. During estrus naloxone clearly suppressed serum PRL levels, but it was unable to modify PRL mRNA levels. A more detailed examination of the proestrus stage revealed that PRL mRNA and serum PRL levels were fluctuated as a function of time: PRL mRNA levels reached a maximum level at 12:00 h and gradually decreased until 18:00 h. PRL mRNA levels then rose at 20:00 h. No difference of PRL mRNA levels between the control and naloxone-treated groups was observed. Changes in serum PRL levek during proestrus were conversely related to changes in PRL mRNA: serum PRL levels were low from 10:00 h to 14:00 h, then increased and reached a maximum level at 16:00-18:00 h. Following then, serum PRL levels were decreased. Naloxone was effective in suppressing the charaderistic afternoon surge of PRL from 16:00 h to 20:00 h. These data clearly showed that alterations in PRL mRNA levels were conversely correlated with changes mn serum PRL levels on proestrus, indicating a differential regulation of PRL gene expression and secretion.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.115-121
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• 1997

To precisely analyze the role of ovarian steroids in the regulation of laminin chain gene expression in mouse uterine tissues, the ovariectomized mouse model was used. Ovariectomized mice received a single injection of steroid hormones and total RNA was isolated from whole uterine tissues. Messenger RNA levels of each laminin chain (A, 81, and 82) were determined by competitive RT-peR procedures. Estradiol decreased mRNA levels of laminin 81 chain about two-fold, and 82 chain rather moderately. Estradiol-induced inhibition of laminin 81 and 82 chain mRNA levels were completely blocked by pretreatment with estrogen receptor antagonist tamoxifen. Estriol, a short acting estrogen which cannot induce hyperplastic responses of rodent uterine tissues, also showed an inhibitory effect on 81 and 82 chain mRNA levels, while estrone, an inactive estrogen, failed to influence either 8 chain mRNA levels. Effects of steroids on A chain mRNA level were quite different from those on 8 chains. Laminin A chain mRNA level was slightly increased by estradiol treatment, but negatively affected by progesterone. Progesterone treatment greatly increased both 8 chain mRNA levels, but slightly decreased A chain mRNA level compared to the control. The effect of progesterone on laminin chain-specific mRNA levels was further increased by co-injection of estradiol in a time-dependent manner. Progesterone-induced 81 and 82 chain mRNA transcription was inhibited by RU486, a synthetic anti-progesterone /anti-glucocorticoid. The present study demonstrates for the first time that steroids are able to regulate laminin gene expression in mouse uterine tissues, indicating that steroid-regulated laminin gene expression is involved in uterine growth and probably differentiation.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.233-241
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• 1996

Previous studies have shown that glucocorticoid suppresses microsomal epoxide hydrolase(EH) gene expression and that EH expression is altered during pregnancy. The effects of progesterone on the expression of rat EH and certain glutathione S-transferase(GST) genes were examined in this study. Northern RNA blot analysis revealed that progesterone was effective in increasing hepatic EH mRNA levels at 12 h to 48 h after treatment with a maximal 9-fold increase being noted at 12 h time point. Nonetheless, multiple daily treatment with progesterone rather caused minimal relative increases in EH mRNA levels. GST Ya and Yb1/2 mRNA levels were also transiently elevated at 12 h after progesterone treatment, followed by gradual decreases from the maximal Increases at day 1, 2 and 5 post-treatment. These changes in EH and GST mRNA levels were noted only at a relatively high dose of progesterone. Furthermore, immunoblot analyses showed that rats treated with progesterone for 5 days failed to show EH or GST induction, indicating that progesterone-induced alterations in EH and GST mRNA levels do not reflect bona fide induction of the detoxifying enzymes. Concomitant progesterone treatment of rats with the known EH inducers including ketoconazole and clotrimazole failed to additively nor antagonistically alter EH mRNA levels. In contrast, dexamethasone substantially reduced ketoconazole- or clotrimazole-inducible EH expression. These results showed that progesterone stimulates the EH, GST Ya and Yb1/2 gene expression at early times followed by marked reduction in the RNA levels from the maximum after multiple treatment and that the changes in mRNA do not necessarily reflect induction of the proteins.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.473-477
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• 1993

Both glycerol-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT) and 7.2 kb mRNAs were present at the highest level in liver. Glycerol-phosphate acyltransferase and 7.2 kb mRNA levels increased dramatically when fasted mice were refed a high carbohydrate diet. In mature 3T3-L1 adipocytes, insulin increased both glycerol-phosphate acyltransferase and 7.2kb mRNA levels 2.6 to 3-fold while dibutyryl cAMP decreased mRNA levels by 50% and 80%, respectively. These results indicate positive regulation by insulin and negative regulation by dibutyryl cAMP of both glycerol-phosphate acyltransferase and 7.2 kb mRNA.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.207-214
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• 2010

The tremendous changes of uterine endometrium are observed during early pregnancy and protease and their inhibitors are involved in regulation of cell proliferation and remodeling of the tissues through remodeling the extracellular matrix (ECM). Some of the proteases and protease inhibitors have been suspected to a factor in endometrial changes but many parts of their expression profiles and the physiological roles are not uncovered. To evaluate the functional roles of them, in this study the expression profiles of proteases and protease inhibitors were analyzed using real-time quantitative PCR analysis. Mmp9 (matrix metalloproteinase 9) mRNA levels peaked on day 4 at the time of implantation. On the other hand, Ela2 (neutrophil elastase, NE) mRNA levels were peaked on day 2 of pregnancy. Its expression were decreased until day 4 of pregnancy but increased rapidly until day 7 of pregnancy and decreased again. NE inhibitor Slpi (secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor, SLPI) mRNA levels were related with the implantation stage and with the levels of Ela2. At the time of implantation the expression levels of Slpi mRNA were about 5 times higher than the Ela2 mRNA in the uterus. In the implantation stage embryos, Mmp9 specific mRNA was only detected at the blastocyst. On the other hand, the expression level of SLPI was higher than that of the Ela2 mRNA at blastocyst and 4.5 day p.c. embryos. Based on these results it is suggested that MMP9, SLPI, and NE have important physiological role in embryo implantation both in uterus and embryos.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.184-188
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• 2000

HMG-CoA reductase is th rate-limiting enzyme of cholesterol biosynthesis. As intracellular levels of cholesterol should be regulated elaborately in response to external stimuli an internal needs, the expression of the HMG-CoA reductase gene is regulated intricately at several different levels from transcription to post-translational modification. In this study, we investigated the regulatory mechanism of HMG-CoA reductase gene expression at the post-transcriptional/pre-translational levels in a baby hamster kidney cell line, C100. when 25-hydroxycholesterol was added to cells cultured in medium containing 5% delipidized fetal bovine serum and 25$\mu$M lovastatin, the levels of HMG-CoA reductase mRNA decreased rapidly, which seemed to be due to the increased degradation of reductase mRNA. These suppressive effects of 25-hydroxycholesterol on MG-CoA reductase mRNA levels were blocked by a translation inhibitor, cycloheximide. Similarly, actinomycin D and 5,6-dichloro-1-$\beta$-D-ribofuranosylbenzimidazole, transcription inhibitors, blocked the 25-hydroxycholesterol-mediated degradation of HMG-CoA reductase mRNA. These results indicate that new protein/RNA synthesis is required for the degradation of HMG-CoA reductase mRNA. In addition, data from the transfection experiments shows that cis-acting determinants, regulating the stability of reductase mRNA, were scattered in the sequence corresponding to 1766-4313 based on the sequence of Syrian hamster HMG-CoA reductase cDNA. Our data suggests that sterol-mediated destabilization of reductase mRNA might be one of the important regulatory mechanism of HMG-CoA reductase gene expression.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.231-236
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• 1996

In our previous study (Kim et al, 1991), GLUT 4 protein content correlated negatively with plasma glucose levels in skeletal muscles of STZ-induced diabetic rats. Thus, in this study, to confirm whether expression of GLUT 4 correlate negatively with degree of hyperglycemia, we measured levels of GLUT 4 mRNA in red and white gastrocnemius muscles in STZ-induced mild and severe diabetic rats. Rats were randomly assigned to control, mild, and severe diabetic groups, and the diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal administration of STZ. The experiment was carried out 10 days after STZ administration. Gastrocnemius red and white muscles were used fur the measurement of GLUT 4 expression. Plasma glucose levels of mild and severe diabetic rats were increased compared to control rats (control, mild, and severe diabetes; $6.4{\pm}0.32,\;9.4{\pm}0.68,\;and\;22.0{\pm}0.58$ mmol/L, respectively). Plasma insulin levels of mild and severe diabetic rats were decreased compared to control rats (control, mild, and severe diabetes; $198{\pm}37,\;l14{\pm}14,\;and\;90{\pm}15$ pmol/L, respectively). GLUT 4 mRNA levels of gastrocnemius red muscles in mild and severe diabetic rats were decreased compared to control rats ($64{\pm}1.2%\;and\;71{\pm}2.0%$ of control, respectively), but GLUT 4 mRNA levels in gastrocnemius white muscles were unaltered in diabetic rats. In summary, GLUT 4 mRNA levels were decreased in STZ-induced diabetic rats but did not correlated negatively with degree of hyperglycemia, and this result suggest that the regulatory mechanisms of decreased GLUT 4 mRNA levels are hypoinsulinemia and/or other metabolic factor but not hyperglycemia. And regulation of GLUT 4 expression in STZ-induced diabetes between red and white enriched skeletal muscles may be related to a fiber specific gene regulatory mechanism.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.96-105
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• 2001

Objective : Lithium inhibits the action of inositol monophosphatase(IMPase) in phosphoinositide(PI) signal transduction system at therapeutically relevant concentration. The depletion of inositol by lithium itself cannot explain the lithium's therapeutic effect. However, attention has focused on the abnormality of PI signal transduction system as the pathophysiology of bipolar affective disorder(BPD). We investigated whether IMPase mRNA levels of lymphocytes would be different between BPD patients(n=16) and age, sex-matched normal controls(n=16). We also investigated the change of IMPase mRNA level by lithium during 4 weeks to probe the possibility that IMPase mRNA levels could predict the therapeutic response to lithium and clinical course. Method : Relative IMPase mRNA levels in lymphocyte were quantified by reverse transcriptase(RT)-PCR in sixteen drug-free BPD patients and sex, age-matched normal controls. The psychopathology of patients were measured using YMRS (Young Mania Rating Scale) and CGI(Clinical Global Impression). Results : There was no significant difference in IMPase mRNA levels between BPD patients and normal controls. And the IMPase mRNA levels were not significantly changed by 4 week treatment with lithium. However, the basal IMPase mRNA levels were negatively correlated with the changes of CGI after 4 weeks. Furthermore, the patients with relatively high basal IMPase mRNA levels showed much more improvement during 4 weeks. Conclusions : BPD patients and normal controls were not distinguished by lymphocyte IMPase mRNA level. Although we do not support the hypothesis that lymphocyte IMPase activity would be related with the pathogenesis of BPD and the action of lithium, these data raise the possibility that lymphocyte IMPase mRNA levels could function as a predictor of therapeutic response and clinical course of BPD.

• BMB Reports
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.312-318
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• 2003

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of altering relative intakes of fat and carbohydrates on serum lipid profiles, hepatic acyl-CoA synthetase (ACS), carnitine palmitoyltransferase-I (CPT-I), and the acetyl-CoA carboxlyase (ACC) mRNA level in Sprague-Dawley rats. For four weeks the rats were fed either an AIN-76 diet or one of its modified diets that were supplemented with 20% beef tallow (high-fat diet, HF) and 66.3% sucrose (highsucrose diet, HS). The HS group had significantly higher serum triglyceride and total cholesterol concentrations when compared with the other groups. Serum LDL-cholesterol concentrations in the HS and HF groups were significantly higher when compared to the normal diet (ND) group. Serum HDL-cholesterol levels of the ND and HS groups were significantly higher than those of the HF group. The hepatic total lipid level of the HF group was significantly higher than those of other groups; triglyceride levels of the HS and HF groups were significantly higher than those of the ND group. Hepatic ACS mRNA levels of the HF group were significantly higher than those of the ND group. Hepatic CPT-I mRNA levels were higher in the HF group than other groups. Also, ACC mRNA levels in the liver increased in the HF group. In conclusion, changes in the composition of dietary fat and carbohydrates could affect the hepatic ACS, CPT-I, and ACC mRNA levels. These results facilitate our understanding of the coordinated regulation of the ACS, CPT-I, and ACC mRNA levels and will serve to enhance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that underlie the regulation of fatty acid metabolism.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.245-248
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• 1998

The influence of refeeding either protein, carbohydrate or fat on hepatic insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) mRNA level in chicks which had been fasted for 2 days was examined. The hepatic IGF-I mRNA was measured by ribonuclease protection assay. Fasting reduced hepatic IGF-I mRNA levels to less than half of those in the fed control. When chicks were refed either a control, protein or carbohydrate diet, IGF-I mRNA levels significantly increased to those in the fed control until 2 hours of refeeding. Refeeding of fat did not alter hepatic IGF-I mRNA levels. The significant correlation between liver weight and hepatic IGF-I gene expression suggests that when chicks are refed after 2-d fasting, the acute increase in hepatic IGF-I gene expression brought about after refeeding may be partly regulated by the increase in liver protein metabolism.