• Journal of Genetic Medicine
• /
• v.2 no.1
• /
• pp.31-34
• /
• 1998

The N-methylpurine-DNA glycosylase (MPG), a ubiquitous DNA repair enzyme, removes N-methylpurine and other damaged purines induced in DNA. Tissue-specific mRNA levels of the N-methylpurine-DNA glycosylase (MPG) were investigated in Balb/c mice of four different growing stages; newborn, 1, 4 and 8-weeks postpartum. MPG expressions in the newborn and the 8-week-old mice were the highest in thymus and testis, respectively. The tested tissues of the newborn mice had consistently higher MPG mRNA level than 8-week-old adults except in testis and thymus. The MPG mRNA level in testis was the lowest in the newborn mice, but it attained the highest in the 8-week-old mice. The levels of MPG mRNA among the different tissues in the newborn and the 8-week-old mice were more than 9.0 and 19.0-fold respectively. These results suggest that the of MPG expression was dependent on the growing stage and had tissue-specificity.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.137-140
• /
• 1995

The pufferfish Takifugu obscurus (hwang-bok) was examined for toxicity. Forty-six specimens, which had Gaught at the Imjin River in 1992 and 1993, Korea, were collected and assayed for anatomical distribution of toxicity by the mouse assay method. Ovary and liver showed very strong toxicity, testis, intestine, gall bladder and spleen did moderate toxicity, muscles and skin did weak toxicity, and blood was non-toxic. The results of this study were different from those of Tani, who had examined the toxicity in 19 species of pufferfish, in terms of toxicity in testis, muscle, and skin. The toxicity of testis and muscle had been known to be non-toxic or weakly toxic previously, however, they were known to have weak or moderate toxicity. Therefore, careful attention should be taken to prevent food poisoning by pufferfish ingestion.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
• /
• 2003.06a
• /
• pp.21-21
• /
• 2003

Male germ cell apoptosis has been extensively explored in rodent. In contrast, very little is known about their susceptibility to apoptosis stimuli of developing germ cell stages at the time when germ cell depletion after busulfan treatment occurs. Furthermore, it is still unanswered how spermatogonial stem cells are resistant to busulfan treatment. We examined the change of gene expression in detail using cDNA microarray analysis of mouse testis treated with busulfan. A subtoxic dose of busulfan (40mg/kg of body weight) transiently increased 228 mRNA levels among of the 8000 genes analyzed. TagMan analysis confirmed that the mRNA levels such as defensive protein, support protein, enzymatic protein, transport protein, and hormonal protein were rapidly increased. These results were re-confirmed by real-time PCR analysis. However, the expression levels of these genes induced by busulfan treatment were significantly reduced in control testis, indicating that both of male germ cells and somatic cells after busulfan treatment induces self-defense mechanism for protection of testicular cell death. Among them, we conclude that defense proteins play a key role in testis injury induced by busulfan.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.39 no.5
• /
• pp.537-545
• /
• 2006

CMTM/CKLFSF is a novel family of proteins linking chemokines and TM4SF. In humans, these proteins are encoded by nine genes, CKLF and CMTM1-8/CKLFSF1-8. Here we report the characteristics and expression profile of CMTM3/CKLFSF3. Human CMTM3/CKLFSF3 has a high sequence identity among various species and similar characteristics as its mouse and rat homologues. Established by results both of RT-PCR and Quantitative Real-time PCR, the gene is highly transcribed in testis, leukocytes and spleen. For further verification, we generated a polyclonal antibody against human CMTM3/CKLFSF3 and found that the protein is highly expressed in the testis and some cells of PBMCs. Therefore, CMTM3/CKLFSF3 is an evolutionarily conserved gene that may have important roles in the male reproductive system and immune system. Further studies are necessary to validate its functions in the two systems.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.317-321
• /
• 2008

Members of the large family of Asb proteins are ubiquitously expressed in mammalian tissues; however, the roles of individual Asb and their function in the developmental testes have not been reported. In this report, we isolated a murine Asb4 from mouse testis. Northern blot analysis revealed that mAsb-4 was expressed only in testes and produced in a stage-specific manner during spermatogenesis. It was expressed in murine testes beginning in the fourth week after birth and extending into adulthood. Pachytene spermatocytes had the highest level of expression. Interestingly, the human homologue of mAsb-4, ASB-4 (hASB-4) was also expressed in human testis. These results suggest that ASB-4 plays pivotal roles in mammalian testis development and spermatogenesis.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.131-140
• /
• 2001

Objective: To know the effects of xenoestrogen on spermatogenesis, we investigated the expression of cytochrome P450s enzymes (CYPscc, $CYP_{17{\alpha}}$, CYP19) and $3{\beta}$-HSD genes involved in steroidogenesis. Methods: Mouse testicular cells were prepared from 15-day-old ICR mice which had only pre-meiotic germ cells by enzyme digestion using collagenase and trypsin. Testicular cells were cultured in DMEM supplemented with FSH (0.1 IU/ml) and 10% FBS or medium with estrogen ($E_2$), bisphenol-A (BPA), octylphenol (OP; $10^{-9},\;10^{-7},\;10^{-6},\;10^{-5},\;10^{-4}M$, respectively) and aroclor 1254 (A1254) known as PCBs for 48 hours. The gene expression of cytochrome P450 enzymes were examined by semi-quantitive RT-PCR. The production of estrogen and testosterone was examined by RIA. Results: As results, expression of CYPscc mRNA was not significantly decreased, but $3{\beta}$-HSD and $CYP_{17{\alpha}}$. mRNA were significantly dose-dependent decreased. And production of testosterone and estrogen were not different except BPA and OP group ($10^{-5}M$). Conclusion: BPA, OP and A1254 might inhibit steroidogenesis by decreasing CYPscc, $3{\beta}$-HSD and $CYP_{17{\alpha}}$. mRNA expression in the mouse testis. These results suggest that BPA, OP and PCBs like as an endocrine disruptors inhibit the productions of steroidogenic enzymes and decrease the production of T and E by negative feedback mechanism. Therefore, these might disrupt steroidogenesis in Leydig cells of testis and would disturb testicular function and subsequently impair spermatogenesis.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
• /
• v.36 no.3
• /
• pp.155-161
• /
• 2012

Germ cell-specific hyaluronidases such as sperm adhesion molecule 1 (SPAM1) and hyaluronoglucosaminidase 5 (Hyal5) are in part responsible for dispersal of the cumulus cell mass, which is a critical step in establishing fertilization in mammals. In this study, we identified two testis-hyaluronidases, SPAM1 and Hyal5, in hamster and rat. These two genes were expressed specifically in the testis. At the protein level, hamster SPAM1 and Hyal5 display 78.7% and 75.4% identity with mouse SPAM1 and Hyal5. Further, the activity of the enzymes with respect to cumulus cell dispersion did not differ, although we observed that the enzymatic activity differed in pH range. These studies suggest that different sperm hyaluronidases are capable of dispersing the cumulus cell mass despite differences in enzyme activity.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.13 no.4
• /
• pp.305-311
• /
• 2007

cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) is the best-characterized protein kinases and has served as a model of the structure and regulation of cAMP-binding protein as well as of protein kinases. To determine the function of PKA in development, we employed the yeast two-hybrid system to screen for catalytic subunit of PKA $(C\alpha)$ interacting partners in a cDNA library from mouse embryo. A Testis-brain RNA-binding protein (TB-RBP), specifically bound to $C\alpha$. This interaction was verified by several biochemical analysis. Our findings indicate that $C\alpha$ can modulate nucleic acid binding proteins of TB-RBP and provide insights into the diverse role of PKA.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.57 no.4
• /
• pp.16.1-16.7
• /
• 2015

A well-characterized sperm specific protein of the Member of immunoglobulin superfamily, IZUMO1, has crucial role in fertilization by mediating sperm binding to the egg plasma membrane in the mouse. However little is known about IZUMO1 in bovine. Here, we describe the molecular cloning and expression analysis of bovine IZUMO1 (bIZUMO1). RT-PCR and Western blot analysis of the bovine tissues indicated that bIZUMO1 was specifically expressed in the testis and sperm, Furthermore, the result of our biotinylation assay from ejaculated bovine sperm strongly suggest the assumption that bIZUMO1 is localized on the cell surface. These data imply the potential role of bovine IZUMO1 in mammalian fertilization.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
• /
• v.38 no.1
• /
• pp.17-25
• /
• 2023

Brassica oleracea var. italica (broccoli) is a type of cabbage that contains vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. Consequently, it is used as a potential nutraceutical source for improving human health by reducing oxidative stress and inflammatory responses. Here, the effects of broccoli sprout extract (BSE) on the inflammatory response were investigated through lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory mouse models. First, we found that the BSE obviously reduce NO production in RAW 264.7 cells in response to LPS stimulation in in vitro study. Pretreatment with BSE administration improved sperm motility and testicular cell survivability in LPS-induced endotoxemic mice. Additionally, BSE treatment decreased the levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-a, IL-1β, and IL-6, and COX-2 in testis of LPS-induced endotoxemic mice models. In conclusion, BSE could be a potential nutraceutical for preventing the excessive immune related infertility.