• 한국동물생명공학회지
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• 제36권2호
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• pp.82-90
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• 2021

In the present study, we examined if deep uterine artificial insemination (DUAI) can improve the pregnancy rate of artificial insemination (AI) using epididymal spermatozoa (ES) in Hanwoo cattle. The estrus cycles of 88 Hanwoo cows were synchronized, and 17 cows were artificially inseminated using the DUAI method with ES, 20 cows were artificially inseminated via the uterine body (BUAI) method with ES, and as a control, 51 cows were inseminated by using the BUAI method with ejaculated spermatozoa from 1 proven bull after frozen thawing. The pregnancy rate of the DUAI method (58.8%) was higher than that of the BUAI method (25.0%, p = 0.0498). The motility of ES was examined immediately after thawing and after 3 and 6 h of incubation. The rapid progressive sperm motility of the control group was significantly higher than that of the ES group immediately after thawing and after 3 and 6 h of incubation (p < 0.05). The straight line velocity and average path velocity of the ES group after 6 h of incubation were significantly lower than those in the control group (p < 0.05). The linearity and amplitude of lateral head of ES were lower than those at 6 h (p < 0.05). The flagellar beat cross frequency and hyperactivation of ES were lower than the control spermatozoa immediately after thawing and at 3 h (p < 0.05). These motility parameters suggested that ES had a low motility and fertilization ability compared to the control spermatozoa. After frozen-thawing and 3 h of incubation, the percentage of live spermatozoa with intact acrosomes in the ES was significantly lower than that in ejaculated spermatozoa (p < 0.05). Our findings suggested that the DUAI method can overcome the low pregnancy rate of ES, despite the low motility, viability, and fertilization ability of ES.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제50권3호
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• pp.177-184
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• 2023

Objective: Reconstructed oocytes after polar body genome transfer constitute a potential therapeutic option for patients with a history of embryo fragmentation and advanced maternal age. However, the rescue of genetic material from the first polar body (PB1) through introduction into the donor cytoplasm is not yet ready for clinical application. Methods: Eighty-five oocytes were obtained following in vitro maturation (IVM) and divided into two groups: PB1 nuclear transfer (PB1NT; n=54) and control (n=31). Following enucleation and PB1 genomic transfer, PB1 fusion was assessed. Subsequently, all fused oocytes underwent intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and were cultured in an incubator under a time-lapse monitoring system to evaluate fertilization, embryonic morphokinetic parameters, and cleavage patterns. Results: Following enucleation and fusion, 77.14% of oocytes survived, and 92.59% of polar bodies (PBs) fused. However, the normal fertilization rate was lower in the PB1NT group than in the control group (56.41% vs. 92%, p=0.002). No significant differences were observed in embryo kinetics between the groups, but a significant difference was detected in embryo developmental arrest after the four-cell stage, along with abnormal cleavage division in the PB1NT group. This was followed by significant between-group differences in the implantation potential rate and euploidy status. Most embryos in the PB1NT group had at least one abnormal cleavage division (93.3%, p=0.001). Conclusion: Fresh PB1NT oocytes successfully produced normal zygotes following PB fusion and ICSI in IVM oocytes. However, this was accompanied by low efficiency in developing into cleavage embryos, along with an increase in abnormal cleavage patterns.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제41권4호
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• pp.578-588
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• 2017

Background: Elevated testicular temperature disrupts spermatogenesis and causes infertility. In the present study, the protective effect of enzymatically biotransformed Panax ginseng Meyer by pectinase (GINST) against chronic intermittent heat stress-induced testicular damage in rats was investigated. Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats (4 wk old, 60-70 g) were divided into four groups: normal control (NC), heat-stress control (HC), heat-stress plus GINST-100 mg/kg (HG100), and heat-stress plus GINST-200 mg/kg (HG200) treatment groups. Each dose of GINST (100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg) was mixed separately with a regular pellet diet and was administered orally for 24 wk. For inducing heat stress, rats in the NC group were maintained at $25^{\circ}C$, whereas rats in the HC, HG100, and HG200 groups were exposed to $32{\pm}1^{\circ}C$ for 2 h daily for 6 mo. At week 25, the testes and serum from each animal were analyzed for various parameters. Results: Significant (p < 0.01) changes in the sperm kinematic values and blood chemistry panels were observed in the HC group. Furthermore, spermatogenesis-related molecules, sex hormone receptors, and selected antioxidant enzyme expression levels were also altered in the HC group compared to those in the NC group. GINST (HS100 and HS200) administration significantly (p < 0.05) restored these changes when compared with the HC group. For most of the parameters tested, the HG200 group exhibited potent effects compared with those exhibited by the HG100 group. Conclusion: GINST may be categorized as an important medicinal herb and a potential therapeutic for the treatment of male subfertility or infertility caused by hyperthermia.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제26권1호
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• pp.89-96
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• 1999

당뇨병은 생식내분비 조직의 구조나 기능 변화를 유발하여 호르몬 합성 및 분비량의 변화를 야기하고, 정자의 운동성 등에 영향을 미치는 것으로 알려져 왔다. 그러나 부정소와 수정관내 정자의 농도 변화나 수정능력 획득 및 침체반응에 미치는 영향은 잘 알려져 있지 않다. 본 실험에서는 Wistar 쥐에 streptozotocin을 투여하여 당뇨병을 유발시킨 후 3일과 14일에 부정소 각 부위와 수정관내 정자 농도 변화를 조사하고 부정소 꼬리와 수정관내 정자의 침체반응 유도 실험 (acrosome reaction to ionophore challenge test, ARIC test)을 이용하여 정자의 수정 능력을 평가하였다. Streptozotocin을 주사한 후 혈액내 인슐린 및 포도당 농도는 당뇨병 경과 기간이 길어짐에 따라 반비례 관계를 보였다. 부정소 머리와 몸통내 정자의 농도는 3일군에서부터 감소하기 시작하나 꼬리에서는 14일군 $(15.2{\pm}2.1)$에서 대조군 $(28.1{\pm}4.0)$이나 3일군에 $(24.8{\pm}2.9)$비해 유의하게 감소하였다. 수정관내 절자 농도는 14일군이 $0.025{\pm}0.013$으로 대조군과 $(0.108{\pm}0.03)$ 3일군에 $(0.067{\pm}0.046)$ 비해 유의하게 감소하였으며, 3일군도 대조군에 비해 유의한 차이를 보였다. 자발적 첨체반응율은 대조군의 부정소 꼬리정자는 $37.1{\pm}2.4$이고 수정관내 정자는 $49.3{\pm}2.4$로 두 부위간 유의한 차이를 보였다. 3일군과 14일군의 부정소 꼬리와 수정관내 정자의 자발적 첨체반응율은 대조군에 비해 유의하게 증가하였다. 한편 14일군의 수정관내 정자의 자발적 첨체반응율은 대조군이나 3일군에 비해 유의하게 증가하였다. ARIC test 결과 대조군과 3일군에서는 20%이상 차이를 보였으나 14일군에서는 약 8.4% 차이를 보였다. 위의 결과가 부정소의 성숙 조절기능 이상 또는 정자형성 이상에 기인한 것인지는 더 연구되어야 하나 당뇨병 병력이 길어짐에 따라 정자의 수적인 감소, 자발적 침체반응의 증가나 침체반응의 약화가 유발되어 생식능력의 감소 원인으로 작용하는 것으로 사료된다.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제34권4호
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• pp.305-312
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• 2007

목 적: 본 연구에서는 일반적인 체외수정과 세포질내 정자주입술을 병행하여 시행하는 분할 수정법의 효용성을 정상적인 정자 소견을 나타내는 비남성요인 불임 환자의 체외수정 및 배아이식술에서 살펴보고자 하였다. 연구방법: 제일병원 아이소망센터에서 정자 소견상 결함이 없는 비남성요인 불임 환자에게 분할 수정법을 이용한 505주기의 임상 결과를 후향적으로 분석하였다. 획득된 난자는 무작위로 나누어 일반적인 체외수정이나 세포질내 정자주입술을 이용하여 수정을 시켰다. 수정란은 이식할 때까지 2$\sim$5일간 배양하였고, 잉여의 수정란과 배아는 동결보관하여 동결-융해 이식에 사용하였다. 수정 방법에 따른 임상 결과를 통계학적인 방법으로 비교하였다. 결 과: 획득된 난자의 수정율은 분할 수정법을 시행하였을 때 일반적인 체외수정보다 세포질내 정자주입술에서 통계적으로 유의하게 높게 나타났다 (52.9$\pm$28.0% vs 62.5$\pm$22.3%, p<0.01). 전체적인 수정의 실패는 분할 수정법을 시행한 505주기 중에서 단지 2주기에서만 (0.4%) 나타났으며, 수정 실패와 0$\sim$30% 이하의 수정률을 나타내는 빈도는 세포질내 정자주입술에서 일반적인 체외수정보다 통계적으로 유의하게 낮았다 (1.1% and 7.5% vs 8.5% and 22.0%, p<0.01). 분할 수정주기에서의 신선 배아와 동결-융해 배아이식 후 분만율은 각각 40.0% (185/462)와 35.0% (55/157)였으며, 일반적인 체외수정이나 세포질내 정 자주입술로 얻어진 배아의 착상률과 분만율은 유의적인 차이가 나타나지 않았다. 결 론: 결론적으로 비남성요인 불임 환자의 보조생식술에서 분할 수정법이 수정 실패와 낮은 수정율을 방지하고 성공적인 임상 결과를 제공할 수 있는 효과적인 방법으로 사료된다.

• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제32권3호
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• pp.227-233
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• 2017

Pig has been known to be one of the most feasible animals as a bioreactor to produce pharmaceuticals in milk and as a mediator in xenotransplantation research. Previously, we generated transgenic pigs for both purposes, which were expressing Factor 8, vWF, hTPA, and hEPO in milk, along with expression of MCP at GalT gene locus ($GalT^{-MCP/-MCP}$) as well as expressing MCP at GalT gene loci with CD73 expression ($GalT^{-MCP/+}/CD73$). In this study, we performed comparative analyses of sperm parameters between wild type male (WT) pig and those transgenic males to examine the effects of transgenes integrated into the pigs on motility, morphology, viability, and acrosome integrity of the spermatozoa. Our results showed that the rates of actively motile spermatozoa of WT, Factor 8, vWF, hTPA, hEPO, $GalT^{-MCP/+}/CD73$, and $GalT^{-MCP/-MCP}$ pigs were 85.0%, 83.3%, 82.5%, 83.3%, 82.5%, 77.5%, and 78.7%, respectively. Whereas, the rates of morphologically normal spermatozoa of WT, Factor 8, vWF, hTPA, hEPO, $GalT^{-MCP/+}/CD73$, and $GalT^{-MCP/-MCP}$ pigs were 90.0%, 80.0%, 80.0%, 83.3%, 85.0%, 91.8%, and 80.8%, respectively. In addition, the viability in spermatozoa of WT, Factor 8, vWF, hTPA, hEPO, $GalT^{-MCP/+}/CD73$, and $GalT^{-MCP/-MCP}$ pigs were 93.9%, 82.4%, 89.9%, 83.9%, 87.4%, 92.8%, and 83.6%, respectively. The rates of spermatozoa with normal acrosome integrity in WT, Factor 8, vWF, hTPA, hEPO, $GalT^{-MCP/+}/CD73$, and $GalT^{-MCP/-MCP}$ pigs were 98.1%, 98.6%, 98.6%, 98.7%, 98.1%, 99.5%, and 95.1%, respectively. There were no significant differences in motility, morphology, viability, and acrosome integrity of the spermatozoa among WT, Factor 8, vWF, hTPA, and hEPO, $GalT^{-MCP/+}/CD73$, and $GalT^{-MCP/-MCP}$ pigs. These mean that neither random integration nor targeted integration of the transgene into chromosome of pig effect on characteristics of spermatozoa. Ultimately, the transgenic male pigs subjected in this study could apply to propagate their progenies for production of human therapeutic proteins and advancing the xenotransplantation research.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제46권4호
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• pp.173-177
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• 2019

Objective: We investigated the clinical characteristics of men with testosterone replacement therapy (TRT)-induced hypogonadism and its effect on assisted reproductive technology (ART) in infertile couples. Methods: This study examined the records of 20 consecutive male patients diagnosed with azoospermia or severe oligozoospermia (< 5 × 10⁶/mL) who visited a single infertility center from January 2008 to July 2018. All patients were treated at a primary clinic for erectile dysfunction or androgen deficiency symptoms combined with low serum testosterone. All men received a phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor and TRT with testosterone undecanoate (Nebido^®) or testosterone enanthate (Jenasteron^®). Patients older than 50 years or with a chronic medical disease such as diabetes were excluded. Results: The mean age of patients was 37 years and the mean duration of infertility was 16.3 ± 11.6 months. At the initial presentation, eight patients had azoospermia, nine had cryptozoospermia, and three had severe oligozoospermia. Serum follicle-stimulating hormone levels were below 1.0 mIU/mL in most patients. Three ongoing ART programs with female factor infertility were cancelled due to male spermatogenic dysfunction; two of these men had normal semen parameters in the previous cycle. After withholding TRT, serum hormone levels and sperm concentrations returned to normal range after a median duration of 8 months. Conclusion: TRT with high-dose testosterone can cause spermatogenic dysfunction due to suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis, with adverse effects on infertility treatment programs. TRT is therefore contraindicated for infertile couples attempting to conceive, and the patient's desire for fertility must be considered before initiation of TRT in a hypogonadal man.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제31권8호
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• pp.1119-1126
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• 2018

Objective: Present investigation was aimed to study the Single Nucleotide Variants of the luteinizing hormone beta ($LH{\beta}$) gene and to analyze their association with the semen quality (fresh and post-thawed frozen semen) and luteinizing hormone (LH) concentrations in Murrah buffalo bulls. Methods: Polymerase chain reaction-single stranded conformational polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) and Sanger sequencing method is used to study genetic variability in $LH{\beta}$ gene. LH assay was carried out using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. A fixed general linear model was used to analyze association of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of $LH{\beta}$ gene with semen quality in 109 and LH concentrations in 80 Murrah bulls. Results: $LH{\beta}$ gene was found to be polymorphic. Total six SNPs were identified in $LH{\beta}$ gene g C356090A, g C356113T, g A356701G, g G355869A, g G356330C, and g G356606T. Single Stranded Conformational Polymorphism variants of pattern 2 of exon 1+pattern 2 of exon 2+pattern 1 of exon 3 had highly significant (p<0.01) effect on sperm concentration (million/mL), percent mass motility, acrosome integrity and membrane integrity in fresh and frozen semen whereas significant (p<0.05) effect was observed on percent live spermatozoa. SSCP variants of pattern 2 of exon 1+pattern 2 of exon 2+pattern 1 of exon 3 had highly significant (p<0.01) effect on luteinizing hormone concentrations too. Conclusion: The observed association between SSCP variants of $LH{\beta}$ gene with semen quality parameters and LH concentrations indicated the possibilities of using $LH{\beta}$ as a candidate gene for identification of markers for semen quality traits and LH concentrations in Murrah buffaloes.

• 대한한방부인과학회지
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• 제27권1호
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• pp.120-139
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• 2014

Objectives: The tendency of experimental studies on the male infertility was analyzed through focusing on domestic theses for a degree to indicate the hereafter direction for its study in oriental herbal medicine. Methods: 35 domestic theses for a degree published after 2003 were analyzed. And theses were classified by year, study design, degree and subjects. Results: The followings are the results of this study. 1. 35 theses were reviewed. 11 master dissertations and 24 doctorate dissertations 2. In the annual publishing tendency, the number of theses began to increase from 2003 and the theses have been published actively from 2005. 3. Classified by study design, 19 in vitro & in vivo and 16 in vitro experimental studies were performed. 4. In the medication and prescription, the studies with single medication were 32, and prescription were 3. In the studies with single medication, four studies on Ginseng Radix (人蔘) were the most. 5. In theses related to single medication, BoYang-Yak was most prefered, followed BoYeum-Yak, BoKi-Yak, SabJung-ChukNyo-JiDae-Yak. 6. Analysed 35 theses by subject, concentrational experiments were 23, periodical experiment were 3, concentrational & periodical experiment was 1. 7. In theses related to herb medication, the themes were Body & testicular weight, sperm parameters, testosterone level, CREM mRNA level & CREM protein, seminiferous tubule and antioxidant activity. 8. Related to herb medication's antioxidant activity efficacy were 7 theses. Conclusions: If there are more diverse studies on medication, prescription, external treatment methods and experiment methods in the future, this will be very helpful for the clinical treatment of male infertility.