No abstract available.
Humans ; Hypogonadism* ; Male*

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Growth Hormone* ; Receptors, Somatotropin*

PURPOSE: Growth hormone(GH) receptors have been detected in Sertoli cells and clinical observations suggested the involvement of GH action(either indirectly via IGF-I or directly) on testicular function. This study is aimed at assessing the effect of GH on cell death during Sertoli cell culture. METHODS: Sertoli cells(TM4, mouse, male, ATCC, USA) were cultured by using DMEM(Dulbecco' Modified Eagle' Medium, Biowhitteker, USA) and Fetal Bovine Serum(10%, GIBCO BRL, USA) with or without human recombinant growth hormone(Eutropin, LGCI, Korea) of different concentrations(10, 50, 100, 500 microgram/mL of media), in 34degress C, 5% CO2 incubator. After cultivation during 5 days, Sertoli cells were examined under light microscope(x400). RESULTS: Number of survival Sertoli cell was remarkably increased in the GH treated(50 microgram/mL in media) group(62.6+/-12.4) compare to control(22.4+/-4.8)(P<0.05). Degree of survival Sertoli cell was increased proportionaly until 50 microgram/mL in concentration of GH in media, but decreased in higher than it. CONCLUSION: GH has the protective effect on death of Sertoli cell and it depends on GH concentration.
Animals ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Cell Death ; Growth Hormone* ; Humans ; Incubators ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; Male ; Mice ; Sertoli Cells

Glutathione S-transferase (28GST) with molecular mass of 28 kDa is an antioxidant enzyme abundant in Clonorchis sinensis. In adult C. sinensis, 28GST was localized in tegumental syncytium, cytons, parenchyma, and sperm tails examined by immunoelectron microscopy. C. sinensis 28GST was earlier found to neutralize bioreactive compounds and to be rich in eggs. Accordingly, it is suggested that 28GST plays important roles in phase II defense system and physiological roles in worm fecundity of C. sinensis.
Animals ; Clonorchis sinensis/*enzymology ; Glutathione Transferase/*metabolism/physiology ; Immunohistochemistry ; Microscopy, Immunoelectron ; Molecular Weight ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

PURPOSE: The growth hormone receptor(GHR) is essential for the actions of growth hormone on postnatal growth and metabolism. GHR transcripts are characterized by the presence of disparate 5'untranslated exons. In contrast to L1 transcript, factors regulating the expression of the GC rich L2 transcript have remained unidentified. The purpose of this study is in order to characterize the mechanisms regulating expression of the L2 transcript in the murine GHR gene METHODS: Transient transfection experiments including deletional analysis and co-transfection assay were performed to find a region containing promoter activity in the L2 5'flanking sequence using BNCL2(mouse liver) cells, CV-1(African green monkey kidney) cells, HRP.1 trophoblasts and Drosophila Schneider(SL2) cells. Sequencing analysis was performed to find the region contained consensus binding sites for transcription factors. Standard gel shift(Electrophoretic mobility shift assay, EMSA) and supershift analysis using liver nuclear extracts was performed to establish proteins(transcription factors) bound this regulatory element. RESULTS: The 5'flanking region of the L2 untranslated region(UTR) exhibited promoter activity in BNCL2(mouse liver), CV-1(monkey kidney) cells and HRP.1 trophoblasts. Deletional analyses indicated the presence of a Sp binding site important for transcription of the L2 UTR and localized the major regulatory region within 75 bp of the 5'transcription start site. Sequencing analyses revealed the region contained consensus binding sites for the Sp family of transcription factors. EMSA and supershift EMSA revealed that in mouse liver nuclear extracts that Spl and Sp3 bound to this cis-element. Functional studies in Drosophila SL2 cells and BNCL2(mouse liver) cells established the ability of Sp3 and Sp1 to stimulate transcriptional activity via this cis-element. Functional studies in Drosophila SL2 cells demonstrated a functional interaction between Sp3 and Sp1 at this DNA-binding site. CONCLUSION: Sp family transcription factors play a role in regulation of L2 transcript gene expression in the 5'flanking region of the murine GHR gene.
Animals ; Binding Sites ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; Consensus ; Drosophila ; Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay ; Exons ; Gene Expression ; Growth Hormone* ; Humans ; Liver ; Metabolism ; Mice ; Receptors, Somatotropin* ; Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid ; Transcription Factors* ; Transfection ; Trophoblasts

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia(CAH) results from an inherited defect in enzymatic steps required to synthesize cortisol from cholesterol. 21-hydroxylase deficiency accounts for 95% cases of CAH. We have analyzed CYP21 genes of CAH by PCR direct sequencing. Our results shows three cases of CAH owing to multiple mutations of CYP21 gene; first case, IVS2AS, A/G, -13, Ile172Asn; second case, IVS2AS, A/G, -13, Ile236Asn, Val237Glu, Met239Lys; third case, Ile172Asn, C to G at 1590nt, Val281Leu, Arg484Pro, G to A at 2697nt. Mutations such as Ile236Asn, Val237Glu, Met239Lys, and Arg484Pro are first noted in Korea.
Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital* ; Cholesterol ; Hydrocortisone ; Korea ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Steroid 21-Hydroxylase

PURPOSE: To investigate the neuroprotective effect of growth hormone(GH) on neuronal cell necrosis and apoptosis at 1 week and 3 weeks after hypoxic ischemic brain injury. METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats, seven-day-old, were used. Rats were anesthetized with ether less than 5 minutes. The right carotid artery was cut between double ligation. And then, rats were allowed to recover for 30 minutes followed by exposure to 8% oxygen at 37 degrees C for 2 hours for hypoxic ischemic insult. The study group was divided into 2 groups, control group(N=3) and GH treated group(N=3). GH treated group received intraperitoneal injection of GH 1 IU 2 hours after hypoxic ischemic insult following daily adminstration as same dose for 5 days. Rats were decapitated at 1 week and 3 weeks after hypoxic ischemic brain injury. After then, right hippocampal CA1 and CA3 neurons of rat brains were examined. RESULTS: Necrosis was significantly less in GH treated group than control group, and was more prominent at 3 weeks in both groups. The apoptosis was not found in GH treated and control group. CONCLUSION: GH has a neuroprotective effect on neuronal cell deaths(especially necrosis) from 1 week to 3 week after hypoxic ischemic insult in neonatal rat.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Brain Injuries* ; Brain* ; Carotid Arteries ; Control Groups ; Ether ; Growth Hormone* ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Ligation ; Necrosis ; Neurons ; Neuroprotective Agents* ; Oxygen ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Pneumocystis carinii causes serious pulmonary infection in immunosuppressed patients. This study was undertaken to observe the cytoskeletal proteins of P. carinii by immuno-electron microscopy. P. carinii infection was experimentally induced by immunosuppression of Sprague-Dawley rats for seven weeks, and their lungs were used for the observations of this study. The gold particles localized actin, tropomyosin, and tubulin. The actin was irregularly scattered in the cytoplasm of the trophic forms but was much more concentrated in the inner space of the cell wall of the cystic forms called the inner electron-lucent layer. No significant amount of tropomyosin was observed in either trophic forms or cystic forms. The tubulin was distributed along the peripheral cytoplasm and filopodia of both the trophic and cystic forms rather than in the inner side of the cytoplasm. Particularly, in the cystic forms, the amount of tubulin was increased and located mainly in the inner electron-lucent layer of the cell wall where the actin was concentrated as well. The results of this study showed that the cell wall of P. carinii cystic forms is a structure whose inner side is rich in actin and tubulin. The location of the actin and tubulin in P. carinii suggests that the main role of these proteins is an involvement in the protection of cystic forms from the outside environment by maintaining rigidity of the cystic forms.
Actins/analysis ; Animals ; Cytoskeletal Proteins/*analysis ; Fungal Proteins/*analysis ; Histocytochemistry ; Microscopy, Immunoelectron ; Pneumocystis/*chemistry/cytology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Tropomyosin/analysis ; Tubulin/analysis

The reservoir hosts of Thelazia callipaeda were examined. The eyes of the 76 dogs raised at farm, 78 military dogs (shepherds), 96 cattle, and 105 pigs were investigated for the presence of eyeworm. Among them, six worms of T. callipaeda were collected from two dogs raised at farm (2.7%), and 188 worms from 26 shepherds (33.5%). No worms were recovered from the cattle or pigs. These results suggest that the dogs, especially the military dogs are serving as a reservoir host of T. callipaeda. in Korea.
Animals ; Cattle ; Disease Reservoirs/*veterinary ; Dog Diseases/epidemiology/*parasitology ; Dogs ; Eye/parasitology ; Female ; *Host-Parasite Interactions ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male ; Prevalence ; Spirurida Infections/epidemiology/parasitology/*veterinary ; Swine ; Thelazioidea/*isolation & purification