Recent studies clearly demonstrated that the novel expression of LH gene in the rat testis, and suggested the local action of the LH-like molecule. The present study was performed to analyze the expression of the LH genes in the rat accessory reproductive organs. Expression of LH subunit genes in the rat uterus and epididymis was demonstrated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and specific LH radioimmunoassay (RIA). The LHbeta transcripts in these organs contained the published cDNA structure, the pituitary type exons 1-3, which encoded the entire LHbeta/ polypeptide. Presence of the transcripts for the alpha-subunit in the rat reproductive tissues were also confirmed by RT-PCR. In the LH RIA, significant levels of LH were detected in crude extracts from the rat ovary, uterus and epididymis. The competition cuties with increasing amount of tissue extracts were parallel with those of standard peptide, indicating that the immunoreactive LH-like materials in these tissues are similar to authentic pituitary LH molecule. In rat epididymis, the highest amount of immunoreactive LH was detected in corpus area. Our findings demonstrated that the genes for LH subunits are expressed in the rat accessory reproductive organs, and suggested that these extrapituitary LH may act as a local regulator with auto and/or paracrine manner.
Animals ; Complex Mixtures ; DNA, Complementary ; Epididymis* ; Exons ; Female ; Lutein* ; Luteinizing Hormone* ; Male ; Ovary ; Radioimmunoassay ; Rats* ; Testis ; Tissue Extracts ; Uterus*

Steroid hormone is known to cause the dynamic changes of mammalian uterus during reproductive cycle. However there is little information about the effect of estrogen (E) and progesterone (P) on the expression of various transcription factors involved in gene expression. Thus the present study was designed to demonstrate E and/or P-induced expression of c-Fos, CREB, ATF and HSP70 in rat uterus. Rats, ovariectomized (OVX) for two weeks, were divided into 6 experimental groups, 1) OVX, 2) OVX+V, 3) OVX+E, 4) OVX+P, 5) OVX+E+V, 6) OVX+E+P, and western blotting assay for nuclear extract and immunohistochemical staining were carried out for each experimental group. Treatment of E (10microgram) showed to increase the expression of c-Fos, CREB, ATF, and HSP70, and maximal expression was occured at 3~6 hr after E administration. P (1mg) also increased, but much less than E, the expression of c-Fos, ATF, and HSP70. However, P did not reveal any effect on the expression CREB. P treatment 4 hr after E injection decreased c-Fos, CREB, and ATF expression, but did not show any change in the E-induced HSP70 expression. In immunohistochemical study c-Fos-, CREB-, and ATF-immunoreactivities were conficed to the cells of luminal epithelium of uterine endometrium. These results suggest that proliferation and differentiation of rat uterus during reproductive cycle may mediated via expression of transcription factors, such as c-Fos, CREB, ATF, and HSP70.
Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Endometrium ; Epithelium ; Estrogens ; Female ; Gene Expression ; Phenobarbital ; Progesterone ; Rats* ; Transcription Factors ; Uterus*

SUMMARY: Steroid hormone is known to cause the dynamic changes of mammalian uterus during reproductive cycle, which are modulated via hypothalamus-pituitary -gonad reproductive endocrine axis. Although there were so many studies about estrogenic regulation of uterine growth and differentiation. There is little information about the effect of estrogen on the expression of various transcription factors involved in gene expression. Thus the present study was designed to demonstrate E induced expression of c-fos, c-jun, hsp25 mRNA in rat uterus. Employing Northern blot analysis, we studied the temporal expressions of c-fos, c-jun, and hsp25 messenger RNAs (mNAs) elicited by a single 17beta-estradiol(E) treatment in the uteri of bilaterally ovariectomized adult rats. c-fos, c-jun, and hsp25 mRNA levels were increased and peaked at 3 h after E administration, and then c-fos and c-jun mRNA levels were rapidly decreased to basal control level while, increased hsp25 mRNA levels were sustained till 12 h post E treatment. To test the estrogenic effect on the increase of c-fos, c-jun, and hsp25 mRNA levels, we also examined the effects of antiestrogen (tamoxifen). Pretreatment with tamoxifen effectively blocked the E-induced increase of c-fos, c-jun, and hsp25 mRNA levels at 3 h post E treatment. Present results suggest that transient increase of c-fos and c-jun protooncogene mRNA at the early time and simultaneous expression of hsp25 mRNA contribute to the response of uterine tissues to E in adult female rats.
Adult ; Animals ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Blotting, Northern ; Estradiol* ; Estrogen Receptor Modulators ; Estrogens ; Female ; Gene Expression ; Heat-Shock Proteins* ; Hot Temperature* ; Humans ; Rats* ; RNA, Messenger* ; Tamoxifen ; Transcription Factors ; Uterus*

Previous studies by others have shown that administration of hypertonic saline (HS) induces c-fos expression in rat brain and old fibroblast cells are defective in transcription of c-fos in response to serum. The present immunohisto-chemical studies were undertaken to determine 1) the time that c-fos is expressed during the postnatal development of rat brain and 2) if there is aging-related change of c-fos expression in the osmoresponsive neurons after osmotic stimulus. Fos-like immunoreactivity (FLI) in response to HS treatment began to be detected dramatically at postnatal day (P) 14 in hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN), supraoptic nucleus (SON), and organum vasculosum lamina terminalis (OVLT). Intensity of FLI and number of Fos immunoreactive cells induced by HS were substantially reduced as rats age. Our data demonstrate for the first time that c-fos induction is decreased in aging-dependent manner and the time of c-fos induction during postnatal development is coincided with the status of differentiation in rat brain. We will interpret these findings in relation to synaptogenesis, and maturation or disability of signal transduction pathways in osmoresponsive neurons in rat brain.
Aging* ; Animals ; Brain ; Fibroblasts ; Hypothalamus ; Neurons* ; Osmoregulation* ; Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus ; Rats* ; Signal Transduction ; Supraoptic Nucleus

Previous studies have shown that hypertonic saline induces c-fos expression in the magnocellular neurons of rat hypothalamus. The present immunohistochemical double-labeling study was undertaken to determine the identification of magnocellular neurons expressing c-Fos in response to osmotic stimulus. Hypertonic saline induced c-Fos-like immunoreactivity (FLI) in various regions of hypothalamus in addition to supraoptic nucleus (SON) and paraventricular nucleus (PVN). FLI was detected in most of oxytocin neurons in the preoptic region and in the accessory nuclei located between the PVN and SON as well as in the SON and PVN. In particular, most of all oxytocin neurons in the accessory nuclei were labeled for c-Fos. There were also many FLI cells that did not show oxytocin and vasopressin immunore-acitivity in their cytoplasm. Relative frequencies of oxytocin and vasopressin neuronal responses showed that much more cells of oxytocin than vasopressin were induced to express c-fos in response to hypertonic saline. These data show that both oxytocin and vasopressin neurons are sensitive to osmotic stimulus and activated via expression of c-Fos by hypertonic saline.
Animals ; Cytoplasm ; Hypothalamus ; Neurons* ; Oxytocin ; Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus ; Rats ; Supraoptic Nucleus ; Vasopressins

Acute appendicitis is one of the most common surgical diseases. However, diagnosis is often delayed due to atypical manifestations of appendicitis. Delayed diagnosis causes complications such as perforation, wound infection, abscess, and peritonitis. Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) complicated by perforated appendicitis is extremely rare and can be fatal. Herein, we report the case of an elderly woman presenting with NF of the right leg due to hidden perforated appendicitis. She had multiple medical diseases and initially complained of right leg pain for 3 days without any abdominal symptoms or signs. Her vital signs became unstable on the second day after admission. Computed tomography showed deep NF of the right leg extending from the perforated appendicitis. Emergency surgery was performed after appropriate resuscitation, but she failed to recover from sepsis and died 42 days after surgery.
Abscess ; Aged ; Appendicitis* ; Delayed Diagnosis ; Diagnosis ; Emergencies ; Fasciitis, Necrotizing* ; Female ; Humans ; Leg ; Peritonitis ; Resuscitation ; Sepsis ; Thigh* ; Vital Signs ; Wound Infection

Twenty-six renal allograft biopsies which showed acute rejection and had renal capsule and medulla in the same specimen were selected in order to compare the severity of acute rejection between superficial cortex, deep cortex and medulla. Disregarding the mid cortical region, the superficial cortex was considered as being one-third of the distance from the renal capsule to the medulla and the deep cortex as being that one-third of the cortex which was adjacent to the medulla. Using semiquantitative histologic analysis the following parameters were compared in superficial cortex, deep cortex, and medulla: interstitial inflammation, edema, tubulitis, and acute tubulointerstitial rejection grade. Also, the presence of lymphocyte activation and polymorphonuclear leukocytes was evaluated. Significantly greater histologic changes of acute rejection were found in the deep cortex vs. superficial cortex for the following parameters: interstitial inflammation(P=0.013), edema (P= 0.023) and tubulointerstitial rejection grade(P=0.016). These findings support the view that biopsies in which deep cortex is not included may result in underestimation of the severity of renal allograft rejection.
Allografts* ; Biopsy* ; Edema ; Graft Rejection ; Inflammation ; Kidney Transplantation ; Lymphocyte Activation ; Neutrophils

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the association of work-related musculoskeletal neck symptom and occupational risk factors, and to identify the dose-response relationships between work-related musculoskeletal neck symptom and physical condition. METHODS: Workers from four metal industry companies were enrolled in the study. General characteristics, psyhcosocial and physical risk factors and work-related musculoskeletal neck symptom were investigated by questionnaire in the baseline study. At the follow-up study 2 years later, the neck symptom was surveyed. Workers who did not complain neck symptom at baseline and complain at follow-up, and workers who did complain neck symptom at baseline and follow-up were defined as case. The adjusted odds ratios (ORs) of physical risk factors were estimated for these subjects. Additionally, subjects who did not change their work at follow-up were analysed. RESULTS: Among the cohort of 251, 199 (79.3%) were used in the analysis, of which 71 (35.7%) were classified as cases. The adjusted ORs and the ORs of the subjects who did not change their work were increased with exposure to the following kinds of work: 'repetitive', 'lift', 'push/pull', 'neck/shoulder (overhead/bend)', 'hand/wrist (bend/pinch)', 'trunk (twist/bend)', 'pressure point', and 'incentive work'. Finally, with increasing exposure to 'repetitive', 'lift', 'push/pull', 'awkward postures', 'pressure point', and 'incentive work', the risks of work-related musculoskeletal neck symptom were increased. CONCLUSIONS: Work-related musculoskeletal neck symptom was increased with increasing exposure time of certain physical risk factors, and a dose-response relationship was observed.
Cohort Studies ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Neck* ; Odds Ratio ; Questionnaires ; Risk Factors*

Ergone,a fungal metabolite derived from ergosterol,was previously isolated and identified from Polyporus umbellatus. Ergone is a major component of P. umbellatus known to have anti-aldosteronic diuretic effect and also displays cytotoxic activities. Most of mushroom's fruit bodies used for test contained less than 10 microg/g of ergone. But P. umbellatus have larger amount of ergone than any other mushrooms. In order to improve the ergone production from the submerged culture of P. umbellatus, several factors including medium composition,culture conditions (temperature and pH) and different combinations of co-cultivation with various mycelia were studied. Among various carbon sources examined,starch proved to be most effective for the production of mycelia. The optimum pH and temperature for a flask culture of P. umbellatus mycelia were found to be 4.5 and 25degrees C,respectively. Under the optimized culture conditions,both the ergone production (86.9 microg/g) and mycelial growth (3.5 g/l) increased when P. umbellatus was cultured with Armillariella mellea. When the optimized conditions were applied,both mycelium and ergone production were significantly enhanced.
Agaricales ; Carbon ; Coculture Techniques ; Diuretics ; Fruit ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Mycelium ; Polyporus*

BACKGROUND: Cabergoline is typically effective for treating prolactinomas; however, some patients display cabergoline resistance, and the early characteristics of these patients remain unclear. We analyzed early indicators predicting long-term response to cabergoline. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the cases of 44 patients with macroprolactinomas who received cabergoline as first-line treatment; the patients were followed for a median of 16 months. The influence of various clinical parameters on outcomes was evaluated. RESULTS: Forty patients (90.9%) were treated medically and displayed tumor volume reduction (TVR) of 74.7%, a prolactin normalization (NP) rate of 81.8%, and a complete response (CR; TVR >50% with NP, without surgery) rate of 70.5%. Most patients (93.1%) with TVR > or =25% and NP at 3 months eventually achieved CR, whereas only 50% of patients with TVR > or =25% without NP and no patients with TVR <25% achieved CR. TVR at 3 months was strongly correlated with final TVR (R=0.785). Patients with large macroadenomas exhibited a low NP rate at 3 months, but eventually achieved TVR and NP rates similar to those of patients with smaller tumors. Surgery independently reduced the final dose of cabergoline (beta=-1.181 mg/week), and two of four patients who underwent surgery were able to discontinue cabergoline. CONCLUSION: Determining cabergoline response using TVR and NP 3 months after treatment is useful for predicting later outcomes. However, further cabergoline administration should be considered for patients with TVR >25% at 3 months without NP, particularly those with huge prolactinomas, because a delayed response may be achieved. As surgery can reduce the cabergoline dose necessary for successful disease control, it should be considered for cabergoline-resistant patients.
Dopamine ; Humans ; Hyperprolactinemia ; Prolactin ; Prolactinoma* ; Retrospective Studies ; Tumor Burden