• Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.716-721
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• 2018

Epidemiological studies have shown that exposure to tobacco smoke causing irritation and inflammation in the airways tends to reduce serum periostin concentrations in adults. We now investigate prospective cross-sectional study on 135 Korean students aged 7 years in the first grade who were participating in the Seongnam Atopy Project for Children's Happiness 2016 ($SAP_{2016}$) cohort. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to show significant inverse correlations between serum periostin concentration and exposure to xylene and formaldehyde in children. Our findings suggested the need for caution in using the serum periostin level as a marker for allergic diseases, since exposure to volatile organic compounds and formaldehyde may confound the interpretation of these results.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.277-282
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• 2021

Hydrocotyle is a genus of prostrate, perennial aquatic or semi-aquatic plants formerly classified in the family Apiaceae, now in the family Araliaceae. Lipoxygenases (LOX) are present in the human body and play an important role in the stimulation of inflammatory reactions. Ethanolic extracts of five Hydrocotyle species (H. ramiflora, H. maritima, H. nepalensis, H. sibthorpioides, and H. yabei) showed inhibition of 23.5~50.6% at 2.0 mg/mL. Their extracts showed LOX inhibition in half maximal effective concentration (EC₅₀) range 15.1~15.7 ㎍/mL. Hyaluronic acid is a glycosaminoglycan, a major component of the extracellular matrix Five extracts of these species inhibited less than 23.0% of Hyaluronidase (HAase) activity at a concentration of 2.0 mg/mL Xanthine oxidase (XO) is a form of xanthine oxidoreductase, a type of enzyme that generates reactive oxygen species. Five Hydrocotyle species were found to have inhibitory activity of XO at 2.0 mg/ml, with 65% having greater than 50% inhibition. H. ramiflora exhibited the highest activity with an inhibition of 80.0%. The results suggested that Lipoxygenases, Hyaluronidase, and Busan 47340, Republic of Korea from five Hydrocotyle species might be multifunctional and prevent the degradation of allergic reactions and inflammation.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.823-830
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• 2023

Lactococcus lactis is a lactic acid bacterium and used in the dairy food industry. The ameliorating effects of Lactobacillus species on atopic dermatitis (AD) have been extensively studied, but the specific effect of L. lactis strains has not yet been investigated. In this study, the efficacy of L. lactis LB 1022, isolated from natural cheese, was evaluated using RAW 264.7, HMC-1 and HaCaT cell lines and an ovalbumin-sensitized AD mouse model. L. lactis LB 1022 exhibited nitric oxide suppression and anti-allergy and anti-inflammatory activity in vitro. Oral administration of L. lactis LB 1022 to AD mice significantly reduced the levels of IgE, mast cells, and eosinophils, and a range of T cell-mediated T helper Th1, Th2, and Th17-type cytokines under interleukin (IL)-10, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC), and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP). In addition, L. lactis LB 1022 treatment increased the concentration of short-chain fatty acids. Overall, L. lactis LB 1022 significantly modulated AD-like symptoms by altering metabolites and the immune response, illustrating its potential as candidate for use in functional food supplements to alleviate AD.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2022.09a
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• pp.110-110
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• 2022

Scrophularia koraiensis Nakai (S. koraiensis) has used its roots as traditional herbal medicine. Some research is reported to be effective in allergic inflammation and osteoporosis. In a present study, we conducted to investigate the bioactivity of the ethanol extract of S. koraiensis (ESK) on the inhibition of melanogenesis and the apoptosis of melanocytes. We analyzed Harpagoside of ESK by using LCMS and HPLC-PDA and investigated the regulation of ESK on reactive oxygen species. Also, the expressions of melanin synthesis-related factors and apoptosis-related factors were confirmed. As a result, the quantification results of quercetin and rutin in ESK were 77.2 and 7.4 mg/g. IC₅₀ on DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity is 33.1 and 9.5 ug/mL. ESK attenuated not only the expression of tyrosinase, TYRP-1, TYRP-2, and MITF in melanogenesis. It is thought that ESK may be effective in the inhibition of melanogenesis through MAPK cell signaling pathway in melanocytes. These study results suggest that ESK has the ability to inhibit melanin production and induce apoptosis.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.329-343
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• 2023

Recently, acupuncture has demonstrated extraordinary clinical results in the treatment of several categories of health conditions worldwide. The mechanisms of action of acupuncture (including immune mechanisms) have been investigated by biomedical studies over the last few decades. The immune mechanisms of representative clinical conditions and their clinical effects were thoroughly assessed, with a comprehensive investigation into the mechanisms of action of acupuncture (including immune responses) in this study. Conditions such as stroke, migraine, depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, lower back pain, hypertension, irritable bowel syndrome, sepsis, and allergic diseases were meticulously examined. This in-depth analysis aims to ensure a foundational understanding of the immune mechanisms involved in acupuncture, thereby serving as an initial step toward integrating the impact of acupuncture on the immune system.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.797-810
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• 2023

Elaeagnus umbellata leaves have been reported to suppress inflammation, allergic responses, lung cancer proliferation and oral bacterial growth. Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy metal that has been found to cause many toxicities, including liver toxicity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the capacity of 70% ethanol extract of E. umbellata leaves (EUL) to protect human hepatocytes from Cd toxicity. After exposure of HepG2 cells to Cd at 10 𝜇M for 24 h, cell viability, expression levels of apoptosis- and antioxidant-related proteins, reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and Cd uptake were assessed. EUL protected HepG2 cells from Cd-induced apoptosis as determined by MTT assay. A decrease in caspase-3 and p-p53 protein levels was observed in cells pretreated with EUL prior to Cd exposure. Furthermore, the Cd-induced increase in intracellular DCF fluorescence was attenuated by EUL, indicating that the Cd-induced apoptosis preventing effect was associated with the suppression of ROS accumulation. Moreover, EUL's effects on the inhibition of p38, JNK, and AKT phosphorylation also appear to be associated with protection against Cd toxicity. Moreover, EUL upregulated Cd-depressed expression of Nrf2, HO-1, catalase, and MT-1,2 proteins, suggesting that Cd uptake-induced apoptosis in HepG2 cells may be inhibited by EUL's antioxidative potential.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.607-619
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• 2024

Probiotics are functional microorganisms that exhibit various biological activities, such as allergic reactions, inflammation, and aging. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of Bifidobacterium lactis CBT BL3 (BL) on the amyloid beta (Aβ)-mediated cognitive impairments. Oral administration of live BL to intracerebroventricularly Aβ-injected mice significantly attenuated short- and long-term memory loss estimated using the Y-maze and Morris water maze tests. We found that expression of apoptosisrelated proteins such as caspase-9, caspase-3, and cleaved poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase was significantly elevated in the brain tissues of Aβ-injected mouse brains when compared to that of the control mouse group. Interestingly, these expression levels were significantly decreased in the brain tissue of mice fed BL for 6 wk. In addition, the abnormal over-phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) such as ERK1/2, p38 MAPK, and JNK in the brain tissue of intracerebroventricularly Aβ-injected mice was significantly attenuated by oral administration of BL. Taken together, the results indicate that Aβ-induced cognitive impairment may be ameliorated by the oral administration of BL by controlling the activation of MAPKs/apoptosis in the brain. This study strongly suggests that BL can be developed as a functional probiotic to attenuate Aβ-mediated cognitive deficits.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.10
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• pp.1130-1136
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• 2017

Traditionally, the larvae of Allomyrina dichotoma (AD), a species of the rhinoceros beetle, have been widely used for their antidiabetic, antihepatofibrotic, antineoplastic, and antiobesity effects. The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization has reported on the possibility of using edible insects in human dietary supplements in the future. However, despite the growing interest in insect-based bio-active products, the biological activities of these products have rarely been studied. Previously, we reported that AD larvae inhibit the in vitro differentiation of adipocytes via transcription factor downregulation. In this study, our objective was to evaluate the effects of a hot-water extract of AD larvae on allergy and inflammation. To investigate the inhibitory effect of the extract on allergic reactions, we measured the levels of ${\beta}-hexosaminidase$, tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ ($TNF-{\alpha}$), interleukin-4 (IL-4), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) after activation of RBL-2H3 cells using Compound 48/80. In addition, the inhibitory effect of the extract on inflammation was determined using Raw 264.7 cells after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. The extract significantly inhibited the ${\beta}-hexosaminidase$, $TNF-{\alpha}$, IL-4, and COX-2 levels in RBL-2H3 cells. Furthermore, it effectively inhibited the inflammatory cytokine IL-6, nitric oxide, and inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in LPS-stimulated Raw 264.7 cells. These results suggest that AD larval extract can be potentially developed as an antiallergic and anti-inflammatory therapeutic agent.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.119-131
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• 2020

If human skin is exposed to high concentrations of particulate matter (PM_2.5 and PM₁₀) for a long time in the outdoor environment such as subway tunnel, it will be adversely affected. In particular, fine particles can damage the skin, causing inflammation and allergic reactions. This study investigated the ability of evening primrose root (EEPR) extract to suppress the skin damages caused by the fine particles. PM was collected from a subway tunnel, where high concentrations have been reported per day over the course of a study. The EEPR had higher antioxidant activity than that of control group (62.6%). The mixture of EEPR and PM inhibited the production of nitric oxide (NO), thereby alleviating skin inflammation caused by fine particle dust. EEPR had weaker cytotoxic activity than the positive control. When cells were exposed to particulate-type dust (PM₁₀), the levels of free radicals were decreased with the increased concentrations of the extract (5, 10, 20 ㎍/mL). While at the same time more effective than positive controls. Therefore, this study proved that the Moonlight flower root extract can be used as a cosmetic material for skin by providing an effect to alleviate skin damage caused by fine particle-type dust.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.182-189
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• 1996

Background : RANTES is associated with chemotaxis and activation of eosinophils. RANTES is up-regulated in allegic inflammation and play a critical role in the pathogenesis of allegic inflammation. Recently, circulating form of RANTES have been identified in the peripheral blood. Method : In the present study, we measured soluble RANTES levels in 17 patients with atopic brochial asthma (8 patients: early response to allegen challenge, 8 patients : early and late response to allergen challenge) on 30mins, 2hrs and 8 hrs after allergen challenge with house dust mite, prechallenge period. Result : RANTES levels in sera from patients with bronchial astma in prechallenge conditions were higher than in normal control subjects. But, RANTES levels in sera from patients with bronchial asthma in 30mins, 2hrs and 8hrs after challenge were no significantly higher than prechallenge conditions. Conclusion : These results suggest that RANTES plays a role in the pathogenesis of patients with atopic bronchial asthma and may be related to persistence of subclinical allergic inflammation.