• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.10
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• pp.1151-1156
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• 2014

Traditional medicinal plants are widely used to treat many diseases, such as inflammation, infections, and even cancer. Ulmus macrocarpa Hance, a Chinese elm species, is distributed in Korea, China, and Japan. The stem bark is widely employed in Korean traditional medicine to treat dermatitis, mastitis, and edema. The aim of this study was to investigate whether water extract of U. macrocarpa Hance bark (Ulmus cortex) has a immune-modulating function in a mouse model. Three different concentrations (30 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg, and 300 mg/kg) of Ulmus cortex water extract (UCWE) were orally administered to mice for 14 days, and their immune responses were analyzed. Cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-2, IL-12, and IFN-${\gamma}$, increased in the blood of UCWE-fed groups when compared with a control group. In contrast, the IL-4 level did not change in any of the UCWE-fed groups Cell-mediated cytotoxicity was also assayed using lymphokine-activated killer cells (LAK). LAK showed greater cytotoxicity in the UCWE-fed groups than LAK in the control group. Internal organ indices, such as liver, kidney, spleen, and thymus, were similar in all the groups, including the control group, indicating that UCWE may have been nontoxic in the experimental animals. These data suggest that UCWE has an immune-modulating function in a mouse model.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.95-106
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• 1988

Specific or non-specific cytolytic processes of free-living amoebae causing meningoencephalitls have been emphasized and the cytolytic ability related to hydrolases in Entantoeba sp. and Naegleria sp. has also been reported since the latter half of 1970's. However, no information on hydrolase activities in Acanthamoeba sp. is available. Hydrolases in Acanthamoeba culbertsoni, a pathogenic species of free-living amoebae, were assayed and compared with those in a non-pathogenic species, A. royreba. Pathogenicity of these two species was confirmed through experimental infection to BALB/c mice. Hydrolase activities and cytotoxic effects between pathogenic and non.pathogenic species were compared in the trophozoites cultured in CGV media and in CHO cell line, respectively. The results are summarized as follows: 1. The mice infected with A. culbertseni were all dead 15 days after nasal inoculation, and the mean survival time was 8.5 days. Also the mice infected with this pathogenic species manifested typical meningoencephalitis, whereas the mice infected with A. royreba did not. 2. Hydrolases detected both in the cell extracts and culture media were acid phosphatase, ${\beta}-N-acetyl$ galactosaminidase, ${\beta}-N-acetyl$ glucosaminidase, ${\alpha}-mannosidase$, neutral proteinase and acid proteinase, all of which were detected with remarkably higher rate in A. culbertsoni than in A. royreba. 3. A. cuzbertsoni revealed strong cytotoxicity for the target CHO cells, whereas A. royreba did not show any specific cytotoxicity. About 80% of the target cells mixed with A. culbertsoni were dead 48 hours after cultivation, and more than 95% of the target cells were dead 72 hours after cultivation. 4. Hydrolase activities in A. culbertsoni cultured with the target cell line were assayed according to the culture time. The activities of acid phosphatase, ${\beta}-N-acetyl$ galactosaminidase, ${\beta}-N-acetyl$ glucosaminidase, ${\alpha}-mannosidase$ and acid proteinase in this pathogenic amoeba were detected higher in amoeba extracts than in culture media up to 120 hours after cultivation, but after 120 hours of cultivation those activities were detected higher in culture media than in the amoeba Iysates. Neutral proteinase activity in A. culbertsoni increased more in EBSS medium than in the Iysate specimens although the activity in the extracts was generally steady according to the cultivation time. Summarizing the above results, it is concluded that there were differences in hydrolase activities between Pathogenic A. culbertsoni and non-pathogenic A. royreba, and that some hydrolase activities were detected remarkably higher in A. culbertsoni which revealed strong cytotoxicity to the target CHO cell line.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.289-297
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• 1999

Purpose: Misonidazole is a radiosensitizer that binds in hypoxic cells. The purpose of this study was to find out the feasibility of I-131-Iodomisonidazole (IMISO) for imaging of tumor hypoxia. Materials and Methods: Tosyl precursor was dissolved in acetonitrile and I-131-NaI was added to synthesize IMISO. Balb/c mice inoculated with CT-26 adenocarcinoma were injected with IMISO. Mice were sacrificed at 1, 2, 4, 24 hr and % of injected dose per gram of tissue (%ID/g) was determined. For scintigraphy and MRI, mouse bearing CT-26 adenocarcinoma was administered with IMISO and imaging was performed 4 hr after. Then, mouse body was fixed and microtomized slice was placed on radiographic film for autoradiography Results: %ID/g of tumor was 1.64 (1h), 0.98 (2h), 0.85 (4h) and 0.20 (24h), respectively. At 24h, %ID/g of tumor was higher than that of all other tissues except thyroid. Tumor to muscle ratio increased with time and tumor to blood ratio also increased with time and reached 1.53 at 24 hr. On autoradiogram, tumor was well visualized as an increased activity in central hypoxic area of the tumor which corresponds to the area of high signal intensity on T2-weighted MR image. On scintigraphy, tumor uptake was visualized. Conclusion: This results suggest that IMISO may have a potential for tumor hypoxia imaging in mouse model. However, further study is needed to improve it's localization in tumor tissue and to achieve acceptable images of tumor hypoxia.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.402-409
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• 2002

The effects of protein-bound polysaccharides (A-PBP and L-PBP) that were extracted from the mycelia of two edible mushrooms, namely Agaricus blazai and Lentinus edodes, on serum cholesterol and body weight were investigated in mice and female volunteers. Six groups of Male Balb/c mice were fed six kinds of diet supplement- solutions composed of L-PBP, A-PBP, chitosan, and other fiber constituents, for 30 days under the normal diet. Ninety female volunteers were also supplemented for 8 weeks with six kinds of capsules including control and five test groups as the same manners (two times a day, 4 capsules). From 12 days after feeding of L-PBP (Group I) and A-PBP (Group II), the weight of mice began to reduce as compared with control, whereas that of Group III fed chitosan was decreased 15 days after feeding. Group W and Group V which were fed mixture of L-PBP, A-PBP, chitosan, and other dietary fiber, were more significant in lowering weight. After 4 weeks of the supplementation in women, their serum LDL-cholesterol level and body weights in Group I and II were reduced, but Croup 111 taken with chitosan capsule showed weaker effect than Group I and II. After 8 weeks, LDL-cholesterol content in the sera of Group I (132.5 mg/dL) and II(131.5 mg/dL) was decreased to ideal level (125.4 and 122.8 mg/dL) for healthy blood vessel. In the case of Group W supplemented with mixture of L-PBP, A-PBP, and chitosan, the weight-reduction effect (11.8%) and hypocholesterolemic effect (11.0%) was most significant, indicating their synergistic action. These data suggested that the weight-controlling and hypolipidemic effect of L-PBP and A-PBP was involved, at least in part, in absorption of cholesterol as their role of dietary fiber, as well as cholesterol metabolism.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.67 no.1
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• pp.14-20
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• 2009

Background: The pathophysiologic mechanisms of radiation-induced lung injury should be elucidated to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of radiotherapy and to manage patients exposed to serious radiation by accident. It has been suggested that pro-inflammatory cytokines play an important role in radiation-induced effect on the lung. This study was aimed to investigate changes in pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-$\alpha$, MIP-2, IL-1$\beta$ and HMGB1, a newly recognized inflammatory mediator. Methods: The chests of BALB/c mice were selectively irradiated with single fraction of 20 Gy and then sacrificed at indicated times. Pathologic changes in the lung were examined after H&E staining. The expression level of pro-inflammatory cytokines was evaluated by ELISA kits in lung homogenate and in serum. Results: Radiation induced inflammatory changes and mild fibrosis in lung. Biphasic increase of TNF-$\alpha$ and IL-1$\beta$ was found in lung homogenate at 4 hours and at 3 weeks after radiation. The elevation in the second phase tended to be more intense. However, there was no similar change in serum. MIP-2 level was slightly increased in lung homogenate at 4 hours, but not at 3 weeks. HMGB1 was increased at 3 weeks in serum while there was no significant change in lung homogenate. Conclusion: Radiation induced a biphasic increase in TNF-$\alpha$ and IL-1$\beta$. The effective control of second phase cytokine elevation should contribute to preventing severe lung fibrosis caused by radiation.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.67 no.2
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• pp.95-104
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• 2009

Background: The pathophysiologic mechanisms of early acute lung injury (ALI) differ according to the type of primary insult. It is important to differentiate between direct and indirect pathophysiologic pathways, and this may influence the approach to treatment strategies. NF-$\kappa$B decoy oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) is a useful tool for the blockade of the expression of NF-$\kappa$B-dependent proinflammatory mediators and has been reported to be effective in indirect ALI. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of NF-$\kappa$B decoy ODN in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced direct ALI model. Methods: Five-week-old specific pathogen-free male BALB/c mice were used for the experiment. In the preliminary studies, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-$\alpha$, interleukine (IL)-6 and NF-$\kappa$B activity peaked at 6 hours after LPS administration. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and ALI score were highest at 36 and 48 hours, respectively. Therefore, it was decided to measure each parameter at the time of its highest level. The study mice were randomly divided into three experimental groups: (1) control group which was administered 50 ${\mu}L$ of saline and treated with intratracheal administration of 200 ${\mu}L$ DW containing only hemagglutinating virus of Japan (HVJ) vector (n=24); (2) LPS group in which LPS-induced ALI mice were treated with intratracheal administration of 200 ${\mu}L$ DW containing only HVJ vector (n=24); (3) LPS+ODN group in which LPS-induced ALI mice were treated with intratracheal administration of 200 ${\mu}L$ DW containing 160 ${\mu}g$ of NF-$\kappa$B decoy ODN and HVJ vector (n=24). Each group was subdivided into four experimental subgroups: (1) tissue subgroup for histopathological examination for ALI at 48 hours (n=6); (2) 6-hour bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) subgroup for measurement of TNF-$\alpha$ and IL-6 in BAL fluid (BALF) (n=6); (3) 36-hour BAL subgroup for MPO activity assays in BALF (n=6); and (4) tissue homogenate subgroup for measurement of NF-$\kappa$B activity in lung tissue homogenates at 6 hours (n=6). Results: NF-$\kappa$B decoy ODN treatment significantly decreased NF-$\kappa$B activity in lung tissues. However, it failed to improve the parameters of LPS-induced direct ALI, including the concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-$\alpha$ and interleukin-6 in BALF, myeloperoxidase activity in BALF and histopathologic changes measured by the ALI score. Conclusion: NF-$\kappa$B decoy ODN, which has been proven to be effective in indirect models, had no effect in the direct ALI model.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.62 no.4
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• pp.299-307
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• 2007

Background: High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is a novel, late mediator of inflammation. This study compared the pro-inflammatory effects of LPS and HMGB1. The transcriptional factors that play an important role in mediating the HMGB1-induced stimulation of IL-8 were also evaluated. Methods: RAW264.7 cells were stimulated with either LPS (100 ng/ml) or HMGB1 (500 ng/ml). The $TNF-{\alpha}$, MIP-2 and $IL-1{\beta}$ levels in the supernatant were evaluated by ELISA at 0, 2, 4, 8, 12 and 24h after stimulation. An acute lung injury was induced by an injection of LPS (5 mg/kg) or HMGB1 (2.5 mg/kg) into the peritoneum of the Balb/c mice. The lung cytokines and MPO activity were measured at 4h (for LPS) or 24h (for HMGB1) after the injection. The transcriptional factor binding sites for NF-IL6, $NF-{\kappa}B$ and AP-1 in the IL-8 promoter region were artificially mutated. Each mutant was ligated with pIL-6luc and transfected into the RAW264.7 cells. One hour after stimulation with HMGB1 (500 ng/ml), the cell lysate was analyzed for the luciferase activity. Results: The expression of MIP-2, which peaked at 8h with LPS stimulation, increased sequentially until 24h after HMGB1 stimulation. An intraperitoneal injection of HMGB1, which induced a minimal increased in $IL-1{\beta}$ expression, provoked the accumulation of neutrophils the lung. A mutation of AP-1 as well as $NF-{\kappa}B$ in the IL-8 promoter region resulted in a lower luciferase activity after HMGB1 stimulation. Conclusion: The proinflammatory effects of HMGB1, particularly on IL-8, are mediated by both $NF-{\kappa}B$ and AP-1.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.151-161
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• 1986

In order to develop sensitive and sepcific assay methods for E. coli heat labile enterotoxin(LT) hybridoma cell lines secreting LT specific monoclonal antibody were obtained. LT was purified from cell lysate of E. coli O15H11. The steps included disruption of bacteria by French pressure, DEAE Sephacel ion exchange chromatography, Sephadex G200 gel filtration, and second DEAE Sephacel ion exchange chromatography, successively. Spleen cells from Balb/c mice immunized with the purified LT and $HGPRT^{(-)}$ plasmacytomas, $P3{\times}63Ag8.V653$ were mixed and fused by 50% (w/v) PEG. Hybrid cells were grown in 308 wells out of 360 wells, and 13 wells out of them secreted antibodies reacting to LT. Among these hybridoma cell 1G8-1D1 cell line was selected since it had produced high-titered monoclonal antibody continuously. By using culture supernatant and ascites from 1G8-1D1 cells the monoclonal antibody was characterized, and an assay system for detecting enterotoxigenic E. coli was established by double sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The following results were obtained. 1. Antibody titers of culture supernatant and ascites from 1G8-1D1 hybridoma cells were 512, and 102, 400, respectively by GM1-ELISA and its immunoglobulin class was IgM. 2. The maximum absorption ratio of 1G8-1D1 cell culture supernatant to LT was 90% at $300\;{\mu}g/ml$ of LT concentration. LT concentration shown at 50% absorption ratio was $103.45{\mu}g$ and the absorption ratio was decreased with tile reduction of LT concentration. This result suggests that monoclonal antibody from 1G8-1D1 hybridoma cell bound with LT specifically. 3. The reactivities of 1G8-1D1 cell culture supernatant to LT and V. cholerae enterotoxin(CT) were 0.886 and 0.142(O.D. at 492nm) measured by the GM1-ELISA, indicating 1G8-1D1 monoclonal antibody reacted specifically with LT but not with CT. 4. The addition of 0.1ml of ascites to 0.6mg and 0.12mg of LT decreased the vascular permeability factor to 41% and 44% respectively, but it did not completely neutralize LT. 5. By double sandwich ELISA using monoclonal antibody, as little as 75ng of the purified LT per ml could be detected. 6. The results by assay of detecting LT in culture supernatants of 14 wild strains E. coli isolated from diarrhea patients by the double sandwich ELISA were almost the same level as those by reverse passive latex agglutination.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.151-158
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• 2007

The possibility of inadvertent introduction of therapeutic gene expressing viral vectors has raised safety concerns about germ-line infection. Particularly, for indications such as prostate cancer and ovarian cancer, the proximity of the point of viral administration to organs of the reproductive system raises concerns regarding inadvertent germ-line transmission of genes carried by the virus vector. To evaluate the safety of in vivo adenovirus mediated gene transfer, we explored the biodistribution, persistance and potential germ-line transmission of p53-expressing adenovirus (Ad-CMV-p53). Both male and female Balb/c mice were injected with $1{\times}10^9$ PFU of Ad-CMV-p53. The PCR analysis showed that there were detectable vector sequences in liver, kidney, spleen, seminal vesicle, epididymis, prostate, ovary, and uterus. The RT-PCR analysis for detecting inserted gene, p53 showed that Ad-CMV-p53 viral RNA were present in spleen, prostate and ovary. Direct injected male and female mice of adenovirus vector into testis and ovary were mated and their of offspring were evaluated for germ-line transmission of the adenoviral vector. The PCR and RT-PCR analysis showed no evidence of germline transmission, although vector sequences were detected in DNA extracted from gonadal tissues. Real-time PCR result confirmed a significant decrease of adenovirus in gonad tissues 1 week after injection. We have also analysed the cell specific localization of viral DNA in gonad tissues by using in-situ PCR. Positive signals were detected in interstitial tissue but not in seminiferous tubule in sperm. In the case of ovary, adenovirus signal were localized to the stromal tissue, but no follicular signals were observed. Together, these data provide strong evidence that the risk of the Inadvertent germ-line transmission of vector sequences following intraperitoneal or direct injection into genito-urinary system of adenovirus is extremely low.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.141-146
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• 2008

Ixeris sonchifolia Hance (Godulbaegi), Oenanthe javanica (Dolminari), Fagopyrum esculentum Moench (Buckwheat>, Hizikia fusiforme (Seaweed Fusiforme) and Zingiber ojficinale Roscoe (Ginger) have been used respectively as one of folk remedies as well as food materials. However, reportedly few studies on their immunomodulating effects have been made, although it has been known from other preceding studies that the ex vivo supplementation of each Ish, OJ, Fem, Hf, Zor water extracts tends to enhance the proliferation of splenocyte in comparison to the control group. This study on the combined immunomodulative effect of water extract mixture of these five food materials (Ish + Oj + Fem +Hf+Zor) lasted covering seven or eight weeks. The old mice (balb/c) was fed ad libitum on chow diet, and the water extract of plant mixture was orally administrated every other day for four weeks at two different concentrations (50 and 500 mg/kg B.W) . After preparing the single cell suspension, the proliferation of splenocyte was determined by MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-y]-2,5-diphenyl terazolium bromide) assay. The production of cytokine ($IL-{\beta}$, IL-6, and $TNF-{\alpha}$) which was secreted by macrophages stimulated with LPS or not was detected by ELISA assay using the cytokine kit. After the 48 hours of incubation with the mitogen (ConA or LPS) stimulation, the proliferation of the mice splenocyt in the experimental group statisticaly increased at both of two different concentrations in comparison to the control group. The cytokines production was more significantly enhanced at the lower supplementation (50 mg/kg B.W.) group than at the higher concentration (500 mg/kg B.W.). The result of this study may suggest that the supplementation of water extract of plant mixture can regulate and enhance the immune function by increasing the splenocyte proliferation and regulating the cytokine production capacity by the activated macrophages in mice.