• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.117-128
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• 2004

Objectives : To examine the effects of Gojineumja on white rats which deteriorated immunity caused by Methotrexate(MTX), first of all, MTX was fed to the rats once a day for 4 day. Methods : After the immune response of the rats are deteriorated, dried extracts of Gojineumja(GJE) mixed in water was fed to the white rats once a day for l4days. The next conclusion was made by examining the rates of B-cells and T-cells of the peripheral blood and the changes in rates of CD4+ T-cells and CD8+ T -cells of the blood sampled from the spleen and peripheral region. Especially the count of CD3+ CD4+ T-cells of the peripheral blood and the count of CD3+ CD4+ T-cells of the spleen the count of CD4+/ CD8+ T-cell of the peripheral blood and the spleen proved the significant effect of increasing immune responses statistically. Results :(1) The following are the summary of the results. (2) The percentage of B lymphocyte of peripheral blood was increased significantly in GJE group as compared with control group. (3) The percentage of CD3+ CD4+ T-cell of peripheral blood was increased significantly in GJE group as compared with control group. (4) The percentage of CD3+ CD8+ T-cell of peripheral blood was not different statistically. (5) The percentage of CD4+/ CD8+ T-cell of peripheral blood was increased significantly in GJE group as compared with control group. (6) The percentage of CD3+ CD4+ T-cell of spleen was increased significantly in GJE group as compared with control group. (7) The percentage of CD3+ CD8+ T-cell was not different statistically. (8) The percentage of CD4+ /CD8+ T-cell was not different statistically. Conclusions : Gojineumja has an effect of increasing immune responses on white rats with deteriorated immunity caused by MTX.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.22
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• pp.9945-9948
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• 2014

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate Tim-3 expression on peripheral CD3-CD56+ natural killer (NK) cells and CD3+CD56+ natural killer T (NKT) cells in lung cancer patients. Materials and Methods: We analyzed Tim-3+CD3-CD56+ cells, Tim-3+CD3-$CD56^{dim}$ cells, Tim-3+CD3-$CD56^{bright}$ cells, and Tim-3+CD3+CD56+ cells in fresh peripheral blood from 79 lung cancer cases preoperatively and 53 healthy controls by flow cytometry. Postoperative blood samples were also analyzed from 21 members of the lung cancer patient cohort. Results: It was showed that expression of Tim-3 was significantly increased on CD3-CD56+ cells, CD3-$CD56^{dim}$ cells and CD3+CD56+ cells in lung cancer patients as compared to healthy controls (p=0.03, p=0.03 and p=0.04, respectively). When analyzing Tim-3 expression with cancer progression, results revealed more elevated Tim-3 expression in CD3-CD56+ cells, CD3-$CD56^{dim}$ cells and CD3+CD56+ cells in cases with advanced stages (III/IV) than those with stage I and II (p=0.02, p=0.04 and p=0.01, respectively). In addition, Tim-3 expression was significantly reduced on after surgical resection of the primary tumor (p<0.01). Conclusions: Tim-3 expression in natural killer cells from fresh peripheral blood may provide a useful indicator of disease progression of lung cancer. Furthermore, it was indicated that Tim-3 might be as a therapeutic target.

• BMB Reports
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.11-17
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• 2016

The gastrointestinal tract forms the largest surface in our body with constantly being exposed to various antigens, which provides unique microenvironment for the immune system in the intestine. Accordingly, the gut epithelium harbors the most T lymphocytes in the body as intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs), which are phenotypically and functionally heterogeneous populations, distinct from the conventional mature T cells in the periphery. IELs arise either from pre-committed thymic precursors (natural IELs) or from conventional CD4 or CD8αβ T cells in response to peripheral antigens (induced IELs), both of which commonly express CD8α homodimers (CD8αα). Although lineage commitment to either conventional CD4 T helper (Th) or cytotoxic CD8αβ T cells as well as their respective co-receptor expression are mutually exclusive and irreversible process, CD4 T cells can be redirected to the CD8 IELs with high cytolytic activity upon migration to the gut epithelium. Recent reports show that master transcription factors for CD4 and CD8 T cells, ThPOK (Th-inducing BTB/POZ-Kruppel-like factor) and Runx3 (Runt related transcription factor 3), respectively, are the key regulators for re-programming of CD4 T cells to CD8 lineage in the intestinal epithelium. This review will focus on the unique differentiation process of IELs, particularly lineage re-commitment of CD4 IELs. [BMB Reports 2016; 49(1): 11-17]

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.119-124
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• 2009

Cell-cell adhesion managed by various adhesion molecules plays an important role in regulating functional activation of cells. This event mediates attachment of inflammatory cells to endothelial cells, interaction of antigen-presenting cells with T cells and metastatic adherence of cancer cells to epithelial tissue cells. Therefore, this cellular response is considered as one of therapeutic target to treat various cancers and inflammatory diseases. To develop proper model for evaluation of functional activation of adhesion molecules, the ability of U937 and Jurkat T cells responsive to various adhesion inducers such as phorbal-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA), staurosporin and monoclonal antibodies to CD29, CD43 and CD98 was investigated using quantitative cell-cell adhesion assay. U937 cells made more cell-cell clusters by the treatment of antibodies to CD29 and CD43 than Jurkat T cells, while Jurkat T cells exhibited increased cell-cell adhesion ability in CD98 antibody treatment. In agreement, the surface levels of CD29 and CD98 were highly observed in U937 and Jurkat T cells, respectively. Therefore, our data suggest that Jurkat T and U937 cells can be used for model system to evaluate functional activation of adhesion molecules such as CD29 and CD98.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.125-130
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• 2009

Tacrolimus is a widely used T cell targeted immunosuppressive drug, known as a calcineurin inhibitor. However, the exact pharmacological effects of tacrolimus on $CD4^+$ T cells have yet to be elucidated. This study investigated the effects of tacrolimus on $CD4^+$ T cell subsets. Mouse or human $CD4^+$ T cells were cultured with immobilized anti-CD3/CD28 antibodies in the presence of tacrolimus. The cell division of $CD4^+$ T cells was analyzed using a flow cytometer according to the expression of Foxp3. The gene expression patterns of tacrolimus-exposed T cells were examined by quantitative PCR. In the case of conventional $CD4^+$ T cells (Tconv cells), tacrolimus inhibited T cell receptor stimulation-induced cell division. In contrast, the cell division of regulatory $CD4^+$ T cells (Treg cells) was even promoted in the presence of tacrolimus, especially in humans. Tacrolimus did not promote conversion of Tconv to Treg cells in mice. Furthermore, tacrolimus modified the expression levels of Foxp3-regulated T cell receptor signal related-genes, PTPN22 and Itk, in human Treg cells. Immunosuppressive effect of tacrolimus may be attributed to the relatively enhanced proliferation of Treg cells in association with altered gene expression levels of TCR signaling molecules.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.13-25
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• 2016

Dendritic cells (DCs) are considered to play major roles during the induction of T cell immune responses as well as the maintenance of T cell tolerance. Naive CD4⁺ T cells have been shown to respond with high plasticity to signals inducing their polarization into effector/helper or regulatory T cells. Data obtained from in vitro generated bone-marrow (BM)-derived DCs as well as genetic mouse models revealed an important but not exclusive role of DCs in shaping CD4⁺ T cell responses. Besides the specialization of some conventional DC subsets for the induction of polarized immunity, also the maturation stage, activation of specialized transcription factors and the cytokine production of DCs have major impact on CD4⁺ T cells. Since in vitro generated BM-DCs show a high diversity to shape CD4⁺ T cells and their high similarity to monocyte-derived DCs in vivo, this review reports data mainly on BM-DCs in this process and only touches the roles of transcription factors or of DC subsets, which have been discussed elsewhere. Here, recent findings on 1) the conversion of naive into anergic and further into Foxp3^- regulatory T cells (Treg) by immature DCs, 2) the role of RelB in steady state migratory DCs (ssmDCs) for conversion of naive T cells into Foxp3⁺ Treg, 3) the DC maturation signature for polarized Th2 cell induction and 4) the DC source of IL-12 for Th1 induction are discussed.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.147-155
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• 2014

It has well studied that immune cells are strongly related to tumor progression and tumor suppression. To identify the difference of immune cell between tumor bearing mice and normal mice, we examined systemically the immune cell of CT26 tumor bearing mice on 21 days after tumor cell administration. As previously reported, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells population of tumor bearing mice significantly decreased 38% and 30% on day 21 compared to that of normal mice, respectively. All subpopulation of CD4 and CD8+ T cell significantly decreased, except CD49b+ T cell subpopulation. But, myeloid cell population ($CD11b^{high}$ and all Gr-1+ subpopulation) of tumor bearing mice significantly increased on day 21. Especially, all subpopulation of CD11b+Gr-1+ cell of tumor bearing mice significantly increased on day 21. Also, Foxp3+$CD25^{high}$ CD4 T cell (regulatory T cells) population significantly increased on day 21. These results suggest that tumor can induce the decline of T lymphocyte and the expansion of myeloid cells and regulatory T cells, and provide the basic information for the study of tumor immunology.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.1330-1334
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• 2003

Astragali Radix(AR), one of the strong tonic herbs, is known to improve immunological responses in mice and human. In this study, AR's ai-reinforcing effect was examined in the context of CD4/sup +/ T cells' TCR/CD3 induced activation responses. In order to evaluate the direct effect of AR on helper T cells, CD4/sup +/ T cells are isolated using magnetic bead and their proliferation and CD69 expression in AR treated medium were assessed with anti-CD3/anti-CD28 activation for 48h. CD4 T cells' proliferation was slightly increased but there was little effect on CD69 expression. RT PCR and ELISA equally demonstrated that IL-2 and IL-4 production was increased but IFN-ν was down-regulated. This shows AR ethanol extract favors Th2 cytokine profile under neutral conditions.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.247-249
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• 2010

Foxp3 is a transcript factor for regulatory T cell development. Interestingly, Foxp3-expressing cells were identified in B cells, especially in CD19(+)CD5(+) B cells, while those were not examined in CD19(+)CD5(-) B cells. Foxp3-expressing CD5(+) B cells in this study were identified in human PBMCs and were found to consist of $8.5{\pm}3.5%$ of CD19(+)CD5(+) B cells. CD19(+)CD5(+)Foxp3(+) B cells showed spontaneous apoptosis. Rare CD19(+)CD5(+) Foxp3(+) regulatory B cell (Breg) population was unveiled in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and suggested as possible regulatory B cells (Breg) as regulatory T cells (Treg). The immunologic and the clinical relevant of Breg needs to be further investigated.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.83-88
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• 2015

CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (CD4+CD25+ Tregs) have been shown to play a regulatory or suppressive role in the immune response and are possibly relevant to the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. In the present study, we attempted to investigate the frequency of CD4+CD25+ Tregs in peripheral blood (PB) of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rats during the development of arthritis, to determine whether their frequency is involved in the immunoregulation of this disease. The results showed that normal rats had similar frequencies of CD4+CD25+ Tregs in PB during the experiment time, expressed as a percentage of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T cells among the CD4+ T lymphocyte population. In contrast, the frequency of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T cells in CIA rats was found to change during the development of arthritis. In CIA rats, there is a significant negative correlation between the frequency of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T cells and paw swelling (r=-0.786, p< 0.01). The relationship between the frequency of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T and immune activation was not found in normal rats. During the time course, the frequency of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T was lower in CIA rats than in normal ones. The data suggest that the frequency of PB CD4+CD25+ Tregs may be a promising marker for arthritis activity.