• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.412-415
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• 2011

Hypocrellin A has gained much attention in recent years due to its light-induced antitumor, antifungal and antiviral activities. Here we report that hypocrellin A exerts immunomodulatory effects on MHC-restricted presentation of antigen. Hypocrellin A inhibited class II-MHC restricted presentation of exogenous antigen, but not class I MHC-restricted presentation of exogenous antigen, in dendritic cells. Hypocrellin A also inhibited the cytosolic pathway of endogenous antigen presentation. However, hypocrellin A did not inhibit the expression of class I and class II MHC molecules on dendritic cells (DCs), the phagocytic activity of DCs, or the $H-2K^b$-restricted presentation of a synthetic peptide, SIINFEKL. These results show that hypocrellin A differentially modulates the MHC-restricted antigen presentation pathways.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.54 no.10
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• pp.405-408
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• 2011

Purpose: In autumn 2009, the swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) virus spread throughout South Korea. The aims of this study were to determine the clinical characteristics of children infected by the 2009 H1N1 influenza A virus, and to compare the rapid antigen and realtime polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of patients ${\geq}18$ years of age who presented to Soonchunhyang University Hospital in Seoul with respiratory symptoms, including fever, between September 2009 and January 2010. A real-time PCR test was used to definitively diagnose 2009 H1N1 influenza A infection. Medical records of confirmed cases were reviewed for sex, age, and the time of infection. The decision to perform rapid antigen testing was not influenced by clinical conditions, but by individual factors such as economic conditions. Its sensitivity and specificity were evaluated compared to real-time PCR test results. Results: In total, 934 patients tested positive for H1N1 by real-time PCR. The highest number of patients (48.9%) was diagnosed in November. Most patients (48.2%) were aged between 6 and 10 years. Compared with the H1N1 real-time PCR test results, the rapid antigen test showed 22% sensitivity and 83% specificity. Seventy-eight patients were hospitalized for H1N1 influenza A virus infection, and fever was the most common symptom (97.4%). Conclusion: For diagnosis of 2009 H1N1 influenza A virus infection, the rapid antigen test was inferior to the real-time PCR test in both sensitivity and specificity. This outcome suggests that the rapid antigen test is inappropriate for screening.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.16
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• pp.7085-7088
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• 2015

Background: The high incidence of prostate cancer as the most common malignancy in males in many countries raises the question of developing reliable detection tests. The prostate specific antigen (PSA) test is the most widely used for screening for prostate cancer; however, its low specificity elevates the number of unnecessarily biopsies. Serum human kallikrein-2 (hK2) is considered as a promising marker, and especially its ratio to fPSA, for predicting the presence of malignancy to select the best choice referring to biopsy or surveillance. In this study, we investigated the role of hK2 and its combinations with other markers to discriminate prostate cancer from benign diseases in Syrian patients. Materials and Methods: In this prospective oriented cross-sectional cohort study, serum samples were collected from patients referred to many Hospitals in Damascus, Syria, between May 2011 and March 2012, and diagnosed with biopsy proven benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) or prostate cancer (PCa). Serum was analyzed for hK2, PSA and fPSA, and the ratios of fPSA/PSA and hK2/fPSA were calculated. Results: We found that mean hK2/fPSA ratios were significantly higher (P=0.01) in prostate cancer patients than in the BPH or control groups. Also the ratio hk2/fPSA gave the largest area under the curve (AUC:0.96) which was significantly larger than for fPSA/PSA (AUC:0.41) indicative of higher specificity. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that the ratio of hK2/fPSA might be superior to the use of fPSA/PSA alone. The hK2 could be shown to enhance the early detection of prostate cancer; especially the ratio hK2/fPSA improves specificity and hence may reduce the number of negative biopsies.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.15-23
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• 2005

Mucin glycoproteins are the primary carriers of the oligosaccharide moieties that constitute the blood group substances in human saliva. The aim of this study was to determine whether or not the conversion of either the A or B blood group antigens to the H antigen can occur during the degradation process of stored saliva samples. Forty subjects (20 subjects in each A and B blood group) identified as secretors were enrolled in this study. Fresh whole saliva samples and their clarified supernatants were stored at room temperature for 1 week. The conversion of the blood group antigens was detected by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting. Among the subjects showing the conversion in whole saliva, glandular saliva samples were obtained from 8 subjects (4 subjects in each A and B blood group). Submandibular-sublingual saliva (SMSL) and a mixture of SMSL and parotid saliva (PS) were stored at room temperature for 1 week. The conversion of the blood group antigens was detected by the same method. The obtained results were as follows: 1. In the clarified samples of whole saliva, the A antigen was detected as being either intact (5%) or degraded molecules (95%) after the 1 week period. Conversion of the A antigen to the H antigen was detected in 5 subjects (25%). In the unclarified samples, the A antigen was either detected as degraded molecules (90%) or was not detected (10%). Conversion of the antigen had occurred in 4 subjects (20%). 2. In the clarified samples of whole saliva, the B antigen was detected as intact (20%) or as degraded molecules (65%) or was not detected (15%) after the 1 week period. Conversion of the B antigen to the H antigen was detected in 7 subjects (35%). In the unclarified samples, the B antigen was detected as intact (5%) or as degraded molecules (65%), or was not detected (30%). Conversion of the antigen was observed in 2 subjects (10%). 3. In the glandular saliva samples, only one of the four subjects displayed an antigenic conversion from the A to H antigen or from the B to H antigen. The conversion had occurred in both the SMSL samples and the SMSL and PS mixture. No degradation of the antigens was detected in the other three samples of the A or B blood groups, nor was there any conversion. The results demonstrated that conversion of the blood group antigens could occur in saliva, and suggested that the enzymes responsible for the conversion are present in saliva. Further studies on the origin and activity of the specific glycosidases in saliva as well as quantitative measurements of the antigenic conversion will be needed.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.241-248
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• 2008

This study has been carried out to secretion antibodies for the purpose of preventing the infection of Helicobacter pylori and using them as a supplement for treatment. This experiments have been separated antigens from H. pylori and observed into antibody production and the agglutination of H. pylori for the separated antigens. As major antigenic proteins separated from H. pylori, the following could be verified: 12 kinds of band for whole cell (WC), seven kinds of band for outer membrane protein (OMP), three kinds of band for crude urease, and one kind of band for lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The IgG anti-H. pylori antibody of separated antigens showed $77.9{\pm}6.4{\mu}g/ml$ for we (L), $84.9{\pm}6.4{\mu}g/ml$ for OMP, and $123.8{\pm}2.9{\mu}g/ml$ for crude urease, at the same antigen concentration of $20{\mu}g/100ull$, which showed the most at the crude urease. And it turned out that the IgA antibodies were generated with $2.5{\pm}0.32{\mu}g/ml$ for WC (L), $2.0{\pm}0.43{\mu}g/ml$ for OMP, and $1.3{\pm}0.25{\mu}g/ml$ for crude urease, which demonstrated the most for WC (L) antigens. As a result of verifying the immunogenecity of antigenic protein through the Western blotting, major antigenic substances could be confirmed as follows: 10 kinds for WC, six kinds for OMP and three kinds for crude urease. The agglutination values on the H. pylori of the antibody were $2^5,\;2^5,\;2^6\;and\;2^7$ at the antigen serums of anti-WC (H), anti-WC (L), anti-OMP and anti-crude urease, respectively, which indicated the highest for the antigen serum of anti-crude urease. The urease activation-inhibiting absorbance of antigen serum created by each antigen was $0.14{\pm}0.01$ for WC (H), $0.16{\pm}0.01$ for WC (L), $0.18{\pm}0.03$ for OMP, and $0.18{\pm}0.04$ for urease, demonstrating a significant inhibiting effect, compared with $0.26{\pm}0.02$ of the control group.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.97-103
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• 2007

Purpose : Lewis antigen has been known to have a role in the attachment of H. pylori to the gastric mucosa, but its expression pattern in children with H. pylori infection is still unclear. The recently described blood group antigen-binding adhesin BabA is known to mediate adherence of H. pylori to Lewis B receptors on gastric epithelium. We investigated the expression of Lewis antigen in gastric mucosa of Korean children with H. pylori infection. Methods : The expression of Lewis A ($Le^a$), B ($Le^b$), X ($Le^x$), and Y ($Le^y$) was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in H. pylori positive biopsy specimens from 35 children (antral gastritis in 30, peptic ulcer in 5) and in H. pylori negative specimens from 19 children. PCR assays for cagA and babA2 gene of H. pylori were performed. Results : We confirmed the expression of $Le^a$ in 60%, $Le^b$ in 97%, $Le^x$ in 100%, and $Le^y$ in 100% of the superficial epithelium of the 35 H. pylori positive children. In H. pylori negative patients, $Le^a$, $Le^b$, $Le^x$, and $Le^y$ expression was 52%, 100%, 89%, and 100%, respectively. The cagA gene was detected in 65% and babA2 gene in 25% of 35 patients. No differences in neutrophil activity and chronic inflammation were found according to the presence of cagA and babA2 genes in H. pylori. Conclusion : $Le^b$, $Le^x$ and $Le^y$ antigen were highly expressed in gastric mucosa of Korean children, but they were not associated with the status of H. pylori infection and the positivity of babA2 gene. Further studies for other mucosal receptors and toxins are needed to define the immune responses to H. pylori infection in gastric mucosa of Korean children.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.865-872
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• 2000

Helocobacter phylori is the major cause of gastritis, peptic ulcer, and a principal risk factor for gastric cancer. As the firs step towards a vaccine against H. pylori infection, Hy.pylori urease was expressed and purified as a recombinant apoenzyme (rUrease) in E. coli. In order to develop an effective immunization protocol using rUrease, the host immune responses were evaluated after the oral immunization of mice with rUrease preparations plus cholera toxin relative to various conditions, such as the physical nature of the antigen, the frequency of the booster immunization, the dose of the antigen, and the route of administration. The protective efficacy was assessed using a quantitative culture following an H. pylori SS1 challenge. It was demonstrated that rUrease, due to its particulated nature, was more superior than the UreB subunit as a vaccine antigen. The oral immunization of rUrease elicited significant systemic and secretory antibody responses, and activated predominantly Th2-type cellular responses. The bacterial colonization was significantly reduced (~100-fold) in those mice immunized with three or four weekly oran doses of rUrease plus cholera toxin (p<0.05), when compared to the non-immunized/challenged controls. The protection correlated well with the elicited secretory IgA level against rUrease, and these secretory antibody responses were highly dependent on the frequency of the booster immunization, yet unaffected by the dose of the antigen (25-200$\mu\textrm{g}$). These results demonstrate the remarkable potential of rUrease as a vaccine antigen, thereby strengthening the possibility of developing an H. pylori vaccine for humans.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.97-105
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• 2012

$Schizandra$ $chinensis$ Baillon is a traditional folk medicine plant that is used to treat and prevent several inflammatory diseases and cancer in Korea, but the underlying mechanisms involved in its anti-allergic activity are not fully understood. This study was designed to investigate mechanisms of anti-allergic activity of a $Schizandra$ $chinensis$ Baillon water extract (SCWE) in immunoglobulin E (IgE)-antigen complex-stimulated RBL2H3 cells and to assess whether gastric and intestinal digestion affects the anti-allergic properties of SCWE. Oxidative stress is an important consequence of the allergic inflammatory response. The antioxidant activities of SCWE increased in a concentration-dependent manner. RBL-2H3 cells were sensitized with monoclonal anti-dinitrophenol (DNP) specific IgE, treated with SCWE, and challenged with the antigen DNP-human serum albumin. SCWE inhibited ${\beta}$-hexosaminidase release and expression of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-13, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-${\alpha}$) mRNA and protein in IgE-antigen complex-stimulated RBL2H3 cells. We found that digested SCWE fully maintained its antioxidant activity and anti-allergic activity against the IgE-antigen complex-induced activation of RBL-2H3 cells. SCWE may be useful for preventing allergic diseases, such as asthma. Thus, SCWE could be used as a natural functional ingredient for allergic diseases in the food and/or pharmaceutical industries.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.1-7
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• 1973

It was found that the diapause in the silkworm egg is induced by the action of the diapause hormone secreted from the suboesophageal ganglion, and "esterase A" affects protein metabolism in oocyte and egg. In this connection, some changes in protein metabolism of silkworm egg according to embryonic developments could give some information on the diapause, using Ouchterlony Test. Antigenicity of the protein of silkworm egg was detected through antigen-antibody interaction among the extracts of rabbit blood. Furthermore, existence of the specific antigen was also detected according to embryonic development, using the adsorption test. The results were obtained as follows: 1 Detection of antigenicity The antigenicity of silkworm egg was ascertained by inoculating it into a rabbit, but positive results were shown in most of the silkworm eggs tested, whereas the antibody specific to a certain antigen was not detected. 2. Detection of the common antigen It was demonstrated that most of the antigen could incite the common antibodies, but the specific antibody formation was not detected in a few antigens, even though the nonspecific antibody formation was displayed. 3. Detection of the specific antigen It is suggested that there are the specific antigens detectable in each treated eggs by the adsorption test.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.222-227
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• 2018

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB)-originated lipid antigen is presented on the antigen-presenting cell surface with CD1b. When monocyte-derived dendritic cells phagocytosed MTB H37Rv (Multiplicity of infection 10, infectivity: 46.89%), the CD1b expression level decreased slowly. Since this was just a live MTB-mediated phenomenon, it was not detected from heat-killed MTB or mycolic acid, which is a unique antigen of MTB. We confirmed that the phosphorylation of CD1b molecules using 2D electrophoresis with staining could phosphorylate and induce the presentation of the lipid antigen using the phagocytosis assay.