• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.181-187
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• 2010

Excessive alcohol consumption is one of the critical causative factors leading to alcoholic liver disease (ALD). ALD is characterized by a wide spectrum of liver damage, ranging from simple uncomplicated liver steatosis (fatty liver) to steatohepatitis and liver fibrosis/cirrhosis. It has been believed that the obvious underlying cause for ALD is due to hepatocyte death induced by alcohol itself. However, recent sparkling studies have shown that diverse immune responses contribute to ALD because liver is enriched with numerous immune cells. Especially, a line of evidence has suggested that innate immune cells such as Kupffer cells and natural killer (NK)/NKT cells are significantly involved in the pathogenesis of ALD via production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and other mediators. Indeed, more interestingly, hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), known as a major cell inducing liver steatosis and fibrosis, can be killed by liver NK cells, which could be suppressed by chronic alcohol consumption. In this review, with the view of liver as predominant innate immune organ, we describe the pathogenesis of ALD in which what roles of innate immune cells are and how they are interacting with HSCs.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.335-341
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• 2021

Zinc is an essential micronutrient with crucial roles in multiple facets of biological processes. Dysregulated zinc homeostasis impairs overall immune function and resultantly increases susceptibility to infection. Clinically, zinc supplementation is practiced for treatment of several infectious diseases, such as diarrhea and malaria. Recent focus on zinc as a beneficial element for immune system support has resulted in investigation of the immunomodulatory roles of zinc in a variety of immune cells. Besides its classical role as a cofactor that regulates the structural function of thousands of proteins, accumulating evidence suggests that zinc also acts, in a manner similar to calcium, as an ionic regulator of immune responses via participation as an intracellular messenger in signaling pathways. In this review, we focus on the role of zinc as a signaling molecule in major pathways such as those downstream of Toll-like receptors-, T cell receptor-, and cytokine-mediated signal transduction that regulate the activity and function of monocytes/macrophages and T cells, principal players in the innate and adaptive immune systems.

• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.211-221
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• 2001

A literature study on oncological immune therapy was done, and the results were as follows. 1. Oncological immune therapy is classified as specific non specific therapy or active inactive therapy, and in tumor immune response, cellular immunity operates mainly, so activity of T lymphocytes and macrophages are closely related with growth, progress, metastasis and prospect of tumor. Recently, Immune therapies of gene which use cytokines and HLA-B7 are carrying out. 2. In oriental medicine, development of disease is closely related to up and down of healthy qi, so healthy qi operates as a immune factor and resistance factor. 3. On the base of theory "Increasing healthy qi reduces mass(養正則積自除)", strengthening body resistance is emphasized in cancer therapy. Also strengthening body resistance activates cellular immune response and promote killing tumor facility of T-cell. 4. In clinical view, using immune therapy after operation, radiation, and chemotheraphy is more effective than immune therapy itself, so it is expected that east-west cooperation will be effective in cancer therapy. 5. The study of oncological immunity is progressed on emphasizing T-cell and it is related to oriental medical theory "strengthening healthy qi to eliminate pathogen(扶定祛邪)" and advanced study is expected in future.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.9
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• pp.1361-1368
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• 2019

Codium fragile is an edible seaweed in Asian countries that has been used as a thrombolytic, anticoagulant, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immune-stimulatory agent. Ginseng has also been known to maintain immune homeostasis and to regulate the immune system via enhancing resistance to diseases and microorganisms. In this study, anionic macromolecules extracted from C. fragile (CFAM) were orally administered with red ginseng extract (100 mg/kg body weight) to cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppressed male BALB/c mice to investigate the immune-enhancing cooperative effect of Codium fragile and red ginseng. Our results showed that supplementing CFAM with red ginseng extract significantly increased spleen index, T- and B-cell proliferation, NK cell activity, and splenic lymphocyte immune-associated gene expression compared to those with red ginseng alone, even though a high concentration of CFAM with red ginseng decreased immune biomarkers. These results suggest that CFAM can be used as a co-stimulant to enhance health and immunity in immunosuppressed conditions.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.176-183
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• 2004

Background: Human seminal plasma (HSP)-induced hypersensitivity is one of the serious complications with sexual intercourse. The clinical manifestations of HSP-induced hypersensitivity may be related to the release of vasoactive mediators from mast cell induced by HSP. It has recently been reported that HSP modulates immune systems and induces mast cell degranulation and histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells (RPMC). Ketotifen and disodium cromoglycate (DSCG), anti-asthmatic and anti-allergic drugs, have a role of mast cell stabilization and inhibit mast cell-induced leukocyte rolling and adhesion. But the inhibitory agents of HSP-induced mast cell activation are unknown. This study was performed to investigate the effects of DSCG and ketotifen on the HSP-induced mast cell activation. Methods: For this, influences of DSCG and ketotifen on the human seminal plasma-induced degranulation, histamine release and morphological changes of RPMC were observed. Results: The mast cell degranulation and histamine release of RPMC by HSP were induced in a dose-dependent fashion. The HSP-induced cytomorphological changes such as swelling, intracellular vacoules, and interrupted cell boundary were significantly inhibited by pretreatment with DSCG or ketotifen. DSCG and Ketotifen inhibited the HSP-induced degranulation and histamine release from RPMC. Conclusion: From the above results, it is suggested that DSCG and ketotifen have a inhibitory effect of the HSP-induced mast cell activation. DSCG and ketotifen may be used for treatment of HSP-induced hypersensitivity.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.325-332
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• 2007

Cell-mediated immune response (CMI) is a major immune protective mechanism against tuberculosis (TB) infection. Among several components involved in CMI, recent studies suggest that CD8+ T cells are important in controlling TB infection. In our previous report, we defined four Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) derived epiotpe peptides specific for HLA-A*0201-restricted CD8+ T cells. These four peptides are $PstAl_{75-83}$, $ThyA_{30-38}$, $RpoB_{127-135}$ and $85B_{15-23}$. In this study, these epitope peptides specific CD8+ T cell responses in tuberculous pleurisy were investigated using ex vivo $IFN-\gamma$ elispot assay and intracellular $IFN-\gamma$ staining method. As a result, we observed these epitope peptide specific CD8+ T cell responses are induced in all three patients with tuberculous pleurisy suggesting that CD8+ T cells are involved in protective immune mechanism against MTB infection in tuberculous pleurisy. However, the CMI to mitogens and MTB antigens from pleural fluids of patients with tuberculous pleurisy does not seem to correlate with that from peripheral blood, although the sample size is too small to make any conclusion. In sum, the MHC I restricted CD8+ T cell responses seem to be induced efficiently in the pleural fluids, at the site of TB infection, in which the CMI is actively induced. In addition, these experiments suggest that MHC I restricted CD8+ T cell mediated immune responses are also involved in protective mechanism against MTB infection in extra-pulmonary TB.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.79-97
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• 2000

Objectives : To investigate the effects of herb-acupunctures of Qi tonification herbs or formula on the rat immune depression induced by an anticancer drug, methotrexate (MTX) Methods: Animals were divided into 5 groups; Normal control group was not given any treatment. Immune depression was induced by oral administration of 1mg/kg MTX b.i.d for 4 days in Control, Sample I, II, and III groups. We treated on CV 4 (Guanyuan) with saline, Bojoongiggi-tang (Buzhongyiqi-tang), Ginseng Radix and Astragali Radix herb-acupunctures in Control, Sample I, II, and Ill groups, respectively. In both blood and spleen, the assessment of CD4+ T-cell count, CD8+ T-cell count, CD4/CD8 T-cell ratio was performed. Results: Here we show that 3 herb- acupuncture groups have an influence, to some extent, on CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell counts and CD4/CD8 T-cell ratio in both blood and spleen. Astragali Radix herb-acupuncture, in particular, was found to have significantly increased CD4+ T-cell count in blood and CD4/CD8 T-cell ratio in blood and spleen. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that herb-acupunctures of Bojoongiggi-tang (Buzhongyiqi-tang), Ginseng Radix and Astragali Radix may have an influence over rat immune depression induced by MTX.

• Ocean Science Journal
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.209-212
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• 2005

In the present study, we have tested the effects of 21 salt marsh plants on cell proliferation of mouse immune cells (spleen and thymus) using MTT assay in culture. The methanolic extracts of six salt marsh plants (Rosa rugosa, Ixeris tamagawaensis, Artemisia capillaris, Tetragonia tetragonoides, Erigeron annus, and Glehnia littoralis) showed very powerful suppressive effects of mouse immune cell death and significant activities of cell proliferation in vitro. Especially, the methanolic extract of Rosa rugosa was found to have fifteen times compared to the control treatment, demonstrating that Rosa rugosa may have a potent stimulation effect on immune cell proliferation. These results suggest that several salt marsh plants including Rosa rugosa could be useful for further study as an immunomodulating agent.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.24 no.11
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• pp.370-374
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• 2021

In this paper, we have reported the expression of immune-related gene in a new embryonic cell line (FGBC8) which was established from olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) embryos. To explore the cell biotechnological applicability, the FGBC8 cells were incubated with the several mitogens such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS), polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly I:C), flagellin, and interferon (IFN)-γ. After incubation, the expression of immune-related gene was observed in FGBC8 cells through the quantitative real-time PCR. Our results indicate that FGBC8 cells will serve as a valuable research tool for investigating host-pathogen interactions as well as cell biotechnological applications.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.46.1-46.13
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• 2020

Neutrophils are innate immune cells that constitute the first line of defense against invading pathogens. Due to this characteristic, they are exposed to diverse immunological environments wherein sources for nutrients are often limited. Recent advances in the field of immunometabolism revealed that neutrophils utilize diverse metabolic pathways in response to immunological challenges. In particular, neutrophils adopt specific metabolic pathways for modulating their effector functions in contrast to other immune cells, which undergo metabolic reprogramming to ensure differentiation into distinct cell subtypes. Therefore, neutrophils utilize different metabolic pathways not only to fulfill their energy requirements, but also to support specialized effector functions, such as neutrophil extracellular trap formation, ROS generation, chemotaxis, and degranulation. In this review, we discuss the basic metabolic pathways used by neutrophils and how these metabolic alterations play a critical role in their effector functions.