• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2022.09a
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• pp.92-92
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• 2022

Under the COVID-19 pandemic, interest in immune enhancement is increasing. Although the immune-enhancing activity of plants of the genus Hibiscus has been reported, there is no study on the immune-enhancing activity of H. syriacus. Thus, in this study, we investigated the immune-enhancing activity of Hibiscus syriacus leaves (HSL) in mouse macrophages, RAW264.7 cells, and immunosuppressed mice. HSL increased the production of immunostimulatory factors such as nitric oxide (NO), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and activated the phagocytosis in RAW264.7 cells. The HSL-mediated production of immunostimulatory factors was dependent on toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), p38, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) in RAW264.7 cells. In the immunosuppressed mouse model, HSL increased the spleen index, the levels of the cytokines, and the numbers of lymphocytes, neutrophils, and monocytes. Taken together, HSL may be considered to have immune-enhancing activity and be expected to be used as a potential immune-enhancing agent.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.635-641
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• 1999

In this study, we investigated the immunopotent activities of lepidan, a water soluble proteoglycan from Lentinus lepideus. To examine whether lepidan may affect nonspecific immune responses, we determined the effect on the production of nitric oxide (NO). Lepidan effectively increased the NO production in IFN-${\gamma}$ and LPS triggered RAW 264.7 cells. To further demonstrate the evidence that lepidan activates various immune cells, we determined the alkaline phosphatase activity, plaque-forming cell number and secretion of interleukine-4 (IL-4) and granulocyte/macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) after lepidan treatment in murine splenocytes. The results showed that lepidan increased alkaline phosphatase activity and the number of plaque-forming cells, which indicates that lepidan can lead B lymphocytes to late stage of differentiation. Also, when the splenocytes were cultured with lepidan for 48 hr, the level of IL-4 and GM-CSF in the supernatant dramatically increased. Taken together, these data suggest that lepidan is a biological response modulator that is able to activate immune responses.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.175-181
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• 2000

Pedunculagin is an ellagitannin purified from Alnus hirsuta var. microphylla, Betulaceae. The effects of pedunculagin on the immune system have been characterized to induce enhancement of NK (natural killer) cell cytotoxicities against tumor cells. The present study investigated whether pedunculagin can enhance macrophage cytotoxicity against P8l5 tumor cells. Macrophage cultured with pedunculagin enhanced cytotoxicity in a dose dependent manner In addition, the same treatments increased NO production, which plays important roles in the immune system. liken together these results demonstrate that pedunculagin significantly enhances cytolytic activities of macrophage.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.155-165
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• 2012

Objective : The object of this study is to confirm the immune enhancement effect of Rubus coreanus Miquel (RC) (30% EtOH extract) on RAW264.7 mouse macrophage cell line. Methods : RAW264.7 cells were treated with $10-500{\mu}g/mL$ RC for 24 hours. Cell viability was then measured using WST assays. Levels of intracellular NO and ROS were measured by Griess reagent and DCFH-DA staining respectively. Levels of iNOS and COX-2 mRNA was determined by RT-PCR. Secretion levels of IL-$1{\beta}$ and IL-6 cytokines were evaluated by sandwich ELISA assay. Western blot analysis was performed to measure the levels of intracellular molecules related to MAPKs pathways. Results : RC suppressed the growth of RAW264.7 cells. RC increased the production of NO and ROS. RC increased the mRNA and protein levels of COX-2 and iNOS. RC augmented the levels of secreted IL-$1{\beta}$ and IL-6 cytokines. RC increased MAPKs phosphorylation. Conclusion : In summary, our result shows that RC has inflammatory effect increasing the levels of NO, ROS and secreted cytokines and activating MAPKs. Hence, RC seems to have an immune enhancement effect.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.44-49
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• 2015

Interactions between microbes and epithelial cells in the gastrointestinal tract are closely associated with regulation of intestinal mucosal immune responses. Recent studies have highlighted the modulation of mucosal immunity by microbe-derived molecules such as ATP and short-chain fatty acids. In this study, we undertook to characterize the expression of the ATP-gated $P2X_7$ receptor ($P2X_7R$) on M cells and its role in gastrointestinal mucosal immune regulation because it was poorly characterized in Peyer's patches, although purinergic signaling via $P2X_7R$ and luminal ATP have been considered to play an important role in the gastrointestinal tract. Here, we present the first report on the expression of $P2X_7R$ on M cells and characterize the role of $P2X_7R$ in immune enhancement by ATP or LL-37.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.73-80
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• 2004

Viruses are obligate intracellular parasites which cause infection by invading and replicating within cells. The immune system has mechanisms which can attack the virus in extracellular and intracellular phase of life cycle, and which involve both non-specific and specific effectors. The survival of viruses depends on the survival of their hosts, and therefore the immune system and viruses have evolved together. Immune responses to viral infection may be variable depending on the site of infection, the mechanism of cell-to-cell spread of virus, physiology of the host, host genetic variation, and environmental condition. Viral infection of cells directly stimulates the production of interferons and they induce antiviral state in the surrounding cells. Complement system is also involved in the elimination of viruses and establishes the first line of defence with other non-specific immunity. During the course of viral infection, antibody is most effective at an early stage, especially before the virus enters its target cells. The virus- specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes are the principal effector cells in clearing established viral infections. But many viruses have resistant mechanism to host immune responses in every step of viral infection to cells. Some viruses have immune evasion mechanism and establish latency or persistency indefinitely. Furthermore antibodies to some viruses can enhance the disease by the second infection. Immune responses to viral infection are very different from those to bacterial infection.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.191-198
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• 2021

Background: Most clinical studies of immune responses activated by Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) have been conducted exclusively in patients. However, there is still a lack of clinical research on immune-boosting benefits of KRG for healthy persons. This study aims to confirm how KRG boosts the immune system of healthy subjects. Methods: A total of 100 healthy adult subjects were randomly divided into two groups that took either a 2 g KRG tablet or a placebo per day for 8 weeks. The primary efficacy evaluation variables included changes in T cells, B cells, and white blood cells (WBCs) before and after eight weeks of KRG ingestion. Cytokines (TNF-α, INF-γ, IL-2 and IL-4), WBC differential count, and incidence of colds were measured in the secondary efficacy evaluation variables. Safety evaluation variables were used to identify changes in laboratory test results that incorporated adverse reactions, vital signs, hematological tests, blood chemistry tests, and urinalysis. Results: Compared to the placebo group, the KRG intake group showed a significant increase in the number of T cells (CD3) and its subtypes (CD4 and CD8), B cells, and the WBC count before and after eight weeks of the intake. There were no clinically significant adverse reactions or other notable results in the safety evaluation factors observed. Conclusion: This study has proven through its eight-week intake test and subsequent analysis that KRG boosts the immune system through an increase in T cells, B cells, and WBCs, and that it is safe according to the study's safety evaluation.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 2008

Immune-potentiation of Chicorium endivia L. were investigated on follows extracts associated with ultrasonification process at 60 kHz and showed the highest promotion of human B and T cell growth, about $10{\sim}20%$ compared to the control. The secretion of TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-6 was also enhanced by the addition $(0.5mg/m{\ell})$ of the extracts. NK cell activation was Improved up to 1.37 times higher than the control, through adding extracts. It was also found that extracts from C. endivia L. could yield higher nitric oxide production from macrophage than Lipopolysaccaharides (LPS). It can be concluded that, in general, the extracts treated with ultrasonification has higher immune activity than others, possibly by higher yielding immune-modulatory activity than conventional extraction process. The optimum condition for the extraction of C. endivia L. is ethanol extraction at $60{\sim}100^{\circ}C$ associated with ultrasonification.

• BMB Reports
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.253-257
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• 2005

In our previous study, Soamsan, a traditional Oriental medicine, was shown to enhance the induction of antigen-specific immune responses, and it was speculated that the enhancing activity might be closely associated with glycoproteins contained within the medicine. To elucidate this speculation, protein samples from each component, used in the preparation of Soamsan, were obtained and their immune stimulating activities were tested with mouse splenocytes. All the samples markedly enhanced the lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine secretion by the mouse splenocytes. In particular, the enhancement was significantly higher with the protein sample treatments than with those of the original crude sample. Furthermore, the pronase E- and $NaIO_4$-mediated inhibition of splenocyte-stimulation activity of the protein samples clearly supported that glycoproteins are the main class of active ingredients responsible for the lymphocyte stimulating activity of the samples. Consequently, our findings suggest that glycoproteins might have a pivotal role in Soamsan-mediated immune modulation, although the in vivo effect of the glycoproteins should be further elucidated.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.134-139
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• 2014

This study was to investigate the improvement of immune activities of the extracts from Codonopsis lanceolata by stepwise steaming process and high pressure process. The phenol contents was $8.742{\mu}g/mg$ which was higher than that from conventional extraction using 70% ethyl alcohol at $80^{\circ}C$ for 24 hours. All of extracts at a concentration of $1.0mg/m{\ell}$ showed relatively low cytotoxicity on human normal kidney cell (HEK293) in range of 16 19%. The immune B and T cell growth was improved by extracts using the steamed and high pressure precess of C. lanceolata up to $180{\times}10^4cells/m{\ell}$ and $96{\times}10^4cells/m{\ell}$, respectively. The extract prepared also greatly increased the secretion of both IL-6 and TNF-${\alpha}$ from the stepwise steamed and high pressure process. This results can conclude that stepwise steamed and high pressure process effectively released active biomaterials which could important role in enhancing immune activity in the body.