• Molecules and Cells
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.173-182
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• 2005

Heat shock protein gp96 is an endoplasmic reticulum chaperone, belonging to the HSP90 family. The function of gp96 as a molecular chaperone was discovered more than 10 years ago, but its importance has been overshadowed by the brilliance of its role in immune responses. It is now clear that gp96 is instrumental in the initiation of both the innate and adaptive immunity. Recently, the roles of gp96 in protein homeostasis, as well as in cell differentiation and development, are beginning to draw more attention due to rapid development in the structural study of HSP90 and some surprising new discoveries from genetic studies of gp96. In this review, we focus on the aspect of gp96 as an ER molecular chaperone in protein maturation, peptide binding and the regulation of its activity.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.90-99
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• 2017

Caenorhabditis elegans is an important model organism with many useful features, including rapid development and aging, easy cultivation, and genetic tractability. Survival assays using C. elegans are powerful methods for studying physiological processes. In this review, we describe diverse types of C. elegans survival assays and discuss the aims, uses, and advantages of specific assays. C. elegans survival assays have played key roles in identifying novel genetic factors that regulate many aspects of animal physiology, such as aging and lifespan, stress response, and immunity against pathogens. Because many genetic factors discovered using C. elegans are evolutionarily conserved, survival assays can provide insights into mechanisms underlying physiological processes in mammals, including humans.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.101-108
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• 2022

Drosophila melanogaster lymph gland, the primary site of hematopoiesis, contains myeloid-like progenitor cells that differentiate into functional hemocytes in the circulation of pupae and adults. Fly hemocytes are dynamic and plastic, and they play diverse roles in the innate immune response and wound healing. Various hematopoietic regulators in the lymph gland ensure the developmental and functional balance between progenitors and mature blood cells. In addition, systemic factors, such as nutrient availability and sensory inputs, integrate environmental variabilities to synchronize the blood development in the lymph gland with larval growth, physiology, and immunity. This review examines the intrinsic and extrinsic factors determining the progenitor states during hemocyte development in the lymph gland and provides new insights for further studies that may extend the frontier of our collective knowledge on hematopoiesis and innate immunity.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.39.1-39.18
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• 2022

RNA metabolism plays a central role in regulating of T cell-mediated immunity. RNA processing, modifications, and regulations of RNA decay influence the tight and rapid regulation of gene expression during T cell phase transition. Thymic selection, quiescence maintenance, activation, differentiation, and effector functions of T cells are dependent on selective RNA modulations. Recent technical improvements have unveiled the complex crosstalk between RNAs and T cells. Moreover, resting T cells contain large amounts of untranslated mRNAs, implying that the regulation of RNA metabolism might be a key step in controlling gene expression. Considering the immunological significance of T cells for disease treatment, an understanding of RNA metabolism in T cells could provide new directions in harnessing T cells for therapeutic implications.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.3903-3907
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• 2013

Background: Patients with colorectal cancer are usually treated with chemotherapy, which reduces the number of blood cells, especially white blood cells, and consequently increases the risk of infections. Some research studies have reported that aromatherapy massage affects the immune system and improves immune function by, for example, increasing the numbers of natural killer cells and peripheral blood lymphocytes. However, there has been no report of any study which provided good evidence as to whether aromatherapy with Thai massage could improve the immune system in patients with colorectal cancer. The objectives of this study were to determine whether the use of aromatherapy with light Thai massage in patients with colorectal cancer, who have received chemotherapy, can result in improvement of the cellular immunity and reduce the severity of the common symptoms of side effects. Materials and Methods: Sixty-six patients with colorectal cancer in Phichit Hospital, Thailand, were enrolled in a single-blind, randomised-controlled trial. The intervention consisted of three massage sessions with ginger and coconut oil over a 1-week period. The control group received standard supportive care only. Assessments were conducted at pre-assessment and at the end of one week of massage or standard care. Changes from pre-assessment to the end of treatment were measured in terms of white blood cells, neutrophils, lymphocytes, CD4 and CD8 cells and the CD4/CD8 ratio and also the severity of self-rated symptom scores. Results: The main finding was that after adjusting for pre-assessment values the mean lymphocyte count at the post-assessment was significantly higher (P=0.04) in the treatment group than in the controls. The size of this difference suggested that aromatherapy with Thai massage could boost lymphocyte numbers by 11%. The secondary outcomes were that at the post assessment the symptom severity scores for fatigue, presenting symptom, pain and stress were significantly lower in the massage group than in the standard care controls. Conclusions: Aromatherapy with light Thai massage can be beneficial for the immune systems of cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy by increasing the number of lymphocytes and can help to reduce the severity of common symptoms.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.30-34
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• 2018

Silver (Ag) has been widely used in commercial products and medical fields since ancient times because of its antibacterial effect. It is harmless and non-toxic to the human body. For this reason, recent research has actively evaluated antimicrobial activity using silver (Ag). In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of a silver-based compound, silver phosphate ($Ag_3PO_4$) on the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and the activation of human immunity. First, the inhibitory effect of $Ag_3PO_4$ on the growth of Staphylococcus aureus was confirmed by a growth curve and a colonyounting method. As a result, the growth inhibitory effect increased as the concentration of $Ag_3PO_4$ increased. Specifically, treatment with $5{\mu}g/mL$ of $Ag_3PO_4$ resulted in no bacteria growth, and the colony-counting method showed a remarkable inhibition. In addition, the expression of cytokine IL-8 by $Ag_3PO_4$ was examined to investigate the cellular immune system activation by $Ag_3PO_4$. After pretreatment of Staphylococcus aureus for 1 hour with $50{\mu}g/mL$ $Ag_3PO_4$, an increased IL-8 mRNA expression resulted. In cells treated with $Ag_3PO_4$, we found that the expression of IL-8 was enhanced in a time-dependent fashion compared to non-treated cells. These results indicate that $Ag_3PO_4$ induces antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and activates human immunity. These results are expected to contribute to the future study of the mechanism of silver (Ag) and silver-based compounds in relation to antibacterial activity.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Poultry Science Conference
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• 2000.11a
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• pp.81-84
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• 2000

Effects of different photoperiod regimens on the cellular and humoral immunity in broiler chickens were studied(Exp 1). Total one hundred ninety two one-day-old commercial broiler chicks(Cobb$\times$Cobb) were raised between constant lighting(CL) and intermittent lighting (1h light: 3h darkness(IL; 1l; 3D) Body weight, feed intake and feed conversion were measured for seven week. Peripheral blood and splenic lymphocyte activities were tested at 3 and 5 wk of age by performing a mitogen cellproliferation assay with a polyclonal T-cell mitogen, concanavalin A (Con A), and B-cell mitogen, lipopolysaccharide (LPS). To investigate the effect of photoperiod on the humoral immunity, chicks were immunized with sheep red blood cell(SRBC) and iinactivated Newcastle disease virus(NDV) vaccine. Total immunoglobulin G(IgG) concentration was also determined. Diurnal change of melatonin was tested in sera. In experiment 2, 0.1ml melatonin were subcutaneously injected from three to five weeks old if immunomodulation effect of lighting regimen was due to the melatonin or not. Injections of melatonin were made at 0700h and the dosage was 10ng (M2), 100ng(M3), 1$\mu\textrm{g}$(M4) per bird daily, respectively. control were quivalent injections of vehicle(M1). Lymphocyte activities were tested and humoral immunities were examined at 5 weeks of age. Blood melatonin concentration was determined at 0h, 1, h, 2h, and 3h posterior to injection at five weeks old. It was higher in CL chicks than IL chickens during the subsequent period of 3 to 5 wk of age. However, weight gain of chicks raised IL were significantly higher at 6 wk of age than CL(P<0.05). Antibody response to NDV was not affected by both photoperiod regimens and melatonin injection, whereas anti-SRMB titer and IgG concentration were enhanced. Lymphocyte activity of chickens raised under IL was sighificantly higher than those of chickens raised under CL. Melatonin injection also increased lymphocyte activity. When peripheral blood lymphocytes were used, proliferation response to LPS and Con A were significantly increased in M2 and respectively. The results of this experiments suggest that IL improved host immune response and melatonin have immunomodulatory roles.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.371-380
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• 1991

The effects of peritoneal exudate cells(PEC) and sera of athymic nude and DS mice infected with Clonorchis sinensis metacercariae or sensitized by injection of metabolic products into footpad on transfer of immunity against the fluke to the syngeneic mice were studied. There was no significant difference in eggs per gram pattern between the sensitized and control groups, and between nude and DS mice. However, the worm burdens were slightly greater in nude mice than in DS mice. Also, a few plaque forming cells were found in only DS mice given PEC and serum from Group II DS mice. In the light of these results, it is likely that PEC and sera of nude or DS mice which are deficient, at least partially, in the cellular immune system are unable to transfer immunity against C. sinensis to syngeneic recipients.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.10
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• pp.1606-1615
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• 2022

Objective: The present study was conducted to investigate the potential effects of dietary supplemented propolis in two growing rabbit breeds on growth performance, immune response, blood parameters, carcass characteristics, and cecal microflora composition. Methods: A total of 90 growing rabbits aged 6 weeks from two breeds (V-line and Jabali) were randomly allocated to 3 dietary propolis experimental treatments. The experimental treatments consisted of a 2×3 factorial arrangement with two rabbit breeds and three levels of dietary propolis supplementation (0, 250 mg/kg, and 500 mg/kg). Each sub-treatment has 15 rabbits. The experimental period lasted six weeks. Results: There were no significant differences in growth performance and carcass characteristics due to propolis administration. Propolis supplementation at a high level significantly increased (linear; p<0.05) cellular-mediated immunity compared with the unsupplemented group. Furthermore, the rabbits receiving propolis exhibited a significant increase (linear and quadratic; p<0.03) in IgM immunoglobulins compared to the control. The current study provides further evidence that the dietary inclusion of propolis can significantly reduce pathogenic bacterial colonization in growing rabbits. The total count of microflora, E. coli, and Salmonella spp. was significantly lower (linear; p<0.01) in supplemented rabbit groups compared to the control group according to the microbiological analysis of cecal digesta. Based on breed effect, the results indicated that Jabali rabbits (local) performed better than V-line rabbits (foreign) in the majority of the studied traits. Conclusion: Dietary propolis is promising for further investigation into improving intestinal health and enhancing immunity in growing rabbits.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.47.1-47.16
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• 2023

Scrub typhus, a mite-borne infectious disease, is caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi. Despite many attempts to develop a protective strategy, an effective preventive vaccine has not been developed. The identification of appropriate Ags that cover diverse antigenic strains and provide long-lasting immunity is a fundamental challenge in the development of a scrub typhus vaccine. We investigated whether this limitation could be overcome by harnessing the nanoparticle-forming polysorbitol transporter (PST) for an O. tsutsugamushi vaccine strategy. Two target proteins, 56-kDa type-specific Ag (TSA56) and surface cell Ag A (ScaA) were used as vaccine candidates. PST formed stable nano-size complexes with TSA56 (TSA56-PST) and ScaA (ScaA-PST); neither exhibited cytotoxicity. The formation of Ag-specific IgG2a, IgG2b, and IgA in mice was enhanced by intranasal vaccination with TSA56-PST or ScaA-PST. The vaccines containing PST induced Ag-specific proliferation of CD8⁺ and CD4⁺ T cells. Furthermore, the vaccines containing PST improved the mouse survival against O. tsutsugamushi infection. Collectively, the present study indicated that PST could enhance both Ag-specific humoral immunity and T cell response, which are essential to effectively confer protective immunity against O. tsutsugamushi infection. These findings suggest that PST has potential for use in an intranasal vaccination strategy.