• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.10
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• pp.890-897
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• 2006

In inflammatory responses, induction of cytokines and other immune regulator genes in macrophages by pathogen-associated signal such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) plays a crucial role. In this study, the gene expression profile changes by LPS treatment in the macrophage/monocyte lineage cell line RAW264.7 was investigated. A 60-mer oligonucleotide microarray of which probes target 32381 mouse genes was used. A reverse transcription-in vitro translation labeling protocol and a chemileuminescence detection system were employed. The mRNA expression levels in RAW264.7 cells treated for 6 h with LPS and the control vehicle were compared. 747 genes were up-regulated and 523 genes were down-regulated by more than 2 folds. 320 genes showing more than 4-fold change by LPS treatment were further classified for the biological process, molecular function, and signaling pathway. The biological process categories that showed high number of increased genes include the immunity and defense, the nucleic acid metabolism, the protein metabolism and modification, and the signal transduction process. The chemokine-cytokine signaling, interleukin signaling, Toll receptor signaling, and apoptosis signaling pathways involved high number of genes differentially expressed in response to LPS. These expression profile data provide more comprehensive information on LPS-target genes in RAW264.7 cells, which will be useful in comparing gene expression changes induced by extracts and compounds from anti-inflammatory medicinal herbs.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.77-84
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• 2006

Since the long-term exposure of mutans streptococci to xylitol is known to select for xylitol-resistant $(X^R)$ natural mutants, the occurrence and survival of such $(X^R)$ strains were performed in batch culture methods. The aim of the study was to compare the differentiation and quantification of mRNA expression of the gtf genes of $X^R\;and\;X^S$ mutans streptococci. Using a real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, the expression of each gtf was determined. In $X^R$ strains, the relative levels of transcription of gtfB and gtfC were decreased while that of gtfD was increased, suggesting the presence of independent promoters. It also suggested that mutation related to production of glucosyltransferase occurred under the exposure of xylitol could explain the caries-preventive mechanisms of xylitol.

• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.715-719
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• 2004

This paper deals with EMC filter for a personal computer(PC). A PC contains many sources of noise inside and out, with many connected cables. High noise levels are also emitted from the PC because of high-speed signals. So radiated noise from the computer body may sometimes cause problems. Therefore, we design and fabricate an electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) filter for PC, which is composed of feed-through capacitors and ferrite beads with high permeability. Through extensive test, the proposed EMC filter is shown to have excellent differential-mode and common-mode noises filtering characteristics above 30 dB in the frequency band from 10 MHz to 1.5 GHz. The immunity characteristics are improved more than 10 to 30 dB over the frequency band from DC to 1.8 GHz.

• BMB Reports
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.311-316
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• 2020

Cholestasis is a condition in which the bile duct becomes narrowed or clogged by a variety of factors and bile acid is not released smoothly. Bile acid-induced liver injury is facilitated by necrotic cell death, neutrophil infiltration, and inflammation. Metformin, the first-line treatment for type 2 diabetes, is known to reduce not only blood glucose but also inflammatory responses. In this study, we investigated the effects of metformin on liver injury caused by cholestasis with bile acid-induced hepatocyte injury. Static bile acid-induced liver injury is thought to be related to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, inflammatory response, and chemokine expression. Metformin treatment reduced liver injury caused by bile acid, and it suppressed ER stress, inflammation, chemokine expression, and neutrophil infiltration. Similar results were obtained in mouse primary hepatocytes exposed to bile acid. Hepatocytes treated with tauroursodeoxycholic acid, an ER stress inhibitor, showed inhibition of ER stress, as well as reduced levels of inflammation and cell death. These results suggest that metformin may protect against liver injury by suppressing ER stress and inflammation and reducing chemokine expression.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.307-320
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• 2014

Mycobacterium scrofulaceum is an environmental and slow-growing atypical mycobacterium. Emerging evidence suggests that M. scrofulaceum infection is associated with cervical lymphadenitis in children and pulmonary or systemic infections in immunocompromised adults. However, the nature of host innate immune responses to M. scrofulaceum remains unclear. In this study, we examined the innate immune responses in murine bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) infected with different M. scrofulaceum strains including ATCC type strains and two clinically isolated strains (rough and smooth types). All three strains resulted in the production of proinflammatory cytokines in BMDMs mediated through toll-like receptor-2 and the adaptor MyD88. Activation of MAPKs (extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, and p38, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase) and nuclear receptor (NF)-${\kappa}B$ together with intracellular reactive oxygen species generation were required for the expression of proinflammatory cytokines in BMDMs. In addition, the rough morphotypes of M. scrofulaceum clinical strains induced higher levels of proinflammatory cytokines, MAPK and NF-${\kappa}B$ activation, and ROS production than other strains. When mice were infected with different M. scrofulaceum strains, those infected with the rough strain showed the greatest hepatosplenomegaly, granulomatous lesions, and immune cell infiltration in the lungs. Notably, the bacterial load was higher in mice infected with rough colonies than in mice infected with ATCC or smooth strains. Collectively, these data indicate that rough M. scrofulaceum induces higher inflammatory responses and virulence than ATCC or smooth strains.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.11
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• pp.1042-1048
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• 2006

Plasmid DNA vaccines encoding the hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface and hepatitis C virus (HCV) envelope antigens, respectively, were constructed, and attempt were made to find the possibility of a divalent vaccine against HBV and HCV. The expression of each plasmid in Cos-1 cells was confirmed using immunocytochemistry. To measure the induced immune response by these plasmids in vivo, female BALB/c mice were immunized intramuscularly with $100\;{\mu}g$ of either both or just one of the plasmids. Anti-HBV and HCV-specific antibodies and related cytokines were evaluated to investigate the generation of both humoral and cellular immune responses. As a result, specific anti-HBV and anti-HCV serum antibodies from mice immunized with these plasmids were observed using immunoblot. The levels of IL-2 and RANTES showing a $Th_{1}$ immune response were significantly increased, but there was no change in the level of IL-4 ($Th_{1}$ immune response) in any of the immunized groups. Compared with each plasmid DNA vaccine, the combined vaccine elicited similar immune responses in both humoral and cell-mediated immunities. These results suggest that the combined DNA vaccine can induce not only comparable immunity experimentally without antigenic interference, but also humoral and $Th_{1}$ dominant cellular immune responses. Therefore, they could serve as candidates for a simultaneous bivalent vaccine against HBV and HCV infections.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.231-240
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• 2013

Adjuvants are immune enhancers that are often used in vaccination to augment the immune response of a vaccine, thereby enhancing the protective immunity against the targeted disease. In the present study, we used the recombinant protein, such as rRbCC1, this protein was produced from rock bream CC chemokine 1. To verify the adjuvant effects of this recombinant protein, the immune responses of rock bream to Streptococcus iniae (S. iniae) FKC vaccination, which alone or in combination with recombinant protein was analyzed and then also performed experimental challenge with live S. iniae. The result of serum agglutination titres was showed relatively low levels however, the efficacy of FKC vaccine still conferred protection against S. iniae. Moreover, the adverse effects result showed that no statistically significant difference was revealed between high concentration injected and non-injected fish groups, generally. The relative percent survival (RPS) of FKC + recombinant vaccination group was significantly higher than that of vaccinated group with FKC alone. After experimental challenge to the rock bream by injection with live bacteria (S. iniae), the FKC + rRbCC1 vaccination group was showed 87.0% RPS, however, the RPS of FKC alone vaccination was 68.2%. The results indicated that the recombinant protein as an adjuvant had a clear synergism to injection vaccine of rock bream.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2018

Purpose: This review article provides an overview of the trends of research papers on the health benefits of kimchi and kimchi lactic acid bacteria published from 1995 to 2017. Methods: All publications from 1995 to 2017 regarding kimchi and kimchi lactic acid bacteria were collected, reviewed, and classified. This review article covers the publications of the health benefits of kimchi and kimchi lactic acid bacteria on experimental, clinical trials, and epidemiology studies. Results: The number of publications on kimchi over the period were 590: 385 publications in Korean and 205 publications in English. The number of publications on the health benefits of kimchi and kimchi lactic acid bacteria were 95 in Korean and 54 in English. The number of publications on kimchi and kimchi lactic acid bacteria were 84 and 38, respectively, in the experimental models. Ten research papers on kimchi in clinical trials and 7 publications in epidemiology were found. Kimchi or kimchi lactic acid bacteria had protective effects against oxidative stress, mutagenicity, toxicity, cancer, dyslipidemia, hypertension, immunity, and inflammation in in vitro, cellular, and in vivo animal models. Moreover, kimchi had effects on the serum lipids, intestinal microbiota, iron status, obesity, and metabolic parameters in human clinical trials. In epidemiology, kimchi had effects on hypertension, asthma, atopic dermatitis, rhinitis, cholesterol levels, and free radicals. Conclusion: This review focused on the publications regarding the health benefits of kimchi and kimchi lactic acid bacteria, suggesting the future directions of studies about kimchi and kimchi lactic acid bacteria by producing a database for an evaluation of the health benefits of kimchi.

• Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.662-674
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• 2018

Purpose: Group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of allergic disease. However, the effect of allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) on ILCs remains to be clarified. The aim of this study was to evaluate the levels of ILC subsets in allergic rhinitis (AR) patients in response to house dust mite (HDM)-specific immunotherapy. Methods: We enrolled 37 AR patients undergoing AIT (16 responders and 11 non-responders) for 2 years, 35 HDM AR patients and 28 healthy subjects. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were analyzed by flow cytometry to identify ILC subsets. Stimulation of ILC2s with recombinant allergen-specific protein was used to determine ILC2's activation (CD69 expression). Results: Responder AIT patients and healthy subjects had a decreased frequency of circulating ILC2s compared to non-responder AIT and AR patients. Conversely, ILC1s from responder AIT patients and healthy subjects showed increased frequency compared to non-responder AIT and AR patients. The frequency of ILC3s natural cytotoxicity receptor $(NCR)^+$ and $NCR^-$ in responder AIT patients was significantly lower compared to AR patients and healthy subjects. The ILC1: ILC2 proportion in responder AIT patients was similar to that of healthy subjects. PBMCs from patients who were responders to AIT had a significantly lower expression of the activation marker CD69 on ILC2s in response to allergen re-stimulation compared to AR patients, but no difference compared to non-responder AIT patients and healthy subjects. Conclusions: We propose that AIT might affect ILC responses. The activation of ILC2s was reduced in AR patients treated with AIT. Our results indicate that a relative ILC1/ILC2 skewed response is a possible key to successful AIT.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.64 no.3
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• pp.277-284
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• 2021

The emergence and rapid spread of the potentially fatal coronavirus disease 2019, caused due to infection by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2, has led to worldwide interest in developing functional bioactive ingredients that act as immunomodulatory agents. In this study, we aimed to characterize Carica papaya extract and explore its potential as an immunomodulator by performing in vitro cell screening. Papaya leaf water extract (PLW) was found to significantly increase the levels of nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) by upregulating inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclo-oxygenase-2 activity, respectively. Additionally, PLW increased the production of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin 1β in RAW 264.7 cells. Furthermore, PLW activated the expression of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) but not that of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase. These results indicate that PLW increased the production of NO, PGE₂, and pro-inflammatory cytokines by activating the JNK and ERK pathways in macrophages, thus demonstrating immunomodulatory properties. Finally, high-performance liquid chromatography fingerprint analysis indicated the presence of rutin, narirutin, and ρ-coumaric acid in PLW (6.30, 119.76, and 47.25 ppm, respectively). Treating cells with these compounds at non-toxic concentrations had no effect on NO production. Taken together, these results suggest that PLW may have potential as an immunity-enhancing supplement.