• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.634-639
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• 2005

Purpose : An understanding of the immunological process is required if primary prevention of atopic diseases is to be developed in early childhood. But, it is too hard to distinguish atopy from nonatopy under the age of two clinically, because the expression of phenotype and cytokines is vague in early childhood. We evaluated DNA methylation changes at Th2 interleukin-4 gene in peripheral blood from atopic children. Methods : We selected 15 allergic children(mild : eight, moderate to severe : seven) and seven normal controls by using family allergy scores and clinical histories. We measured Total IgE and Der f II specific IgE levels and cultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells with Der f II stimulation and extracted DNA from Der f II specific T cells. We examined the change of CpG methylation in DNA from atopic and nonatopic children. Results : In T cells from normal children, IL-4 DNA were predominantly methylated; otherwise, CpG demethylation occurred in Der f II specific T cells from allergic children. Conclusion : IL-4 DNA methylation changes occurred in T genes from allergic children and DNA methylation assay in early childhood.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.49-54
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• 1995

To understand the molecular structure and pathogenesis mechanism of Korean garlic viruses, we have isolated cDNA clones for garlic viruses. The partial nucleotide sequences of 24 cDNA clones were determined and those of five clones containing poly(A) tail were compared with sequences of other plant viruses. One of these clones, V9, has a primary structure similar to the carlavirus group, suggesting that the clone V9 derived from a part of garlic latent virus (GLV). Northern blot analysis with the clone V9 as a probe demonstrated that GLV genome is 8.5 knt long and has a poly(A) tail. The clone V9 encodes coat protein (CP) of 33 kDa and nucleic acid binding protein of 10 kDa in different reading frame. The hexanucleotide motif, 5'-ACCUAA, which is conserved in the 3' noncoding region arid was proposed to be a cis-acting element involved in the production of negative strand genomic RNA was noticed. Complementary sequence to the hexanucleotide motif, 5'-TTAGGT, is also found in the positive strand of V9 RNA. The putative CP gene was cloned into the pRSET-A expression vector and expressed in E. coli BL21. The expressed recombinant V9CP protein was purified by $Ni^{2+}$ NTA affinity chromatography. The anti-V9CP antibody recognizes 34 kDa polypeptide which could be CP of GLV in infected garlic leaf extract. Immunoblot and Northern blot analysis of various cultivars shows wide occurrence of GLV in Korean garlic plants.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.73-80
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• 2020

Psychological stress can affect the physiological condition of the skin and cause various cutaneous disorders. The stress hormone cortisol is secreted by various skin cells such as fibroblasts, keratinocytes, and melanocytes. Tight junctions (TJs) are cell-cell junctions that form a barrier in the stratum granulosum of mammalian skin. TJs can also affect other skin barriers and are affected by chemical, microbial, or immunological barriers. Stress can cause damage to the skin barrier. Interestingly, to our knowledge, there has not been any research demonstrating the involvement of TJs in this process. In this study, cortisol was used to treat keratinocytes to determine its role in regulating TJs. We found that cortisol damaged skin barrier function by regulating the gene expression and structure of TJ components. Cortisol also inhibited the development of the granular layer in a skin equivalent model. These results suggest that cortisol affects the skin barrier function by the regulation of TJs.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.481-489
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• 2005

Lonicerae Flos has antibacterial effects against Staphylococcus aureus, streptococci, pneumococci, Bacillus dysenterii, Salmonella typhi, and paratyphoid. It is an antiviral agent. The herb has a cytoprotective effect against $CCl_{4}-induced$ hepatic injury. It has antilipemic action, interfering with lipid absorption from the gut. Nowadays this herb is used mainly in the treatment of upper respiratory infections, such as tonsillitis and acute laryngitis. It is also used in the treatment of skin suppurations, such as carbuncles, and to treat viral conjunctivitis, influenza, pneumonia, and mastitis. Lonicerae Flos is dried flower buds of Lonicera japonica, L. hypoglauca, L. confusa, or L. dasystyla. But, for the most part, we use whole plant of Lonicera japonica, as a flower bud of it. And, little is known of the original copy of effects of whole plant, except for the 'Bon-Cho-Gang-Mok', which is written the effects of flower of Lonicera japonica are equal to effects of leaves and branch of it. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of flower and whole plant of Lonicera japonica on the regulatory mechanism of cytokines, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX-2) for the immunological activities in Raw 264.7 cells. In Raw 264.7 cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to mimic inflammation, flower and whole plant of Lonicera japonica water extracts inhibited nitric oxide production in a dose-dependent manner and abrogated iNOS and COX-2. Flower and whole plant of Lonicera japonica water extract did not affect on cell viability. To investigate the mechanism by which flower and whole plant of Lonicera japonica water extract inhibits iNOS and COX-2 gene expression, we examined the on phosphorylation of inhibitor ${\kappa}B{\alpha}$ and assessed production of $TNF-{\alpha}$, $interleukin-1{\beta}$ $(IL-1{\beta})$ and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Results provided evidence that flower and whole plant of Lonicera japonica inhibited the production of $IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6 and activated the phosphorylation of inhibitor ${\kappa}B{\alpha}$ in Raw 264.7 cells activated with LPS. These findings suggest that flower and whole plant of Lonicera japonica can produce anti-inflammatory effect, which may play a role in adjunctive therapy in Gram-negative bacterial infections, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.42 no.9
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• pp.1378-1386
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• 2013

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common skin disease characterized by chronic and relapsing inflammatory dermatitis with immunological disturbances. In spite of the continuous increase in the incidence of AD, it is regrettable that till date there is no effective treatment to treat the same. Therefore, the present study was designed to examine the possible anti-atopic effects of Castanea crenata inner shell extracts fermented by Lactobacillus bifermentans (FCS) in 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) induced AD in NC/Nga mice. Based on the results of HPLC analysis, we found that FCS contains anti-inflammatory factors such as gallic acid (10.18 mg/g) and ellagic acid (2.14 mg/g). The groups that we have used in this study included 0.1%, 1%, 5% fermented Castanea crenata inner shell extracts (FCS 0.1, FCS 1, FCS 5), 1,3-butylene glycol treated control (AD), and normal mice. After topical FCS treatment, we observed that the clinical severity score for AD was lower in both the FCS 1 and FCS 5 groups than the AD group. We also proved beyond doubt that there was improvement of melanin, erythema and skin moisture indices in the FCS 5 group. Spleen index and gene expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-$1{\beta}$ and TNF-${\alpha}$ were significantly decreased in the FCS 5 group compared to the AD group (P<0.05). Further, we also found that the level of serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) in the FCS-treated group was decreased in a concentration-dependent manner. The results of our study suggest that FCS can be effectively used as a cosmeceutical ingredient for both the prevention and improvement of AD.