• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.25 no.5
• /
• pp.738-744
• /
• 2015

Tuberculosis is one of the most threatening infectious diseases to public health all over the world, for which Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) is the etiological agent of pathogenesis. Ursolic acid (UA) has immunomodulatory function and exhibits antimycobacterial activity. However, the intracellular killing effect of UA has yet to be elucidated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the intracellular killing effect of UA during mycobacterial infection. The intracellular killing activity of UA was evaluated in the macrophage cell line THP-1 by the MGIT 960 system as well as by CFU count. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the level of nitric oxide (NO) were measured using DCF-DA and Griess reagent, respectively. Phagocytosis was observed by a fluorescence-based staining method, and the colony forming units were enumerated on 7H11 agar medium following infection. In addition, MRP8 mRNA expression was measured by qRT-PCR. UA significantly decreased the number of intracellular Mycobacterium through generation of ROS and NO. In addition, it profoundly activated the phagocytosis process of THP-1 cells during MTB-infection. Furthermore, our data demonstrated that UA activated the phagocytosis process in human monocyte cells through MRP8 induction. These data suggest that UA firmly contributes to the intracellular killing effect of macrophages during mycobacterial infection.

• Herbal Formula Science
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.147-168
• /
• 1997

Tish study was carried out to evaluate the possible therapeutic or antitumoral effects of Takrisodokyeum extract against tumor, and immunomodulatory effect. Some kinds of tumor were induced by the typical application of 3-methylcholanthrene (MCA) or by the implantation(s.c) of malignant tumor cells such as leukemia cells(3LL cells) or sarcoma cells(S-I80 and Fas II cells). Treatment of the Takrisodokyeum water-extract(daily 1mg mouse, i.p.) was continued for 7 days prior to tumor induction and after that the treatment was lasted for 15 days. Against squamous cell carcinoma induced by MCA, Takrisodokyeum decreased not only the frequency of tumor production but also the number and the weight of tumors per tumor bearing mice (TBM). Takrisodokyeum also significantly suppressed the development of 3LLcell and S-180 cell by frequency and their size, and some developed tumors were regressed by the continuous treatment of Takrisodokyeum extract into TBM. However, when tumor was induced by FsaII cell-implantation, the growth of implanted cells in mice was delayed by the water extract of Takrisodokyeum until day 7 and then rapid growth ensued. In vitro, treatment of Takrisodokyeum extract had no effect on the growth of some kind of cell lines such as FsaII, A-131 strain but significantly inhibited the proliferation of 3LL, S-180 cells. Takrisodokyeum also stimulated the migrative ability of leucocyte, the MIF and IL 2-production of T lymphocytes, but not IL 6 production of B cells. Takrisodokyeum enhanced Arthus reaction and DTH to sheep erythrocytes, and NK cells activities. These results demonstrated that Takrisodokyeum extract different results according to the type of tumor cells. And these results also suggested that antitumor effect of Takrisodokyeum might be chiefly due to nonspecific enhancement of NK cell activities and cell-mediated immune responses.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
• /
• v.51 no.2
• /
• pp.169-178
• /
• 2024

Cordyceps militaris L. (C. militaris) has been traditionally used as tonic medicine for metabolic syndrome. Cordycepin, has been reported with immunomodulatory, antitumor, and hepatoprotective effect, is the main extract from C. militaris. This study was conducted to evaluate the alcohol degradation and hepatoprotective effect of cordycepin-enriched C. militaris extract (CM) powder in chronic and binge ethanol (ethanol Lieber-DeCarli diet)-fed male C57BL/6 Mice. Cordycepin-enriched C. militaris extract powder was orally administered once daily at dose levels of 0, 125, 250, and 500 mg·kg^-1·day^-1 for 16 days. For evaluating alcohol degradation, ethanol concentration and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity were measured in serum. Serum ethanol (EtOH) concentration was decreased at CM treated groups, and the activities of ADH and ALDH were increased dose-dependently at CM treated groups compare to EtOH model group. In clinical chemistry, the values of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were lower in CM treated groups than those in EtOH model group. Additionally, absolute and relative (to body weight) liver weights were statistically decreased in the CM treated groups compared to the EtOH model group. In conclusion, our study showed that cordycepin-enriched C. militaris extract powder exhibits hepatoprotective effect by upregulating the ADH and ALDH enzyme in an alcoholic liver disease model.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.55 no.6
• /
• pp.193-201
• /
• 2012

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an immune disorder that is becoming increasingly prevalent throughout the world. The exact etiology of AD remains unknown, and a cure for AD is not currently available. The hypothesis that appropriate early microbial stimulation contributes to the establishment of a balanced immune system in terms of T helper type Th1, Th2, and regulatory T cell (Treg) responses has led to the use of probiotics for the prevention and treatment of AD in light of various human clinical studies and animal experiments. Meta-analysis data suggests that probiotics can alleviate the symptoms of AD in infants. The effects of balancing Th1/Th2 immunity and enhancing Treg activity via the interaction of probiotics with dendritic cells have been described in vitro and in animal models, although such an effect has not been demonstrated in human studies. In this review, we present some highlights of the immunomodulatory effects of probiotics in humans and animal studies with regard to their effects on the prevention of AD.

• CELLMED
• /
• v.2 no.3
• /
• pp.23.1-23.7
• /
• 2012

The healing properties of medicinal maggots (larval stage of Lucilia sericata) are widely used in the chirurgical debridement of non-healing wounds including diabetic foot ulcers, venous and pressure ulcers, where classical approaches have failed. Several kinds of wounds are prone to complications coming out of a specific wound bed environment. There are multi-resistant bacterial species present, their pathogenic impact is multiplied by their ability to form a biofilm. Moreover, immunological events in chronic wounds differ from those in acute wounds. Non-healing wounds are cycled in the early inflammation phase with increased levels of inflammation attributes like inflammation cytokines and matrix metalloproteinases produced by inflammation phase cells. Application of larval therapy promotes progress in the healing process to the next stages involving tissue granulation and re-epithelisation. Larval debridement is an effective method of cleaning the wound of cell debris, necrotic tissue and bacterial load. This happens in a mechanical and biological manner, but the whole complex mechanism of the maggot healing activity is still not fully elucidated. Centuries of clinical practice brings noticeable proof of the maggots' beneficial effect in wound healing management. This long history led to the investigation of the bioactive components of the larval body and its extracts in vitro. We introduce a review which describes the immunomodulation impact of maggot body components on the cellular and molecular levels of the wound healing process.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.1-6
• /
• 2008

Di-D-fructose-2,6':6,2'-dianhydride (DFA-IV) is a disaccharide consisting of two fructose residues that are prepared from levan by levan fructotransferase. Levan is a homopolysaccharide composed of D-fructofuranosyl residues joined by $\beta$-(2,6) and $\beta$-(2,1) linkages. We compared the immunomodulatory effects of levan with DFA-IV. Tumoricidal activity, phagocytosis and nitric oxide (NO) production were examined in levan- and DFA-IV-treated RAW264.7 cells. The NO production, tumoricidal and phagocytic activities were significantly increased in both treated cells. The results indicate that levan has significantly greater effects on tumoricidal activity than DFA-IV at low concentrations (1 ${\mu}g/mL$) and its effect on NO production shows a similar pattern. These results suggest that tumoricidal activity induced by both samples is mediated by NO production.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.128-140
• /
• 1999

To evaluate the antitumor activity, antimetastatic and immunomodulatory effects of samryongbakchulsankamibang(SBSK) studies were done experimentally, In cytotoxicity against P388, A549. SK-OV-3, B16-F10 and SK-MEL-2. concentration inhibiting cell growth up to below 40% of control was recognized at $10^{-3}g/ml$ of SBSK. In Inhibitory effect on activity of DNA topoisomerase I. the $IC_{50}$ was shown $200-400{\mu}g/ml$ of SBSK. The T/C was 154% in SBSK-treated group in S-180 bearing ICR mice, The concentration inhibiting adhesion of A549 and B16-F10 to complex extracellular matrix up to below 30% of control was recognized at $5{\times}10^{-4}$, $1{\times}10^{-3}\;g/ml$ of SBSK. In pumonary colonization assay with B16-BL/6, a number of colonies in the lungs were decreased significantly in SBSK-treated group as compared with control group, In hematological changes in B16-BL/6 injected C57BL/6, numbers of WBC and platelet were not changed significantly in SBSK-treated groups, In CAM and in vitro neovascularization assay, angiogenesis was inhibited significantly in SBSK-treated group as compared with control group. From above results it was concluded that SBSK could be usefully applied for the prevention and treatment of cancer.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.45-54
• /
• 2015

Objectives : Lung cancer is the leading cause of death in cancer patients. Many studies reflect the growing application of integrative korean and western medicine for lung cancer, but its efficacy remains largely unexplored. The purpose of this study is to show that the role of Korean medicine for treatment and manage for lung cancer patients. Methods : In the present study, we searched all the clinical studies of Korean Medical therapies for lung cancer by electronic and manual searching in two databases including MEDLINE, OASIS. Results : Our study showed that acupuncture has strong immunomodulatory effect. Further analysis revealed that acupuncture and herb medicine alleviate the conventional therapy-induced bone marrow supression in lung cancer patients, as well as desease nausea and vomiting. In this study, we showed that acupuncture and herb medicine can improve immediate tumor response, quality of life of lung cancer patients. Conclusions : Korean medicine including that acupuncture and herb medicine is found to be effective in lung cancer treatment and management.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.17 no.8
• /
• pp.1145-1149
• /
• 2004

Immunomodulatory feed additives might offer alternatives to antimicrobial growth promoters in poultry production. This experiment was carried out to test the effect of $\beta$-glucan supplementation on the growth performance and immune response in broilers. Total of 160 day-old broilers were randomly assigned to 4 treatment groups fed corn-soybean diets containing 0, 0.012, 0.025 or 0.05% of $\beta$-glucan supplement in a 6 week feeding experiment. Growth performance, antibody titer against New Castle vaccine, lymphocyte blastogensis, and peritoneal macrophage chemotaxis activity of broilers were evaluated. Results showed that there were no significant differences in weight gain and feed efficiency among the treatments, and no differences in antibody titer was observed. Supplementation of $\beta$-glucan did not elevate the lymphocyte blastogensis among treatments, following stimulation with different mitogens. However, supplementation with 0.025 and 0.05% $\beta$-glucan enhanced the macrophage chemotaxis activity of broilers. These results suggest that $\beta$-glucan may enhance some cell-mediated immune responses of chickens by modulate macrophages ability.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.193-201
• /
• 2018

Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is a novel fibrotic mediator, which is considered to mediate fibrosis through extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis in diabetic cardiovascular complications. Statins have significant immunomodulatory effects and reduce vascular injury. We therefore examined whether fluvastatin has anti-fibrotic effects in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and elucidated its putative transduction signals. We show that advanced glycation end products (AGEs) stimulated CTGF mRNA and protein expression in a time-dependent manner. AGE-induced CTGF expression was mediated via ERK1/2, JNK, and Egr-1 pathways, but not p38; consequently, cell proliferation and migration and ECM accumulation were regulated by CTGF signaling pathway. AGE-stimulated VSMC proliferation, migration, and ECM accumulation were blocked by fluvastatin. However, the inhibitory effect of fluvastatin was restored by administration of CTGF recombinant protein. AGE-induced VSMC proliferation was dependent on cell cycle arrest, thereby increasing G1/G0 phase. Fluvastatin repressed cell cycle regulatory genes cyclin D1 and Cdk4 and augmented cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors p27 and p21 in AGE-induced VSMCs. Taken together, fluvastatin suppressed AGE-induced VSMC proliferation, migration, and ECM accumulation by targeting CTGF signaling mechanism. These findings might be evidence for CTGF as a potential therapeutic target in diabetic vasculature complication.