• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.12
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• pp.1348-1357
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• 2009

Purpose:The aims of this study were to identify the clinical characteristics and determine the changes in the expression of cytokines and apoptosis-related genes in children with infectious mononucleosis. Methods:Serological examinations of 15 pediatric patients diagnosed with infectious mononucleosis were performed prospectively. Peripheral blood from the patients was used to compare the composition of T cell subsets, cytokines, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA, and the expression of apoptosis-related genes with those in 10 healthy children. Results:Mean age of the patient group was $5.7{\pm}3.4$ (range, 3-9) years, and the male-to-female ratio was 1.5:1. Fever, sore throat, pharyngitis/tonsillitis, and cervical lymph node enlargement were the most common symptoms and signs. The proportions of CD3+ T cells, CD8+ suppressor cells, and CD56+ natural killer (NK) cells were higher in the patient group than in the control group (P<0.01). The IL-2, IL-6, and interferon $(INF)-{\gamma}$ levels were higher in the early symptomatic period (P<0.01). Mean amount of EBV DNA in the patients was $10^{2.38}copies/{\mu}g$, and the amount was the highest at the beginning of the symptomatic period and normalized during the convalescent phase. Bcl-2 expression increased during the initial phase, while Bax expression increased during the convalescent phase. Further, FasL expression increased 1 week after symptom presentation and decreased during the convalescent phase. There was no significant change in Fas expression. Conclusion:We analyzed the clinical characteristics and changes in the expression ofcytokines and apoptosis-related genes in the patients with infectious mononucleosis.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.216-223
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• 2014

Curcuma longa L. (CL) is a well known traditional medicinal plant that is also used in curries and mustards as a coloring and flavoring agent. However, CL is not usually used as a food source due to its bitter taste. We investigated the immunomodulatory effect of CL fermented by Aspergillus oryzae (FCL) on RAW 264.7 cells. FCL was extracted with cold water (CW), hot water (HW), 20% ethanol (20% EtOH) and 80% ethanol (80% EtOH), after which its effects on phagocytic activity, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-${\alpha}$), nitric oxide (NO) production, natural killer (NK) cell activity and mRNA expression of LP-BM5 eco were investigated. Phagocytic activity was increased in HW and 20% EtOH when compared to the control. The secretion of nitric oxide (NO) from RAW 264.7 cells did not change significantly relative to the control. However, TNF-${\alpha}$ was significantly increased by the addition of FCL extracts. Moreover, FCL 20% ethanol extract showed a four fold increase in NK cell cytotoxity relative to the control group. Finally, we observed suppressed mRNA expression of LP-BM5 eco in FCL extracts, especially in the 20% ethanol extracts group. These results indicate that the FCL extracts can be used as a functional material due to their effective immunomodulating activities.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.353-366
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• 1992

This study was devised to purify the compound from tuna that have cytotoxic activities against various cancer cell lines and to observe its immunopotentiating activities. The cytotoxic compound was partially purified 277 fold, from petroleum ehter extract (crude extract) of tuna by silicic acid column chromatography (fraction D) and thin layer chromatography (Spot I). Cytotoxic activity was monitored using human colon cancer cell, HCT-48. The active compound (Spot I) was composed of seven materials which are fatty acids of four kinds ($C_{14:0},\;C_{16:0},\;C_{17:1},\;and\;C_{18:0}$) and unknown three fat materials. The active compound has cytotoxic activities against various cancer cell lines, that is, murine leukemic lymphocytes (L1210, P388) and human rectal (HRT-18) and colon cancer cells (HCT-48, HT-29). The patterns of size distribution of HCT-48 cells in the medium containing tuna extract were shifted to direction of the small size region. Also, the microscopic shape of HCT-48 cells were shrinked and distracted. The number of plaque forming cell and immunoglobin fraction of serum protein obtained from tuna-treated mice were increased, but natural killer cell activity was not affected.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.268-274
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to investigate the immuno-stimulatory activity of the high-molecular-weight fraction (HMWF) of Cynanchum wilfordii (CW) extracts obtained by ultrafiltration in murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells and to assess its immuno-stimulatory effect in mice. Ultrafiltration was performed with polyethersulfone membranes (30 kDa cutoff) in a cross-flow filtration system to obtain the HMWF of CW. The results showed that the HMWF increased the production of various cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$, interleukin-6, and nitric oxide in dose-ependent manners. In addition, HMWF treatment increased the relative spleen weight as well as splenocyte proliferation induced by concanavalin A or bacterial lipopolysaccharide in mice. Natural killer (NK) cell activity in the HMWF-treated group was significantly increased compared to that in the control group. These results suggest that the HMWF of CW can support the immune system through secretion of macrophage cytokines, thereby enhancing NK cell activity and murine splenocyte proliferation.