• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.307-313
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• 1994

We have previously shown that crude water extract of Euonymus alatus (EA) had strong prophylactic effect against chemically induced-and tumor cell implanted-cancer, and that the mechanisms responsible for its antitumor effects were due to nonspecific enhancement of the NK cell activities and the cell mediated immunity. However, it was unknown that any components of crude extract did work so, since it consisted of several components. In this paper, we fractionated the crude watar EA-extract into several fraction such as hexane-, ethylether-, ethyl acetate-, n-butanol- and water soluble-fraction, and screened the immune regulating activities of each fraction by the evaluation of lymphokine production and activated lymphocyte proliferation. As a result of the component fraction of EA-extract, it was found that n-butanol fraction was a potent immunostimulator, and the remained water soluble fraction also contained some stimulator, But, other fraction did not showed any remarkable effect. It is therefore suggested that EA-glycosides in n-butanol fraction may be new one of the potent biological response modifiers. The present study was also undertaken in an efforts to investigate the effects of elm-bark(EB, Ulmus clavidiana var japonica), which has been used for curing ulcer and inflammation as a folk medicine without any kind of experimental evidence to support this, on the cellular- and humoral-immune responses, lymphocyte function and NK cell activities in mice. Regardless of time and duration of EB-treatment, Arthus reaction and antibody response to SRBC were not modified by EB, but delayed hypersensitivity to SRBC was significantly enhanced only when EB was treated prior to SRBC-sensitization. EB slightly inhibited the proliferation responses of splenocytes to PHA-stimulation, but it significantly augmented the responses of these cells to S aureus Cowan 1 and Con A-activation, and these effects were manifested only when EB was added at culture initiation. EB did not influence Ig secretion of spleen cells but it significantly augmented the Con A-induced 1L 2 and MIF production of splenocytes. NK cell activities of splenocytes were markedly riled when effector cells were pretreated with EB and this augmentation was dine to the increase of binding affinity of effector cells to target cells and the target cell lytic activities of effector cells. These results led to the conclusion that EB triggers increase of cellular immune responses, such as delayed hypersensitivitiy, lymphokine production and NK cell activities. Also these results suggested that EB contains potent immune stimulants, which may provide the rational basis for their therapeutic use as one of the new biological response modifiers.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.80 no.1
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• pp.35-44
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• 2017

Background: Isolation of M. tuberculosis (MTB) is required in cases of Tuberculous pleural effusion (TBPE) for confirming diagnosis and successful therapy based on drug sensitivity test. Several studies have focused on predictors of MTB culture positivity in TBPE. However, the clinical role of loculated TBPE as a predictor of MTB cultivation from TBPE remains unclear. The aim of this study was to examine possible predictors including loculation of TBPE of MTB culture positivity in TBPE. Methods: We retrospectively examined associations between clinical, radiological, microbiological, and laboratory characteristics and positive MTB culture from TBPE to determine a potent predictor of culture positivity. Results: From January 2011 to August 2015, 232 patients with TBPE were identified. Of these, 219 were finally analyzed. Among them, 69 (31.5%) were culture positive for MTB in TBPE and 86 (39.3%) had loculated TBPE. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, the loculation of TBPE was independently associated with culture positivity for MTB in TBPE (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 40.062; 95% confidence interval [CI], 9.355-171.556; p<0.001). In contrast, the lymphocyte percentage of TBPE (adjusted OR, 0.934; 95% CI, 0.899-0.971; p=0.001) was inversely associated with culture positivity for MTB in TBPE. Conclusion: In clinical practice, identification of loculation in TBPE is easy, reliable to measure, not uncommon and may be helpful to predict the possibility of positive mycobacterial culture.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.32-41
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• 2010

Purpose : Glomerulonephropathy (GN) often manifests as proteinuria and progresses to chronic renal failure without specific therapy. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) has been tried as a therapeutic agent in experimental GN, and previous studies showed that administration of MSC concomitantly to the insult inducing GN or via intra-renal administration ameliorated proteinuria. The purpose of this study was to test the therapeutic potential of MSC administered via intravenous route at the time of clinically evident proteinuria. Methods : MSCs were administered intravenously via tail vain into the mice with adriamycin (ADR) induced nephropathy (ADR-GN), two weeks after ADR injection when massive proteinuria was evident. To test the capacity of MSC modulate the cytokine production in the inflammatory milieu, the concentrations of IFN-$\gamma$ and IL-10 were measured in the supernatant of in vitro mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC) with or without additional MSC. Results : MSCs administered intravenously into the proteinuric mice with ADR-GN accelerated the recovery of this experimental GN with disappearance of proteinuria in two weeks when the saline treated (control) mice still showed significant proteinuria. The mice treated with MSC also had a tendency of better survival. Addition of MSC decreased IFN-$\gamma$ and increased IL-10 in the supernatant of MLC. Conclusion : This study showed that MSC had a therapeutic potential even when administered in a more clinically relevant setting into a proteinuric glomerulonephropathy model. Further study to verify the mechanism and long-term safety of this phenomenon is required.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.732-736
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• 2002

The immunostimulating activities of the hot-water extract from Codonopsis lanceolata were investigated. The proliferation of BSA-primed lymph node cells was enhanced between 2.8- to 11.2-fold compare to control, when cultured with 1 to $25\;{\mu}g/mL$ of C. lanceolata extract. It showed strong immunopotentiating activity than ginseng extract and as remarkable as Bifidobacterium adolescentis M101-4 known as a positive immunostimulator. The proliferation of splenocytes and Peyer's patch cells was enhanced between 4.2- to 13.8-fold and 3.1- to 6.9-fold, respectively, when cultured with 1 to 25 $25\;{\mu}g/mL$ of C. lanceolata extract. It enhanced the production of cytokines such as $TNF-{\alpha}$ and IL-6 in the culture of RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. In the culture of lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells, production of cytokines was as compared to controls. In unstimulated RAW 264.7 cells, both $TNF-{\alpha}$ and IL-6 production were enhanced between 12.6- to 67.8-fold and 2.8- to 10.1-fold, respectively. The hot-water extract from C. lanceolata is expected to be a safe immunopotentiator to maintain the host immunity and develop a physiologically functional food.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.216-229
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• 1996

Interferon(IFN) is a sort of glycoproteins that are produced by activated lymphocyte, monocyte and fibroblast. IFN has anti-viral effects, immuno-defensive mechanism and regulating properties to the several kinds of cells that includes affect on the bone formation and resorption. The effect of IFN on the osteoclast & other tissue cells has been studied in a number of researchers with the limited reports on the osteoblast. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of IFN on the osteoblastic function. The MC3T3/El cell(Mouse osteoblast) was incubated in ${\alpha}-minimum$ essential medium containing 10% FBS. To detect the cytotoxic effect of $IFN-{\gamma}$ on osteoblast, the cells were cultured in 96-well plate to which $IFN-{\gamma}$ of various concentrations were added for 2 days. After staining with trypan blue, total cells and living cells were counted under microscope. To determine the activity of alkaline phosphataset(ALP), various concentrations of $IFN-{\gamma}$ were treated to culture medium, and biochemical assay was performed. $IFN-{\gamma}$ and $IFN-{\gamma}$ plus cycloheximide were added to culture medium separately and then ALP activity were determined. To detect the effect of the $IFN-{\gamma}$ on the bone formation of osteoblast, long-term culture was performed, and calcified nodule formation were observed using von Kossa's staining. After the addition of $IFN-{\gamma}$ with various concentrations to the medium, no cytotoxic effect of $IFN-{\gamma}$ was detected at any concentration. The significant increase in ALP activity of osteoblast were found the concentration of $IFN-{\gamma}$ 500-2500U/ml and the culture time of 24-48 hours respectively. The enhancement of ALP activity by $IFN-{\gamma}$ of osteoblast was decreased significantly by the treatment of cycloheximide. After long-term culture of osteoblast, the nodule formation was found to be increased in number and density by the addition of 500 U/ml $IFN-{\gamma}$. These results suggest that $IFN-{\gamma}$ was affected on the bone formation of osteoblast. Forthemore this kind of study or $IFN-{\gamma}$ to osteoblast will be held continuously.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.11-14
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• 2010

Human tumors, including those of the hepatobiliary system, express a number of specific antigens that can be recognized by T cells, and may provide potential targets for cancer immunotherapy. Dendritic cells (DCs) are rare leucocytes that are uniquely potent in their ability to capture, process and present antigens to T cells. The ability to culture sufficient numbers of DCs from human bone marrow or blood progenitors has attracted a great deal of interest in their potential utilization in human tumor vaccination. $CD34^+$ peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs) were obtained from a patient with a hepatocellular carcinoma. The PBSCs were cultured in the X-VIVO 20 medium supplemented with the Flt-3 Ligand (FL), GM-CSF, IL-4 and TNF-$\alpha$ for 12 days. The morphology and functions of the cells were examined. The generated cells had the typical morphology of DCs. When the DCs were reinjected into the same patient, an augmentation of the cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) activity was observed. Concomitantly, an increase in the natural killer (NK) cell activity was also detected in the patient. These results suggest that DCs-based cancer immunotherapy may become an important treatment option for cancer patients in the future.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.17
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• pp.217-218
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• 2001

In a series of our screening for immunomodulating substances, we isolated prodigiosin from the culture broth qf Serratia marcescens B-1231. This compound inhibited the T cell-mediated immune responses such as concanavalin A-induced proliferation, mixed lymphocyte response, local graft versus host reaction and T-dependent antibody response at nontoxic concentrations. However. prodigiosin did not effect B cell-mediated immune functions such as lipopolysaccharide-induced proliferation and -activated polyclonal antibody production at the same concentrations. Prodigiosin did not cause death in vitro to lymphocytes at effective concentrations (＜100 nM) and also did not show toxicity in vivo to lymphoid organs at effective dos-ages (10 and 30 mg/kg). The pharmacological potencies were comparable to the activities of well-known T-cell specific immunosuppressants such as cyclosporin A. In our continuing study, mechanism of action of PDG is investigated with respect to the effect of PDG on IL-2/IL-2R pathway and transcription factor.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.12 no.7
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• pp.1031-1034
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• 1999

Circulating lymphocytes collected from control and heat-stressed buffaloes were subjected to in vitro culture with glucocorticoids, epinephrine or serotonin and their effect, if any, on the release of intracellular prolactin (PRL) was studied using ELISA and C-ELISA techniques. It was noted from the study that PRL level was higher in lymphocytes than in plasma of the control and heat-stressed animals, and that the PRL levels increased in the plasma of heat-stressed animals compared to that of non stressed animals with a significant decrease in lymphocytic PRL content by heat stress. Epinephrine and serotonin significantly increased the release of intracellular PRL from the lymphocytes of both in the control and the heat-stressed buffaloes but release of PRL from lymphocyte was not significantly changed by cortisol treatment in both control and heat-stressed buffaloes as compared to epinephrine and serotonin in vitro. When lympocytes were incubated with serotonin, it caused drastic lysis of the lymphocytes but epinephirine and cortisol did not show any lysis. It may be concluded from this study that hormones like epinephrine or serotonin known to increase during stress, release intracellular PRL from lymphocytes, the satellite PRL storage/synthesizing organ of blood, although the mechanism of the release is different.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.57-64
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• 1981

The clinical need for agents to modify immune response in the treatment of viral infection has lead to an increased interest in cellular and biochemical mechanisms regulating the immune response and to the development of a variety of biological and chemical substance with immunomodulatory activity. Inosiplex has shown antiviral activity in tissue culture, animal models and huamn studies through augmentation of immune response. However, the effect of inosiplex on immune response in animal has not been extensively analyzed, and the effect of inosiplex on immune response has been paradoxical depending on the time of administration of inosiplex in relation to that of antigen. Therefore, this study was undertaken to assess the effect of inosiplex on the immune response to sheep red blood cells(SRBC) in normal and viral infected mice. Inosiplex increased cellular immune response and plaque forming lymphocyte response to SRBC, decreased the recovery of S. typhimurium from infected mice spleen, and restored the depressed cellular immune response by measle and newcastle disease virus infections. All of the above results were observed only when inosiplex was given after immunization but did not when given before immunization. These results indicate that inosiplex stimulate the efferent are of immune response and may even block the afferent are, and suggest that inosiplex is a very promising drug in therapy of many viral infections.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.35-40
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• 2009

The immunomodulatory activities of the ethanol extract of Gynostemma pentaphyllum, termed hereafter as GPE, were examined in immunosuppressed mice as well as in normal mice in the present study. Oral administration of GPE into mice prevented dexamethasone (DEX)-induced immunosuppression as determined by the mitogen-induced proliferation of the splenocytes and the the cytokine production (TNF-$\alpha$, IL-$1{\beta}$) in the whole blood culture. In addition, oral administration of GPE increased antitumor host defense in mice implanted with sarcoma-180 tumor cells. The immunoaugmenting activity of orally administered GPE was also confirmed in mice immunized with ovalbumin (OVA). Mice that were orally administered with GPE generated much more potent OVA-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses upon intravenous OVA injection compared to the untreated controls. These results demonstrate that oral administration of the ethanol extract of Gynostemma pentaphyllum could be useful to increase host defense in immunocompromised situations such as stress- or tumor-induced immunosuppression.