• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.34 no.2 s.133
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• pp.150-155
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• 2003

The nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) protein induce transcription of cytokine genes required for T-cell activation, including the IL-2 gene. Activation of NFAT normally plays a significant role in inducing immune response. However, excessive activation provokes immunopathological reactions including autoimmunity, transplant rejection and inflammation. Thus, several natural products were screened on the inhibitory activity against the NFAT transcription factor. Among them, Euonymus sieboldiana showed strong inhibitory activity against the NFAT transcription factor without affecting cell viability.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.27 no.7
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• pp.738-741
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• 2004

Three lignans isolated from the roots of A. koreanum (Araliaceae), namely eleutheroside E(1), tortoside A(2), and hemiariensin(4), were evaluated for their ability to inhibit NFAT transcription factor. Of these compounds, compound 4, possessing a diarylbutane skeleton, exhibited potent inhibitory activity against NFAT transcription factor (($IC_{50}$ ： 36.3${\pm}2.5{\mu}\textrm{M}$). However, the activities of 1 (($IC_{50}$：＞500 11M) and 2 (($IC_{50}$： 136.1 ${\pm}9.4\mu\textrm{M}$), which possess bisaryldioxabicy-clooctane skeletons, were lower. As the lignan derivatives of the same skeletons, hinokinin (5) and (-)-yatein (6) with diarylbutane skeletons and(＋)-syringaresinol (3) with a bisaryldioxabicy-clooctane skeleton were also studied for their inhibitory effects on NFAT transcription factor.

• Journal of Interdisciplinary Genomics
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.35-41
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• 2023

Background: Ca²⁺ signaling plays a vital role in neuronal signaling and altered Ca²⁺ homeostasis in Parkinson's disease (PD). Overexpression of αSYN significantly promote the Ca²⁺-Calmodulin (CaM) activity and subsequent nuclear translocation of nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) transcription factor in dopaminergic neurons of midbrain. However, the exact role of Ca²⁺-CaM and NFAT in PD pathology is yet to be elucidated. Methods: We designed the CaM-NFAT-oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN), a synthetic short DNA containing complementary sequence for NFAT transcription factor and CaM mRNA. Then, the effect of CaM-NFAT-ODN on 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP⁺)-mediated neurotoxicity was investigated in mimic PD model in vitro. Results: First, the expression of αSYN and CaM was strongly increased in substantia nigra (SN) of PD and the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) was strongly increased in control SN. Additionally, the expression of apoptosis marker proteins was strongly increased in SN of PD. Transfection of CaM-NFAT-ODN repressed CaM and pNFAT, the target genes of this ODN in rat embryo primary mesencephalic neurons. It also reduced ERK phosphorylation, a downstream target of these genes. These results demonstrated that CaM-NFAT-ODN operated successfully in rat embryo primary mesencephalic neurons. Transfection of CaM-NFAT-ODN repressed TH reduction, αSYN accumulation, and apoptosis by MPP⁺-induced neurotoxicity response through Ca²⁺ signaling and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) signaling. Conclusion: Synthetic CaM-NFAT-ODN has substantial therapeutic feasibility for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.94-96
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• 2002

Four hundred varieties of plant extracts were screened for inhibitory activity against the NFAT transcription factor which plays an important role in inducing immune response. Among them, the MeOH extract of Cnidium officinale showed potent activity, and the activity-guided separation yielded butylidenephthalide, senkyunolide A and falcarindiol as the active constituents. The $IC_{50}$ value of butylidenephthalide was $1.3{\times}10^{-4}\;M$ and was similar to that of senkyunolide A $(2.1{\times}10^{-4}\;M)$. Interestingly, falcarindiol showed higher activity $(IC_{50},\;2.6{\times}10^{-5}\;M)$ than the two phthalides.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.27 no.8
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• pp.825-828
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• 2004

Two triterpenoids (1,4) and two triterpenoid glycosides (2,3) were isolated from the root of Acanthopanax koreanum (Araliaceae). Their structures were identified as impressic acid (1), acankoreoside A (2), 3-epi-betulinic acid 28-O-［(${\alpha}-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1{\rightarrow}4)-{\beta}-D-glucopyrano-syl(1{\rightarrow}6)]-{\beta}-D-glucopyranosyl]$ ester (3), and ursolic acid (4) by physicochemical and spectro-scopic methods. Of these compounds, impressic acid (1) exhibited a potent inhibitory activity against NFAT transcription factor ($IC_{50}:{\;}12.65{\;}{\mu\textrm{m}}$).

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.12
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• pp.1345-1349
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• 2005

Six phenolic constituents, 2-methoxybenzyl benzoate (1), negletein (2), 2',3'-dihydroxy-4',6'­dimethoxydihydrochalcone (3), 5,6-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-dihydroflavone (4), astilbin (5), and quercitrin (6) were isolated from the methanol extract of the dried leaves of Desmos chinensis. Their structures were elucidated from spectral and chemical data. Of these constituents, compounds 2 ($IC_{50}$: 3.89 $\pm$ 0.39 $\mu$M) and 3 ($IC_{50}$: 9.77 $\pm$ 0.26 $\mu$M) exhibited potent inhibitory activity against nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) transcription factor, and compound 1 ($IC_{50}$: 28.4 $\pm$ 2.62 $\mu$M) exhibited moderate inhibitory activity.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.459-465
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• 2011

The nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) protein induces transcriptions of cytokine genes including IL-2 for T-cell activation. Normally activation of NFAT is important to induce immune responses but excessive NFAT activation provokes immunopathological reactions such as autoimmunity, transplant rejection, and inflammation. Thus, for the treatment of autoimmune diseases drugs repressing the activation of NFAT have been searched. In this study, immnunosuppressive effects of Rosa chinensis Jacq. extracts identified as a potent NFAT inhibitor from a natural product library were examined. NFAT reporter assay, MTS assay, real time PCR, IL-2 ELISA, MLR, and FACS (Fluorescent Activated Cell Sorting) were used to measure inhibitory immunocyte activities of Rosa chinensis Jacq. The variety of natural products have been screened and some were found to show inhibitory activities against the NFAT transcription factor. Among them, extract of Rosa chinensis Jacq. showed an strong inhibitory effect on the activation of NFAT without affecting cell viability. Levels of IL-2 transcripts as well as IL-2 protein were decreased with treatment of Rosa chinensis Jacq. extract. In addition, immunosuppressive activity of Rosa chinensis Jacq. extract was exhibited in the mixed leukocytes reaction. The increasement of CD4+CD25+ (Treg) immunocyte was also detected in the analysis using FACS after applying Rosa chinensis Jacq. extract. Immunosuppressive effects of the Rosa chinensis Jacq. extracts were clearly demonstrated in the present study. In addition, Rosa chinensis Jacq. extract also positively affected regulatory T cell induction. Further investigations in particular on purification of single substance responsible for the immunosuppressive effects from the extract and analysis on possible actions of the extract in interfering cell signaling and cytokine production will be needed.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.33-42
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• 2013

Objective : Morus alba Linne Root Bark (MRAL) is a medicinal herb in Korean Medicine, known for its anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties. However, its mechanisms of action and the cellular targets have not yet been found and the study was developed to investigate the allergic suppressive effect of MRAL. The purpose of this study is to investigate the allergic suppressive effects of MRAL on activation of MC/9 mast cells. Methods : Cytotoxic activity of MRAL (50, 100, 200, 400 ${\mu}g/mL$) on MC/9 mast cells measured using EZ-Cytox cell viability assay kit (WST reagent). The levels of interleukin-5 (IL-5), IL-13 and IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-13 mRNA expression were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and real-time PCR respectively. The expression of transcription factors such as GATA-1, GATA-2, NFAT, AP-1 and NF-${\kappa}B$ p65 DNA binding activity were measured by western blot and electrophoresis mobility shift assay (EMSA). Results : Our results indicated that MRAL (50 ${\mu}g/mL$, 100 ${\mu}g/mL$) significantly inhibited PMA/Ionomycin-induced production of IL-5 and IL-13 and the expression of IL-4, IL-5, IL-6 and IL-13 mRNA in MC/9 mast cells. Moreover, MRAL (50 ${\mu}g/mL$, 100 ${\mu}g/mL$) inhibited PMA/Ionomycin-induced GATA-1, GATA-2, NFAT-1, NFAT-2, c-Fos protein expression and NF-${\kappa}B$ p65 DNA binding activity in MC/9 mast cells. Conclusions : In conclusion, we suspect the anti-allergenic activities of MRAL, may be related to the regulation of transcription factors GATA-1, GATA-2, NFAT-1, NFAT-2, c-Fos and NF-${\kappa}B$ p65 DNA binding assay causing inhibition of Th2 cytokines IL-5 and IL-13 in mast cells.

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 1998.10b
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• pp.363.1-363
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• 1998

No Abstract, See Full Text

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.9
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• pp.678-689
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• 2022

HK shiitake mushroom mycelium (HKSMM), containing 14% β-glucan, is a health functional food ingredient approved individually for liver health by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. The immune-enhancing efficacy of a 50% aqueous ethanol extract of HKSMM (designated HKSMM50) was studied in Jurkat cells activated with concanavalin A (ConA). Active hexose correlated compound (AHCC) was used as a positive control. ConA-activated Jurkat cells were treated with HKSMM50 (0, 25, 50, 100 ㎍ g/ml) or AHCC (100 ㎍ g/ml), and cultured for 3 and 6 hours. The nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) protein content in the cytosol and the nucleus was measured by Western blotting. Interleukin-2 (IL-2), interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. HKSMM50 lowered NFAT content in the cytosol, but elevated NFAT content in the nucleus. The IL-2 and IFN-γ productions were elevated. Meanwhile, both COX-2 activity and apoptosis were suppressed. The efficacy of the AHCC treatment showed similar to those of HKSMM50 treatments. These results indicate that the HKSMM50 exhibited immune-enhancing effects in ConA-treated Jurkat cells by activation of NFAT protein, and suggest that HKSMM could be used as a health functional food ingredient to improve immune functions in humans.