• Toxicological Research
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.235-240
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• 2005

Pollen has been used for prevention or treatment of certain diseases such as diabetes arthritis or cancer in traditional medicine. Among various pollens, pine tree pollen is known to relieve hypertension, suppress fatty liver progression, and facilitate the digestion, but its immunological activities are less known. To evaluate immunological reactivities and immunotoxicities of pine tree pollen, BALB/c mice were administered to the poller through oral route. Pine tree pollen suspended in distilled water or extracted with methanol has been administered at the concentration of 0, 10, or 100 mg/kg five days per week for four weeks. Polyclonal activation of splenic T cells with phytohemagglutinins did not induce a significant difference in IL-4 and $IFN_{\gamma}$ production between the pollen-administered mice groups and the control mice. Furthermore, polyclonal activation of splenic B cells with lipopolysaccharides did not result a significant difference in IgG1 and IgG2a production among the groups. These findings imply that the intake of pine tree pollen does not bring any humoral and cellular immune-dysrequlation. Whereas, viability of Listeria monocytogenes was suppressed in the mice administered with 100 mg/kg bw methanol extract, indicating the potential ability of pine tree pollen to enhance cell-mediated immunity mediated by type-1 helper T cells. In addition, aberrant upregulation of plasma IgG1 level was observed in the pollen-administered mice, which suggests a possibility of allergic response induction through the pine tree pollen uptake. Overall, pine tree pollen-mediated modulation of humoral or cellular immunity is worthy of further systematic investigation.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.167-176
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• 2008

Airborne pollen is known as one of the major causal agents to respiratory allergic reactions. Daily number of pollen grains was monitored using Burkard volumetric spore traps at seven locations including Seoul and Jeju during 1997-2007. Pollen grains were observed throughout the year especially from February to November. They showed similar distribution patterns of species among locations except in Jeju, where Japanese cedar vegetation is uniquely found. Peak seasons for pollen grains from trees and weeds were March to May and August to October, respectively. Tree pollens were mainly composed of pine, oak, alder, and birch. Weed pollens were mainly from Japanese hop, Worm wood, and ragweed. Diameter of pollen grains, which has a typical range of $20{\sim}60{\mu}m$, has close relationship with allergenicity. Allergenicity of tree and weed pollens is higher than that of grass pollens in general. In the case of trees and shrubs, pine trees account for about 70% of all tree pollens. However, pine pollens are weak allergens. The remaining 30% of tree pollens, including alder trees, white birches, and oaks, are moderate to strong allergens despite the smaller numbers. Grass and weeds are also highly likely to cause allergies. Especially, the pollens of Wormwood and Japanese hop are highly likely to cause allergies. Daily fluctuations in the number of pollens have to do with a variety of meteorological factors, such as temperature and rainfall.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.45-52
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• 2020

This study analyzed the components contained in the pine needles of first and second-year-olds to analyze the factors that the in vivo content of inorganic elements affects the sex determination of pine trees. In response, the plan for pine tree plant and maintenance was intended to be presented in consideration of the reproductive environment and physiological characteristics. The results are as follows. First, last year, when there were many encyclopedias, the analyzed N(%) content was found to be high. The nitrogen content of the previous year's soil was found to affect the production of the spheres the following year. This is believed to be possible to reduce the rate of Pine pollen produced in the new plant in the following year through a dispute over quality consumption in the spring of the previous year. Second, the weapons elements involved in the Pine cones and the generation of the Pine pollen in the new plant appeared to be P(%), K(%), Ca(%), and Fe(%). However, the nutrients from the previous year's leaves of Ca(%) and Fe(%) were found to have a low influence on the sex determination of first-year pine trees. Because Ca(%) and Fe(%) are not able to move nutrients accumulated in aging organs due to the nature of the components, feeding nutrients in the fall when the growth of the previous year's branches is reduced is expected to affect oral generation. Third, pine trees are extremely positive and Pine pollen is related to the time of the northeast wind. Therefore, it is believed that it would be good to be located in the northern direction, where the sunlight is good, in an outdoor space. In addition, it is important to use vaginal consumer products in spring and carry out a quarrel involving Mg and Fe during fall to reduce the effect of the Pine pollen, which is an outdoor plant. This is an important part of maintaining and managing pine trees in outdoor spaces as well as the sex determination of pine trees. This study suggested that plant planning, which derives the correlation between pine inorganic element content on sexual determination and takes into account the physiological characteristics of pine trees, is an important issue in the creation of outdoor space. Follow-up research on other factors affecting pine tree sex determination is expected.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.735-749
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• 2020

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate airborne pollen counts, inhalant allergen sensitization rate, and allergic disease prevalence among elementary school children in Ulsan, South Korea during 2012-2018. Methods: Burkard samplers for pollen were installed on rooftops in suburban and urban areas in Ulsan. A 24-hour sampling of airborne allergens was conducted six days/week from January 1, 2013 to November 31, 2018. Skin prick tests were done with a total of 4,246 primary school students residing in urban and suburban areas in 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018. This study examined sensitization to 20 major inhalant allergens. Results: The highest monthly counts of airborne pollen were observed in April and September each year. Among the pollen identified over the six years, pine showed the highest pollen counts (44.3%), followed by oak (22.3%), alder (6.3%) and Japanese hops (4.3%). Tree pollen predominated from March to June, and weed pollen predominated from August to October. Higher sensitization rates for inhalant allergens were observed in Dermatophagoides farinae (42.4%), Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (43.6%), cat fur (12.1%), birch (9.9%), oak (9.6%), and alder (8.7%). The inhalant allergen sensitization rate was highest in the group with comorbidity (asthma and/or rhinitis and atopic dermatitis), and respiratory allergic disease (asthma and/or rhinitis) was higher than that of atopic dermatitis. Conclusion: Both the counts of tree pollen in the air and the sensitization rate for tree pollen were high in Ulsan. The temporal change in respiratory allergic diseases was similar to that for the sensitization rate of tree pollen, such as oak. In the future, it is considered that additional continuous research on various inhalant allergens and pollen should be conducted.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.9
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• pp.265-270
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• 2017

Background: Over the years, pine pollens have been excluded as an allergen due to its relatively large size, low protein content, and waxy hydrophobic layer, despite their abundance. However, recent studies suggest the possibilities of pine pollens being allergens, and it has been reported that allergy symptoms were highly prevalent in areas with considerably large pine forests and high possibility of exposure to the pollen. Therefore, we conducted a comparative analysis of the allergenicities of the pollens from the dominant species of Korean pines, red pine (Pinus densiflora), black pine (Pinus thunbergii), and pitch pine (Pinus rigida), in mice. Methods: The protein composition of the pollens from the three pine species was compared via sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The pine pollens and proteins extracted from the pollens were introduced to BALB/c mice by nasal inhalation and application to exposed skin and the IgE produced by the mice were extracted from blood and analyzed via ELISA. Results: SDS-PAGE showed differing protein compositions of the pollens of the three pine species. Analysis of blood IgE compositions showed a similar amount of IgE produced when pollens were applied to skin. In contrast, when mice inhaled the pollens, P. densiflora was shown to induce significantly more IgE production than those of the other two species. Conclusions: The experimental results demonstrate that the pollens of all three South Korean pine species induce IgE production, and this production was more pronounced when the pollens were inhaled than when they were applied to the skin. Of the three species, the pollen of P. densiflora was found to induce the highest level of IgE production.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.275-281
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• 2019

The pathological condition of excessive melanogenesis causing freckles, melasma, senile lentigo, pigmented acne scars, and cancer has a critical impact on the wellness of individuals. The mechanism of melanogenesis is related to the expression of melanogenic enzymes. Here, we evaluated the inhibitory effect of pine cone (Pinus densiflora) extracts on melanogenesis. P. densiflora, the Korean Red Pine, is the predominant tree species in the cool, temperate forests of northeast Asia, occurring in pure stands across Korea, Japan, and parts of northern China and Russia. P. densiflora leaves, pollen, and bark have been widely used for traditional medicine, or edible purposes. However, pine cones are rarely used as natural raw materials, although they contain many bioactive phytochemicals. The pine cone ethyl acetate fraction (PEF) showed no toxicity to B16F10 cells at a concentration of less than $100{\mu}g/mL$. PEF inhibited the expression of microphthalmiaassociated transcription factor (MITF), tyrosinase and tyrosinase-related factors in B16F10 cells treated with 3-Isobutyl1-methylxanthine (IBMX). These results suggest that pine cones can be used as an effective natural melanogenesis inhibitory agent.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2019.04a
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• pp.119-119
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• 2019

Pinus densiflora, the Korean Red Pine, is the predominant tree species of the cool, temperate forests of northeast Asia, occurring in pure stands across Korea, Japan, and parts of northern China and Russia. Pinus densiflora leaves, pollen, and bark have been widely used for traditional medicine, or edible purposes. However, pine cones contain many bioactive phytochemicals, but they are rarely used as natural raw materials. This study was conducted to evaluated the anti-inflammatory effect of pine cone extracts and its possbility of natural sources were evaluated. Pine cones were extracted with 80% methanol, concentrated and then partitioned with ethyl acetate, and the organic layer was used as a sample. The Pine cone Ethyl acetate Fraction (PEF) showed no toxicity to RAW 264.7 cells at a concentration of less than $50{\mu}g/ml$. PEF inhibited the production of nitric oxide (NO) in RAW 264.7 cells treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Also, It suppressed the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and transcription of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-${\kappa}B$). These results suggest that pine cones can be used as an effective natural material for anti-inflammatory agent.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.53-61
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• 1974

Pine forests existing in Hong-do island were examined as regarding such characteristics, tree form, needle length, branch diameter, bark colors, ratio of summer wood to springwood, location and number of resin canal and other measurements. Hong-do island, located the furthest west part of Korea, suports only Pinus densiflora but very few Pinus thunbergii, in fact the present authors could not find any black pine individuals at all through investigation. Checking 14 individual trees of red pine, more than age of 20, of the genetic contamination by black pine, in a certain degree, exist. Here, a very dense foliage type and a very sparse foliage type tree of red pine growing nearby was examined and the unique fact was that each of those type has only one (average number 1.3) accessory resin canal, while other trees have three as minimum or more. The present authors thought this island had not been covered by any Pinus thunbergii but by Pinus densiflora. It was thought that Pinus thunbergii stands grown along the sea-coast of Korean Peninsula are pollen donors to this island.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.99 no.3
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• pp.344-352
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• 2010

To investigate the mating system of clones in the seed orchard of Japanese red pine, parameters of mating system, such as outcrossing rates, number of potential pollen contributors, and degree of pollen contamination, were estimated in the seed orchard of Japanese red pines on the basis of DNA data including 4 nSSR and 6 cpSSR markers. Estimates of outcrossing rates were ranged from 94.9 to 100% with an average of 98.9% on the basis of the analysis of cpSSR haplotypes. They were ranged from 90.3% to 100% with an average of 95.9% on the basis of the analysis of nSSR genotypes. However, cross checking of both DNA markers revealed that the seeds presumed to be products of self pollination were turned out to be generated by pollination between mother tree and other tree (i.e., 100% of cumulative outcrossing rate). Estimates of pollen contamination ranged from 43.6% (Gangwon-10) to 56.4% (Gangwon-12) with the average of 48.9%. On the basis of pooled cpSSR haplotype of each seed, maximum number of 21 pollen contributors were verified from the seeds reproduced by Kyungbuk-38. Minimum number of 13 pollen contributors were verified in Gangwon-10. Mean of 16.2 pollen contributors were verified from a total of 5 mother trees. In conclusion, considering pretty high outcrossing rates between clones within a seed orchard, it may be expected that a fairly good genetic potential of the seeds, produced in '77 plot of the seed orchard of Japanese red pines at Anmyeon island, may be guaranteed. Observed results from the analysis of mating system of Japanese red pines in a '77 plot of the seed orchard may also provide useful information for the establishment and management of the seed orchard of the progressive generation.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.644-653
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• 2024

Considering the emergence of various infectious diseases, including the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), people's attention has shifted towards immune health. Consequently, immune-enhancing functional foods have been increasingly consumed. Hence, developing new immune-enhancing functional food products is needed. Pinus densiflora pollen can be collected from the male red pine tree, which is commonly found in Korea. P. densiflora pollen extract (PDE), obtained by water extraction, contained polyphenols (216.29 ± 0.22 mg GAE/100 g) and flavonoids (35.14 ± 0.04 mg CE/100 g). PDE significantly increased the production of nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) but, did not exhibit cytotoxicity in RAW 264.7 cells. Western blot results indicated that PDE induced the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2. PDE also significantly increased the mRNA and protein levels of cytokines and the phosphorylation of IKKα/β and p65, as well as the activation and degradation of IκBα. Additionally, western blot analysis of cytosolic and nuclear fractions and immunofluorescence assay confirmed that the translocation of p65 to the nucleus after PDE treatment. These results confirmed that PDE increases the production of cytokines, NO, and ROS by activating NF-κB. Therefore, PDE is a promising nutraceutical candidate for immune-enhancing functional foods.