• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.127-132
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• 2009

Background: Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play a fundamental role in innate immunity through their capacity to recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns. Also, TLRs that are expressed in T cells are reported to function as co-stimulatory receptors. However, the functional capacity of TLRs on CD4 T and CD8 T cells has not been directly compared. Here we compared CD4 and CD8 T cell responses to TLR2 ligand plus TCR-mediated stimulation. Methods: TLR2 expression was analyzed on T cell subsets under naive and alloantigen-primed conditions. We analyzed the effects of TLR2 co-stimulation on proliferation and survival of T cell subsets in vitro when stimulated with soluble anti-CD3 in the presence or absence of synthetic ligand $Pam_3CSK_4$. Results: TLR2 expression on CD8 T cells was induced following activation; this expression was much higher than on CD4 T cells. Thus, the molecule was constitutively expressed on Listeriaspecific memory CD8 T cells. Based on these expression levels, proliferation and survival were markedly elevated in CD8 T cells in response to the TLR2 co-stimulation by $Pam_3CSK_4$ compared with those in CD4 T cells. Conclusion: Our data show that TLR2 co-stimulation is more responsible for proliferation and survival of CD8 T cells than for that of CD4 T cells.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 1991

The B-lymphocyte differentiation from committed B-cell progenitors to antibody-secreting cells was discussed. B-cell progenitors derived from hematopoietic stem cells undergo the rearrangement of immunoglobulin(Ig) gene. The earliest cells as B-cell precursors have cytoplasmic Is(${\mu}$ chain). The entire Is molecule is expressed on the surface after synthesis of L chain. The resting B cells(Go stage) stimulated by binding antigen via Ig-receptors are activated(G$_1$ stage) and followed by proliferation(S stage), coupled with further selection(affinity maturation. class switch). The production of antibody against a particular antigen depends on the activation of B cells with surface Is capable of reacting with that antigen. This process does not occur in isolation but is controlled by helper and suppressor T cells and antigen presenting cells(APC). The mechanism of T cell-dependent B-cell response for production of antibody is largely explained by the cell to cell cooperation and soluble helper factors of T cells. 1) The antigen specific B cells and helper T cells are linked by Is-receptors, leading to the delivery of helper signals to the B cells. 2) Helper T cells recognize the processed antigen-derived peptides with the MHC class II molecules(la antigen) and is stimulated to secrete B-cell proliferation and differentiation factors which activate B cells of different antigenic specificity. The two models are shown currently 1) At low antigen concentration, only the antigen-specific B cell binds antigen and presents antigen-derived peptides with la molecules to helper T cells, which are stimulated to secrete cytokines(IL-4, IL-5, etc.) and 2) At high antigen concentration, antigen-derived peptides are presented by specific B cells, by B cells that endocytose the antigens, as well as by APC Cytokines secreted from helper T cells also lead to the activation of B cells and even bystander B cells in the on- vironmment and differentiate them into antibody-secreting plasma cells.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.95-103
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• 2001

T cells play a central role in the initiation and regulation of the immune response to foreign antigens. Full activation of T cells requires the engagement of T cell receptor complex (TCR) and the binding of a second costimulatory receptor to its ligand expressed on antigen presenting cells (APC). Among the molecules known to provide costimulatory function, CD28 has been the most dominant and potent costimulatory molecule. However, the function of CD28 is becoming more complex due to the recent discovery of its structural homologue, CTLA-4 and ICOS. This review summarizes the biology and physiologic function of each of these receptors, and further focuses on the biochemical mechanism underlying the function of these receptors. Complete understanding of the CD28/CTLA-4/ICOS costimulatory pathway will provide the basis for developing new therapeutic approaches for immunological dieseases.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.194-198
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• 2013

Recent papers have shown that the initial event in the pathogenesis of autoimmune type 1 diabetes (T1D) comprises sensing of molecular patterns released from apoptotic ${\beta}$-cells by innate immune receptors such as toll-like receptor (TLR). We have reported that apoptotic ${\beta}$-cells undergoing secondary necrosis called 'late apoptotic' ${\beta}$-cells stimulate dendritic cells (DCs) and induce diabetogenic T cell priming through TLR2. The role of other innate immune receptors such as TLR7 or TLR9 in the initiation of T1D has also been suggested. We hypothesized that TLR2 blockade could inhibit T1D at the initial step of T1D. Indeed, when a TLR2 agonist, $Pam3CSK_4$ was administered chronically, the development of T1D in nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice was inhibited. Diabetogenic T cell priming by DCs was attenuated by chronic treatment with $Pam3CSK_4$, indicating DC tolerance. For the treatment of established T1D, immune tolerance alone is not enough because ${\beta}$-cell mass is critically reduced. We employed TLR2 tolerance in conjunction with islet transplantation, which led to reversal of newly established T1D. Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) inhibitors are a new class of anti-diabetic agents that have beneficial effects on ${\beta}$-cells. We investigated whether a combination of DPP4 inhibition and TLR2 tolerization could reverse newly established T1D without islet transplantation. We could achieve normoglycemia by TLR2 tolerization in combination with DPP4 inhibition but not by TLR2 tolerization or DPP4 inhibition alone. ${\beta}$-cell mass was significantly increased by combined treatment with TLR2 tolerization and DPP4 inhibition. These results suggest the possibility that a novel strategy of TLR tolerization will be available for the inhibition or treatment of established T1D when combined with measures increasing critically reduced ${\beta}$-cell mass of T1D patients such as DPP4 inhibition or stem cell technology.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2022

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Bitter taste receptors are taste signaling pathway mediators, and are also expressed and function in extra-gustatory organs. Skin aging affects the quality of life and may lead to medical issues. The purpose of this study was to better understand the anti-skin aging effects of bitter taste receptors in D-galactose (D-gal)-induced aged human keratinocytes, HaCaT cells. MATERIALS/METHODS: Expressions of bitter taste receptors in HaCaT cells and mouse skin tissues were examined by polymerase chain reaction assay. Bitter taste receptor was overexpressed in HaCaT cells, and D-gal was treated to induce aging. We examined the effects of bitter taste receptors on aging by using β-galactosidase assay, wound healing assay, and Western blot assay. RESULTS: TAS2R16 and TAS2R10 were expressed in HaCaT cells and were upregulated by D-gal treatment. TAS2R16 exerted protective effects against skin aging by regulating p53 and p21, antioxidant enzymes, the SIRT1/mechanistic target of rapamycin pathway, cell migration, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers. TAS2R10 was further examined to confirm a role of TAS2R16 in cellular senescence and wound healing in D-gal-induced aged HaCaT cells. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest a novel potential preventive role of these receptors on skin aging by regulating cellular senescence and wound healing in human keratinocyte, HaCaT.

• BMB Reports
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.2-11
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• 2021

Antibody-based therapeutics targeting the inhibitory receptors PD-1, PD-L1, or CTLA-4 have shown remarkable clinical progress on several cancers. However, most patients do not benefit from these therapies. Thus, many efforts are being made to identify new immune checkpoint receptor-ligand pathways that are alternative targets for cancer immunotherapies. Nectin and nectin-like molecules are widely expressed on several types of tumor cells and play regulatory roles in T- and NK-cell functions. TIGIT, CD226, CD96 and CD112R on lymphoid cells are a group of immunoglobulin superfamily receptors that interact with Nectin and nectin-like molecules with different affinities. These receptors transmit activating or inhibitory signals upon binding their cognate ligands to the immune cells. The integrated signals formed by their complex interactions contribute to regulating immune-cell functions. Several clinical trials are currently evaluating the efficacy of anti-TIGIT and anti-CD112R blockades for treating patients with solid tumors. However, many questions still need to be answered in order to fully understand the dynamics and functions of these receptor networks. This review addresses the rationale behind targeting TIGIT, CD226, CD96, and CD112R to regulate T- and NK-cell functions and discusses their potential application in cancer immunotherapy.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.48-57
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• 2012

Acute viral encephalitis caused by neurotrophic viruses, such as mosquito-borne flaviviruses, is an emerging and re-emerging disease that represents an immense global health problem. Considerable progression has been made in understanding the pathogenesis of acute viral encephalitis, but the immune-pathological processes occurring during the progression of encephalitis and the roles played by various molecules and cellular components of the innate and adaptive systems still remain undefined. Recent findings reveal the significant contribution of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and regulatory $CD4^+$ T cells in the outcomes of infectious diseases caused by neurotrophic viruses. In this review, we discuss the ample evidence focused on the roles of TLRs and $CD4^+$ helper T cell subsets on the progression of acute viral encephalitis. Finally, we draw attention to the importance of these molecules and cellular components in defining the pathogenesis of acute viral encephalitis, thereby providing new therapeutic avenues for this disease.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.333-338
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• 2005

Many of thyroid hormones disrupting chemicals induce effects via interaction with thyroid hormone and retinoic acid receptors and responsive elements intrinsic in target cells. We studied thyroid hormones disrupting effects of food additives and contaminants including BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin, propionic acid, sorbic acid, benzoic acid, CPM, aflatoxin B1, cadmium chloride, genistein, TCDD, PCBs and TDBE in recombinant HeLa cells containing plasmid construct for thyroxin responsive elements. The limit of response of the recombinant cells to T3 and T4 was $1\times10^{-12}\;M$. BHA. genistein, cadmium and TBDE were interacted with thyroid receptors with dose-responsive pattern. In addition, BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin, propionic acid, benzoic acid, sorbic acid, and TBDE showed synergism while cadmium chloride antagonism for T3-induced activity. This study elucidates that recombinant HeLa cell is sensitive and high-throughput system for the detection of chemicals that induce thyroid hormonal disruption via thyroid hormone receptors and responsive elements. Also this study raised suspect of BHA. BHT, ethoxyquin, propionic acid, benzoic acid, sorbic acid, TBDE, genisteine and cadmium chloride as thyroid hormonal system disruptors.

• Journal of the Korean Physical Society
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• v.73 no.12
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• pp.1908-1917
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• 2018

The binding affinity between the T-cell receptors (TCRs) and antigenic peptides mainly determines immunological recognition. It is not a trivial task that T cells identify the digital sequences of peptide amino acids by simply relying on the integrated binding affinity between TCRs and antigenic peptides. To address this problem, we examine whether the affinity-based discrimination of peptide sequences is learnable and generalizable by artificial neural networks (ANNs) that process the digital experimental amino acid sequence information of receptors and peptides. A pair of TCR and peptide sequences correspond to the input for ANNs, while the success or failure of the immunological recognition correspond to the output. The output is obtained by both theoretical model and experimental data. In either case, we confirmed that ANNs could learn the immunological recognition. We also found that a homogenized encoding of amino acid sequence was more effective for the supervised learning task.

• BMB Reports
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.217-231
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• 2011

T cell exhaustion develops under conditions of antigen-persistence caused by infection with various chronic pathogens, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and myco-bacterium tuberculosis (TB), or by the development of cancer. T cell exhaustion is characterized by stepwise and progressive loss of T cell function, which is probably the main reason for the failed immunological control of chronic pathogens and cancers. Recent observations have detailed some of the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that influence the severity of T cell exhaustion. Duration and magnitude of antigenic activation of T cells might be associated with up-regulation of inhibitory receptors, which is a major intrinsic factor of T cell exhaustion. Extrinsic factors might include the production of suppressive cytokines, T cell priming by either non-professional antigenpresenting cells (APCs) or tolerogenic dendritic cells (DCs), and alteration of regulatory T (Treg) cells. Further investigation of the cellular and molecular processes behind the development of T cell exhaustion can reveal therapeutic targets and strategies for the treatment of chronic infections and cancers. Here, we report the properties and the mechanisms of T cell exhaustion in a chronic environment.