• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.167-175
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• 2003

Eleutherococcus senticosus is a typical oriental folk medicinal herb. It has been used clinically as a anti-rheumatic disease, anti-stress, ischemic heart disease and gastric ulcer. In the present study, we examined the adjuvant activity of the crude polysaccharides fraction from Eleutherococcus senticosus, EN-3, on the induction of humoral and cellular immune responses against bovine serum albumin (BSA) or ovalbumin (OVA). The thioglycollate-induced macrophages and silica-induced dendritic-like cells cultured with BSA and EN-3 synergistically increased the production of TNF-$\alpha$ and IL-12. When mice were subcutaneously immunized with BSA + EN-3, the antibody titer against BSA was showed significantly higher than those immunized with BSA alone. In addition, when mice were immunized with OVA + FIA + EN-3, the antibody titer was showed similar patterns with the FCA. The assay for determining subisotype of antibody revealed that EN-3 augmented OVA-specific antibody titer of IgG1 and IgG2b. The culture supernatant obtained from splenocytes of mice treated with OVA + FIA + EN-3 also showed a higher level of both OVA-specific Th1-type (IL-2, IFN-${\gamma}$ and GM-CSF) and Th2-type cytokine (IL-4, IL-6 and IL-10). In vitro analysis of T cell proliferation to OVA on 8 weeks, the splenocytes of mice treated with OVA + EN-3 showed a significantly higher proliferating activity than those treated with OVA alone. These results suggest that EN-3 may possess adjuvant activities to potentially to enhance humoral as well as cellular immune response.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.952-959
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• 1998

To investigate the effect of sea tangle on macrophage activity in normal and diabetic states, 10week old ICR mice were fed control(C) and sea tangle(S) diet containing 5%(w/w) cellulose and 13.6%(w/w) dry sea tangle for four weeks, after which two thirds of mice(CD and SD) were made diabetic by intramuscular injection of streptozotocin(150mg/kg bw). At 4th day after diabetes was apparent by urinary glucose, one half of diabetic mice(CDM and SDM) were treated with metformin(500mg/kg bw) orally. Peritoneal macrophages obtained from 3%-thioglycollate treated mice were cultured in the presence of lipopolysaccaride from Salmonella abortus equi(10$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml) for 24 hrs and tumor necrosis factor-$\alpha$(TNF$\alpha$), interleukin-1$\beta$(1L-1$\beta$)and prostaglandin E2(PGE2) were measured in culture media. Release of IL-1$\beta$and PGE2 from macrophage were increased in normal mice by sea tangle diet and had the same tedency in diabetic mice with or without metformin treatment although not statistically significant. Release of TNF$\alpha$ tended to be reduced by diabetes but were not changed significantly by sea tangle diet. Fatty acid compositions of macrophage and liver phospholipids showed that diabetes reduced arachidonic acid/linoleic acid ratio and sea tangle diet appeared to increase contentsof polyunsaturated fatty acids.

• BMB Reports
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.289-294
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• 2019

The present study evaluated the role of AHNAK in Bartonella henselae infection. Mice were intraperitoneally inoculated with $2{\times}10^8$ colony-forming units of B. henselae Houston-1 on day 0 and subsequently on day 10. Blood and tissue samples of the mice were collected 8 days after the final B. henselae injection. B. henselae infection in the liver of Ahnak-knockout and wild-type mice was confirmed by performing polymerase chain reaction, with Bartonella adhesion A as a marker. The proportion of B. henselae-infected cells increased in the liver of the Ahnak-knockout mice. Granulomatous lesions, inflammatory cytokine levels, and liver enzyme levels were also higher in the liver of the Ahnak-knockout mice than in the liver of the wild-type mice, indicating that Ahnak deletion accelerated B. henselae infection. The proportion of CD4+interferon-${\gamma}$ ($IFN-{\gamma}^+$) and $CD4^+$ interleukin $(IL)-4^+$ cells was significantly lower in the B. henselae-infected Ahnak-knockout mice than in the B. henselae-infected wild-type mice. In vitro stimulation with B. henselae significantly increased $IFN-{\gamma}$ and IL-4 secretion in the splenocytes obtained from the B. henselae-infected wild-type mice, but did not increase $IFN-{\gamma}$ and IL-4 secretion in the splenocytes obtained from the B. henselae-infected Ahnak-KO mice. In contrast, $IL-1{\alpha}$, $IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6, IL-10, RANTES, and tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ secretion was significantly elevated in the splenocytes obtained from both B. henselae-infected wild-type and Ahnak-knockout mice. These results indicate that Ahnak deletion promotes B. henselae infection. Impaired $IFN-{\gamma}$ and IL-4 secretion in the Ahnak-knockout mice suggests the impairment of Th1 and Th2 immunity in these mice.

• BMB Reports
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.578-583
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• 2001

As a prototypic Thl vs Th2 cytokine, IFN-$\gamma$ and IL-4 activate distinct STAT proteins, STAT1 and STATE, respectively. In cytokine-producing Jurkat T cells, IL-4 is effectively rescued from cell death that is induced by dexamethasone, but IFN-$\gamma$ failed to do so. Since the Ras/MAPK pathway is known to play an important role in cytokine-induced cell survival, we investigated the mechanism of T cell survival through the analysis of functional cross-talk between Ras/MAPK and distinct STAT proteins that are activated by IL-4 and IFN-$\gamma$. Although IL-4 and IFN-$\gamma$ each induced the activation of STATE and STATI. in Jurkat T cells, respectively, only IL-4 was capable of inducing MAPK. Along with tyrosine kinase inhibitors, MEK/MAPK inhibitors also caused a significant suppression of the IL-4-induced STATE activity. This suggests a positive regulation of STATE by MAPK during IL-4 signal transduction. Furthermore, transfection studies with dominant active (da) vs dominant negative (dn) Ras revealed that daRas, but not dnRas, selectively up-regulated the expression and activity of STATE with a concomitant increase in MAPK activity. These results, therefore, suggest that there is a functional cross-talk between the Ras/MAPK and Jak/STAT6 pathways, which may have a role in the IL-4-induced T cell survival.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 2008

Background: A co-inhibitory molecule, B7-H4, is believed to negatively regulate T cell immunity by suppressing T cell proliferation and inhibiting cytokine production. However, the mechanism behind B7-H4-mediated tolerance remains unclear. Methods: Balb/c $(H-2^d)$ mice were fed with dendritic cell line, DC2.4 $(H-2^d)$ every day for 10 days. Meantime, mice were hydrodynamically injected with recombinant plasmid expressing B7-H4 fusion protein (B7-H4.hFc) or hFc via tail vein. One day after last feeding, mice were immunized with allogeneic B6 spleen cells. 14 days following immunization, mice were challenged with B6 spleen cells to ear back and the ear swelling was determined the next day. Subsequently, a mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) was also performed and cytokines profiles from the reaction were examined by sandwich ELISA. Frequency of immunosuppressive cell population was assayed with flow cytometry and mRNA for FoxP3 was determined by RT-PCR. Results: Tolerant mice given plasmid expressing B7-H4.hFc showed a significant reduction in ear swelling compared to control mice. In addition, T cells from mice given B7-H4.hFc plasmid revealed a significant hyporesponsiveness of T cells against allogeneic spleen cells and showed a significant decrease in Th1 and Th2 cytokines such as IFN-${\gamma}$, IL-5, and TNF-${\alpha}$. Interestingly, flow cytometric analysis showed that the frequency of CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ Tregs in spleen was increased in tolerant mice given recombinant B7-H4.hFc plasmid compared to control group. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that B7-H4 synergistically potentiates oral tolerance induced by allogeneic cells by increasing the frequency of FoxP3+ CD4+CD25+ Treg and reducing Th1 and Th2 cytokine production.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.149-152
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• 2007

Mast cells play important roles in immune-related diseases, in particular, allergic diseases. Although 9-cis retinoic acid (9CRA) has been known as an immune regulator, its function in mast cells is not characterized well. In a previous paper, we demonstrated that 9CRA differentially decreases both CCR2 expression and the MCP-1-induced chemotactic activity of the human mast cell line, HMC-1 cells. In the present study, we examined the effects of 9CRA on the migration and expressions of inflammatory cytokines in HMC-1 cells. It was found that 9CRA significantly inhibited the migration of HMC-1 cells in response to stem cell factor (P<0.01), and it had no effect on the mRNA and protein expression of c-kit, a receptor binding to SCF. We further investigated the alternation of inflammatory cytokine expression and identified that 9CRA blocked the mRNA and protein expressions of Th2 cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-5. Taken together, our results demonstrate that 9CRA blocks SCF-induced cell movement and the protein secretion of IL-4 and IL-5, and this indicates that 9CRA may have anti-inflammatory effects on mast cells.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.29-37
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• 2009

Objectives : The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of Trichosanthis Radix extract (TRE) on the proliferation and activation of eosinophils which were prepared from lung cells of asthma-induced mice by ovalbumin (OVA) treatment. Methods : C57BL/6 mouse was exposed to OVA three times a week for 6 weeks. The mouse lung tissues were dissected out, chopped and dossiciated with collagenase (1 $\mu$g/ml). Eosinophils were activated by rmIL-3/rmIL-5 co-treatments. The lung cells were treated with TRE, incubated for 48 hr at 37$^{\circ}C$, and analyzed by flow cytometer, ELISA and RT-PCR methods Results : To measure cytotoxicity, mouse lung fibroblast cells (mLFCs) were pretreated with various concentrations of TRE. TRE at 100 $\mu$g/ml, the highest concentration, examined did not have any cytotoxic effects on mLFCs. In FACS analysis, number of granulocyte/lymphocyte, CD3e-/CCR3+, CD3e+/CD69+, CD4+/CD8+ T cells in asthma-induced lung cells were significantly decreased by TRE treatment compared to the control group. But CD4+/CD25+ T cells were not examined significant change in lung cells treated with TRE. In ELISA analysis, production levels of IL-3, IL-5, IL-13 and histamine in asthma-induced lung cells, which were induced by rIL-3 plus rmIL-5 co-treatment, were significantly decreased by TRE treatment. Conclusions : The present data suggested that Trichosanthis Radix on the inhibition of parameters associated with asthma responses in eosinpophils, and thus implicate the possibility for the clinical application of Trichosanthis Radix.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.79-84
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• 2004

02PS15 extracts (BuOH, $H_2O$, and crude extracts) significantly inhibited IL-4 and IL-6 secretion from the phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-plus phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-induced peripheral blood mononuclear cleas (P<0.05). 02PS15 extracts (BuOH and crude extracts) also significantly inhibited the histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells (P<0.05). Significant reduced levels (P<0.05) of PMA- and A23187-induced IL-8 were observed in the human mast cell line, HMC-1, with O2PS15 extracts (BuOH and crude extracts). 02PS15 extracts (BuOH and crude extract) downregulated the expression of IL-6 and IL-8 in the activated HMC-1. These results suggest that O2PS15 has the inhibitory effect of atopic allergic reaction anil this might be useful for clinical application to treat several allergic diseases such as atopic dermatitis.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.654-664
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• 2021

Background: Ginsenoside Rg3, isolated from Panax ginseng, has anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor activities. It is known to reduce inflammation in acute lung injury in mice, and to reduce the expression of inflammatory cytokines and COX-2 in human asthmatic airway epithelium. In this study, we attempted to determine whether ginsenoside Rg3 inhibits airway inflammation, oxidative stress, and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in the lungs of asthmatic mice. We also investigated its effects on oxidative stress and the inflammatory response in tracheal epithelial cells. Methods: Asthma symptoms were induced in female BALB/c mice sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA). Mice were divided into five groups: normal controls, OVA-induced asthmatic controls, and asthmatic mice treated with ginsenoside Rg3 or prednisolone by intraperitoneal injection. Inflammatory BEAS-2B cells (human tracheal epithelial cells) treated with ginsenoside Rg3 to investigate its effects on inflammatory cytokines and oxidative responses. Results: Ginsenoside Rg3 treatment significantly reduced eosinophil infiltration, oxidative responses, airway inflammation, and AHR in the lungs of asthmatic mice. Ginsenoside Rg3 reduced Th2 cytokine and chemokine levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids and lung. Inflammatory BEAS-2B cells treated with ginsenoside Rg3 reduced the eotaxin and pro-inflammatory cytokine expressions, and monocyte adherence to BEAS-2B cells was significantly reduced as a result of decreased ICAM-1 expression. Furthermore, ginsenoside Rg3 reduced the expression of reactive oxygen species in inflammatory BEAS-2B cells. Conclusion: Ginsenoside Rg3 is a potential immunomodulator that can ameliorate pathological features of asthma by decreasing oxidative stress and inflammation

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.1-15
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• 2018

Objectives Alismatis Rhizoma has been known to suppress inflammation and allergic reaction. However, the cellular target of Alismatis Rhizoma and its mechanism of action remain unclear. This study was designed to examine the effect of Alismatis Rhizoma extract (ALC) on the RBL-2H3 mast cells in vitro and on the OVA/alum sensitized mice ex vivo. Methods In the study, RBL-2H3 mast cells were cultured in minimal essential medium (MEM) for 24 hours, and treated separately with cyclosporin A and varying doses of ALC, and then stimulated with Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) (50 ng/ml) and Ionomycin ($0.5{\mu}M$). The levels of IL-13, IL-4 were measured by ELISA analysis. The mRNA levels of IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-13, GM-CSF, $TNF-{\alpha}$ were analyzed with Real-time PCR. Also, manifestations of MAPKs transcription factors and $NF-{\kappa}B$ p65 translocation were analyzed by western blotting in vitro. Subsequently, for ex vivo experiment, we induced allergic inflammation on Balb/c mice by OVA/alum and administered ALC orally. And we measured serum OVA-specific IgE level and IL-4, IL-13 in the splenocyte culture supernatant by ELISA analysis. Results ALC was shown to suppress mRNA expression of IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-13, GM-CSF, $TNF-{\alpha}$, and to inhibit the IL-13, IL-4 production. Also ALC reduced an activation of mast cells specific signal MAPKs transcription factors and $NF-{\kappa}B$ p65 from the western blot analysis in in vitro experiment. In ex vivo, ALC oral adminstration decreased the level of OVA-specific IgE in serum, and IL-4, IL-13 in the splenocyte culture supernatant. Conclusions ALC is shown to reduce inflammation and allergic response by suppressing Th2 cytokines through the regulation of transcription factors MAPKs and $NF-{\kappa}B$ p65 in mast cells. Administration of ALC suppressed OVA-specific IgE in ovalbumin allergy model through the inhibition of Th2 cytokine. In conclusion, ALC can be considered as an effective treatment for allergic diseases such as atopic dermatitis.