• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제12권4호
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• pp.329-335
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• 2006

Echinostoma hortense (E. hortense) is an intestinal trematode with the highest infection rate in South Korea. However, the immune response against E. hortense infection has not been explained well. In the present study, we investigated the effect of treatment with cyclosporin A (CsA) and histamine receptor antagonists on the cytokine expression and mucosal goblet cells in E. hortense-infected C3H/HeN mice. The alteration of cytokine mRNA expression ($TNF-{\alpha},\;IL-l{\beta},\;IL-4\;and\;IL-5$), intestinal worm recovery rate and goblet cell responses were measured weekly from 0 to 5 weeks post-infection (P.I.) in the control and the following three drug-treated groups: CsA, hydroxyzine and cimetidine. Compared with the control group, the expression of $TNF-{\alpha}$, IL-4 and IL-5 mRNAs decreased in the CsA- and hydroxyzine-treated groups, but only IL-4 mRNA expression did in the cimetidine-treated group. Worm recovery rate was significantly increased in the drug-treated groups. Mucosal goblet cells and their mucin response significantly decreased in the CsA-treated group (P<0.01), but significantly increased in the cimetidine- (P<0.05) and hydroxyzine- (P<0.01) treated groups. These data suggest that CsA treatment inhibits production of Th1- and Th2-type cytokines which are necessary for the worm expulsion. Histamine receptor increases goblet cells and their mucin activation, although it remains to be elucidated whether it directly affects the worm expulsion period of E. hortense in C3H/HeN mice.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.479-484
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• 2007

The purpose of this research was to investigate effects of mixed extract of Ginseng Radix and Angelicae gigantis Radix on activity of murine splenocytes and macrophages. GAE (300 mg/kg) was administered p.o. for 7 days. GAE decreased the viability of murine splenocytes in vivo. Also, GAE enhanced the population of $Thy1^+$ cells in splenocytes and the population of splenic $CD4^+$ cells. Furthermore, GAE increased the production of ${\Upsilon}$-interferon from splenocytes. GAE enhanced the production of nitric oxide and the phagocytic activity of peritoneal macrophages. These results suggest that GAE regulates the immune response via activation of splenic Th1 cells and peritoneal macrophages.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제49권3호
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• pp.303-308
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• 2011

This study investigated whether elevated host immune capacity can inhibit T. gondii infection. For this purpose, we used silk protein extracted from Bombyx mori cocoons as a natural supplement to augment immune capacity. After silk protein administration to BALB/c mice for 6 weeks, ratios of T lymphocytes ($CD4^+$ and $CD8^+$ T-cells) and splenocyte proliferative capacities in response to Con A or T. gondii lysate antigen (TLA) were increased. Of various cytokines, which regulate immune systems, Th1 cytokines, such as IFN-${\gamma}$, IL-2, and IL-12, were obviously increased in splenocyte primary cell cultures. Furthermore, the survival of T. gondii (RH strain)-infected mice increased from 2 days to 5 or more days. In a state of immunosuppression induced by methylprednisolone acetate, silk protein-administered mice were resistant to reduction in T-lymphocyte ($CD4^+$ and $CD8^+$ T-cells) numbers and the splenocyte proliferative capacity induced by Con A or TLA with a statistical significance. Taken together, our results suggest that silk protein augments immune capacity in mice and the increased cellular immunity by silk protein administration increases host protection against acute T. gondii infection.

• 대한간호학회지
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• 제29권4호
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• pp.855-869
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• 1999

The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of self-management relaxation training through biofeedback and progressive muscle relaxation methods. The effectiveness of the experimental methods was tested by measuring the degree of symptoms of stress (SOS), the McNair's profile of Mood States (POMS), the levels of ephinephrine, norepinephrine, pulse rate, blood pressure and natural killer cells. The subjects of this study were sixty six nursing students divided into four groups : two groups were the biofeedback and progressive muscle relaxation groups, the other two groups served as control groups. One was a group of sophomores with no experience at all, the other a junior group without self -management or relaxation training. This study was conducted for eight weeks of clinical practice from April, 26th 1998 to June, 20th 1998. Biofeedback training was done with software developed by J&J company (1-410 form for abdominal respiration training). Progressive muscle relaxation training was done with u audiotape recorded according to Jacobson's Theory. The data were analyzed with frequencies, means, and analysis of covariance using the SPSS program and the significance level of statistics was 5%. The results of the study are : 1) The importance of clinical practice stress reduction is shown in that the level of symptoms of stress in the experimental groups in clinical practice was higher than in the group receiving only a lecture. 2) The relaxation training methods of biofeedback and progressive muscle relaxation were effective in reducing the symptoms of stress under the clinical practice stress conditions. 3) The effectiveness of the biofeedback training relaxation method to reduce symptoms of stress was higher than that of progressive muscle relaxation. 4) The relaxation training methods of biofeedback and progressive muscle relaxation were effective in reducing stressful mood states. 5) The relaxation training methods of biofeedback and progressive muscle relaxation were not effective in reducing epinephrine and norepinephrine levels. 6) The relaxation training methods of biofeedback and progressive muscle relaxation were effective in increaing the number of natural killer cells. 7) The relaxation training methods of biofeedback and progressive muscle relaxation were effective in decreasing high systolic and diastolic values of blood pressure and high pulse rates. In summary, the relaxation methods of biofeedback and progressive muscle relaxation in reducing clinical practice stress were effective in lowering the level of symptoms of stress and the profile of stressful mood states. They were also effective in lowering high blood pressure and pulse rates. The relaxation methods were effective in increasing the number of natural killer cells as part of the immune function. However, relaxation methods were not effective in reducing the catecholamine level. The biofeedback training method for reduction of symptoms of stress was more effective than the progressive muscle relaxation method.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제20권4호
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• pp.33.1-33.19
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• 2020

We tested how adjuvants effect in a cancer vaccine model using an epitope derived from an autoactivation loop of membrane-type protease serine protease 14 (PRSS14; loop metavaccine) in mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV)-polyoma middle tumor-antigen (PyMT) system and in 2 other orthotopic mouse systems. Earlier, we reported that loop metavaccine effectively prevented progression and metastasis regardless of adjuvant types and TH types of hosts in tail-vein injection systems. However, the loop metavaccine with Freund's complete adjuvant (CFA) reduced cancer progression and metastasis while that with alum, to our surprise, were adversely affected in 3 tumor bearing mouse models. The amounts of loop peptide specific antibodies inversely correlated with tumor burden and metastasis, meanwhile both T_H1 and T_H2 isotypes were present regardless of host type and adjuvant. Tumor infiltrating myeloid cells such as eosinophil, monocyte, and neutrophil were asymmetrically distributed among 2 adjuvant groups with loop metavaccine. Systemic expression profiling using the lymph nodes of the differentially immunized MMTV-PyMT mouse revealed that adjuvant types, as well as loop metavaccine can change the immune signatures. Specifically, loop metavaccine itself induces T_H2 and T_H17 responses but reduces T_H1 and T_reg responses regardless of adjuvant type, whereas CFA but not alum increased follicular T_H response. Among the myeloid signatures, eosinophil was most distinct between CFA and alum. Survival analysis of breast cancer patients showed that eosinophil chemokines can be useful prognostic factors in PRSS14 positive patients. Based on these observations, we concluded that multiple immune parameters are to be considered when applying a vaccine strategy to cancer patients.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제25권2호
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• pp.115-122
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• 1998

The maintenance of a viable pregnancy has long been viewed as an immunological paradox. The deveolping embryo and trophoblast are immunologically foreign to the maternal immune system due to their maternally inherited genes products and tissue-specific differentiation antigens (Hill & Anderson, 1988). Therefore, speculation has arisen that spontaneous abortion may be caused by impaired maternal immune tolerance to the semiallogenic conceptus (Hill, 1990). Loss of recall antigen has been reported in immunosuppressed transplant recipients and is associated with graft survival (Muluk et al., 1991; Schulik et al., 1994). Progesterone $(10^{-5}M)$ has immunosuppressive capabilities (Szekeres-Bartho et al., 1985). Previous study showed that fertile women, but not women with unexplained recurrent abortion (URA), lose their immune response to recall antigens when pregnant (Bermas & Hill, 1997). Therefore, we hypothesized that immunosuppressive doses of progesterone may affect proliferative response of lymphocytes to trophoblast antigen and alloantigen. Proliferative responses using $^3H$-thymidine ($^3H$-TdR) incorporation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) to the irradiated allogeneic periperal blood mononuclear cells as alloantigen, trophoblast extract and Flu as recall antigen, and PHA as mitogen were serially checked in 9 women who had experienced unexplained recurrent miscarriage. Progesterone vaginal suppositories (100mg b.i.d; Utrogestan, Organon) beginning 3 days after ovulation were given to 9 women with unexplained RSA who had prior evidence of Th1 immunity to trophoblast. We checked proliferation responses to conception cycle before and after progesterone supplementation once a week through the first 7 weeks of pregnancy. All patients of alloantigen and PHA had a positive proliferation response that occmed in the baseline phase. But 4 out of 9 patients (44.4%) of trophoblast antigen and Flu antigen had a positive proliferative response. The suppression of proliferation response to each antigen were started after proliferative phase and during pregnancy cycles. Our data demonstrated that since in vivo progesterone treated PBMCs suppressed more T-lymphocyte activation and $^3H$-TdR incorporation compare to PBMCs, which are not influenced by progesterone. This data suggested that it might be influenced by immunosuppressive effect of progesterone. In conclusion, progesterone may play an important immunological role in regulating local immune response in the fetal-placental unit. Furthermore, in the 9 women given progesterone during a conception cycle, Only two (22%) repeat pregnancy losses occured in these 9 women despite loss of antigen responsiveness (one chemical pregnancy loss and one loss at 8 weeks of growth which was karyotyped as a Trisomy 4). These finding suggested that pregnancy loss due to fetal aneuploidy is not associated with immunological phenomena.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권9호
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• pp.4295-4300
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• 2012

Objective: To investigate the therapeutic potential of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) as a vaccine to induce an immune response and provide antitumor protection in a rat model. Methods: Cross-reactivity of antigens between hESCs and tumour cells was screened by immunohistochemistry. Fischer 344 rats were divided into 7 groups, with 6 rats in each, immunized with: Group 1, hESC; Group 2, pre-inactivated mitotic NuTu-19; Group 3 PBS; Group 4, hESC; Group 5, pre-inactivated mitotic NuTu-19; Group 6, PBS; Group 7, hESC only. At 1 (Groups 1-3) or 4 weeks (Groups 4-6) after the last vaccination, each rat was challenged intraperitoneally with NuTu-19. Tumor growth and animal survival were closely monitored. Rats immunized with H9 and NuTu-19 were tested by Western blot analysis of rat orbital venous blood for cytokines produced by Th1 and Th2 cells. Results: hESCs presented tumour antigens, markers, and genes related to tumour growth, metastasis, and signal pathway interactions. The vaccine administered to rats in Group 1 led to significant antitumor responses and enhanced tumor rejection in rats with intraperitoneal inoculation of NuTu-19 cells compared to control groups. In contrast, rats in Group 4 did not display any elevation of antitumour responses. Western blot analysis found cross-reactivity among antibodies generated between H9 and NuTu-19. However, the cytokines did not show significant differences, and no side effects were detected. Conclusion: hESC-based vaccination is a promising modality for immunotherapy of ovarian cancer.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제7권1호
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• pp.18-25
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• 2007

Background: Although glucocorticoids (GCs) are effective in controlling asthma in the majority of patients, a subset of asthmatics fails to demonstrate a satisfactory response, even to systemic GC therapy. This population is referred to as being "steroid-resistant". The actual mechanism underlying steroid resistance in asthma remains to be elucidated. Methods: We have investigated how dexamethasone (DEX) regulates asthmatic phenotypes in a murine model of asthma, in which mice received i.p. immunization twice, followed by two bronchoprovocations with aerosolized OVA with a one-week interval, which we have recently described. Results: Pretreatment with DEX resulted in an inhibition of NF-${\kappa}B$ activation in asthmatic lungs, and also inhibited bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) levels of NF-${\kappa}B$-dependent cytokines such as TNF-${\alpha}$ and CC chemokines [eotaxin and monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1]. DEX was effective in suppressing airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) at 10 h, Th2-dependent asthmatic phenotypes such as airway eosinophilia, BAL levels of Th2 cytokines (IL-5 and IL-13), and mucin production. However, DEX failed to suppress BAL levels of CXC chemokines [macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2) and keratinocyte-derived chemokine (KC)] and airway neutrophilia. Conclusion: Airway neutrophilia is among the phenomena observed in patients with severe GC-resistant asthma. This study will provide insight into the molecular basis for airway neutrophila seen in steroid-resistant asthma. Further studies are required to delineate the underlying mechanism of CXC chemokine expression in asthma.

• BMB Reports
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• 제47권2호
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• pp.115-120
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• 2014

In this study, we show that Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis MAP1305 induces the maturation of bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs), a representative antigen presenting cell (APC). MAP1305 protein induces DC maturation and the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (Interleukin (IL)-6), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$, and IL-$1{\beta}$) through Toll like receptor-4 (TLR-4) signaling by directly binding with TLR4. MAP1305 activates the phosphorylation of MAPKs, such as ERK, p38MAPK, and JNK, which is essential for DC maturation. Furthermore, MAP1305-treated DCs transform naive T cells to polarized $CD4^+$ and $CD8^+$ T cells, thus indicating a key role for this protein in the Th1 polarization of the resulting immune response. Taken together, M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis MAP1305 is important for the regulation of innate immune response through DC-mediated proliferation of $CD4^+$ and $CD8^+$ T cells.

• BMB Reports
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• 제43권4호
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• pp.250-256
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• 2010

Natural phosphodiester bond CpG-DNA that contains immunomodulatory CpG motifs (PO-DNA) upregulates the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and induces an Ag-driven Th1 response in a CG sequence-dependent manner in mice. In humans, only phosphorothioate backbone-modified CpG-DNA (PS-DNA) and not PO-DNA has immunomodulatory activity. In this study, we found that liposome-encapsulated PO-DNA upregulated the expression of human $\beta$-defensin-2 (hBD-2) and major histocompatibility class II molecules (HLA-DRA) in a CG sequence-dependent and liposome- dependent manner in human B cells. Of the three different liposomes, DOTAP has the unique ability to enhance the immunomodulatory activity of PO-DNA. In contrast, HLA-DRA and hBD-2 promoter activation can be induced by liposome-encapsulated PS-DNA in a CG sequence-independent manner, depending on the CpG-DNA species. Our observations demonstrate that, when encapsulated with a proper liposome in the immune system, natural PO-DNA has the potential to be a useful therapy for the regulation of the innate immune response.