• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.72 no.3
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• pp.275-283
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• 2012

Background: Healthy individuals who develop nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) lung disease are likely to have specific susceptibility factors which can lead to a NTM infection. The aim of the present study was to investigate the mechanism underlying innate immune responses, including the role of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), in Mycobacterium abscessus lung disease. Methods: Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) and p38 MAPK expression in monocytes from peripheral blood mononuclear cells were measured by Western blot analysis after stimulation by Mycobacterium avium in five patients with M. abscessus lung disease and seven healthy controls. A M. avium-induced cytokine assay was performed after inhibition of ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK pathways. Results: Mycobacterium avium induced p38 and ERK1/2 expression in monocytes from healthy controls and subsequently upregulated tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-10 production. In monocytes from patients with M. abscessus lung disease, however, induction of p38 and ERK1/2 expression, and the production of TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-6, and IL-10 were significantly lower. Conclusion: Decreased activity of MAPK and cytokine secretion in monocytes from patients with M. abscessus lung disease may provide an explanation regarding host susceptibility to these uncommon infections.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.266-273
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• 2016

Ohmae-hwan has been used to treat the symptoms of loose stools mixed with blood accompanied by abdominal pain due to heat dysentery in Korean medicine. However, its mechanism of action on inflammatory disease using macrophages was not known. The author was to find out about the influence of Ohmae-hwan water extract on expressions of NO, cytokine IL-6 and TNF-α in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cell, on expressions of mRNA of iNOS, IL-6 and COX-2 and on suppression of expressions of protein of iNOS and COX-2, and was to find out about the mechanism. As a result of the study, it was found that Ohmae-hwan suppressed generation of NO activated by LPS depending on its concentrations, suppressed expressions of cytokine IL-6, and TNF-α and suppressed expressions of mRNA of iNOS, IL-6, and COX-2 and suppressed expressions of protein of iNOS, COX-2. Considering the above results, it can be known that Ohmae-hwan water extract has anti-inflammatory effect against inflammatory response mediated by macrophages by suppressing generation of NO, TNF-α, and IL-6 and expressions of iNOS, COX-2 as it acts on macrophages.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.32 no.1 s.124
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• pp.31-38
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• 2001

A lectin was purified from Allomyrina dichotoma (ADL) by physiological saline extraction, ammonium sulfate fractionation, anion exchange column chromatography on DEAE Sephadex A-50 and gel filtration column chromatography on Sephadex G-200. Several biochemical properties of ADL were characterized as follows: ADL from gel filtration column chromatography showed single band on SDS-PAGE. ADL agglutinated the erythrocytes of rabbit and human A, B, O, AB. Agglutinability was relatively stable at basic pH, and was stable at temperature below $40^{\circ}C$. Agglutinability was not affected by metal ions and EDTA. This lectin was proved to be a glycoprotein which contains 0.47% of sugars. The molecular weight of ADL was estimated to be 97,000 dalton by SDS-PAGE. By amino acid analysis, ADL exhibited high amounts of aspartic acid. The lectin's immunomodulating effect was measured as cytokine production. The productions of 5 cytokines $(IL-1{\alpha},\;IL-2,\;IL-6,\;IFN{\gamma}\;and\;TNF{\alpha})$ from peripheral blood mononuclear cells were measured by ELISA. The lectin induced the highest secretion of IL-2 at 8 hr, $TNF{\alpha}$ at 4 hr, and $IFN{\gamma}$ at 24hr, respectively. These results suggest that ADL can elicit the production of detectable cytokines from PBMC.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.206-214
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• 2018

Background: Immune responses appear to be affected by anesthetics and analgesics. We investigated the effects of caudal tramadol on the postoperative immune response and pain management in pediatric patients. Methods: Sixty ASA-I pediatric patients aged 3-10 years undergoing lower abdominal surgery. Patients were randomly assigned either to a caudal bupivacaine (0.25%) group (group B), or a group that received caudal tramadol (1 mg/kg) added to the bupivacaine (0.25%) (group T). Both were diluted in a 0.9% NaCl solution to a total volume of 1ml/ kg. The systemic immune response was measured by collecting blood samples preoperatively, at the end of anesthesia, and at 24 and 72 hours postoperatively, and studied for interleukin IL-6, C-reactive proteins (CRP) cortisol levels, and leucocytes with its differential count. Postoperative pain was assessed along with sedation scales. Results: Postoperative production of IL-6 was significantly higher in group B at the end of anesthesia, than at the $24^{th}$ hour, and at the $72^{nd}$ hour in group B and group T, respectively. The immune response showed leukocytosis with increased percentages of neutrophil and monocytes, and a decreased lymphocyte response rate within both groups with no significant differences between the groups. Cortisol and CRP were significantly higher in group B. Conclusions: Adding tramadol to a caudal bupivacaine block can attenuate the pro-inflammatory cytokine response, Cortisol, and CRP in children undergoing lower abdominal surgery.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.15 no.11
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• pp.6739-6745
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• 2014

Acer tegmentosum Maxim (AT) is a species of the maple genus, which is native to North-Eastern China and Korea. Traditionally, AT has been already used for pain relief in Korea. On the other hand, its antidepressant-like activity and related molecular mechanisms is not completely understood. Using the Forced Swimming Test (FST), the effects of a subacute treatment with AT(100, 200, and 400 mg/kg, p.o.) on the immobility and FST-induced changes to the immune parameters, cortisol, ACTH, and cytokine, in rats were investigated. The tendency of immobility showed a dose-dependent decrease in FST. The levels of cortisol, IL-6 and $IL-1{\beta}$ in the peripheral blood were increased significantly after FST exposure. Overall, these results suggest that AT treatment can decrease the immobility time and the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the FST, suggesting that the anti-inflammatory effects of AT might be involved in the antidepressant-like effect.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.4899-4906
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• 2016

Aim: To assess the diagnostic utility of serum and salivary interleukin 6 (IL-6) levels in the differential diagnosis of potentially malignant lesions and conditions (PMLs/PMCs) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) in a high oral cancer prevalence region. Methods: After appropriate ethical clearance and informed consent, salivary and blood samples were collected from 100 participants in each group (OSCC, PMLs, and healthy controls). Serum and salivary IL-6 levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and data were subjected to appropriate statistical analysis. Results: Significant differences in IL-6 concentration were noted between OSCC and PML/C patients in both serum and saliva, with salivary levels being 2 to 3 fold higher than serum values in all the groups. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated 96% specificity and 99% sensitivity for salivary IL-6 in differentiating PML from OSCC. Conclusions: The results of the present study suggest that the pro-inflammatory cytokine, IL-6, is elevated in the saliva of patients with OSSC compared to PMD and controls, and thus may prove to have diagnostic and/or prognostic significance.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.425-437
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• 2020

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Different fatty acids exert different health benefits. This study investigated the potential protective effects of perilla, olive, and safflower oils on high-fat diet-induced obesity and colon inflammation. MATERIALS/METHODS: Five-week old, C57BL/6J mice were assigned to 5 groups: low-fat diet (LFD), high-fat diet (HFD) and high-fat diet supplemented with-perilla oil (HPO), olive oil (HOO), and safflower oil (HSO). After 16 weeks of the experimental period, the mice were sacrificed, and blood and tissues were collected. The serum was analyzed for obesity- and inflammation-related biomarkers. Gene expression of the biomarkers in the liver, adipose tissue, and colon tissue was analyzed. Micro-computed tomography (CT) analysis was performed one week before sacrifice. RESULTS: Treatment with all the three oils significantly improved obesity-induced increases in body weight, liver weight, and epididymal fat weight as well as serum triglyceride and leptin levels. Treatment with perilla oil (PO) and safflower oil (SO) increased adiponectin levels. The micro-CT analysis revealed that PO and SO reduced abdominal fat volume considerably. The mRNA expression of lipogenic genes was reduced in all the three oilsupplemented groups and PO upregulated lipid oxidation in the liver. Supplementation of oils improved macroscopic score, increased colon length, and decreased serum endotoxin and proinflammatory cytokine levels in the colon. The abundance of Bifidobacteria was increased and that of Enterobacteriaceae was reduced in the PO-supplemented group. All three oils reduced proinflammatory cytokine levels, as indicated by the mRNA expression. In addition, PO increased the expression of tight junction proteins. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our data indicate that the three oils exert similar anti-obesity effects. Interestingly, compared with olive oil and SO, PO provides better protection against high-fat diet-induced colon inflammation, suggesting that PO consumption helps manage inflammation-related diseases and provides omega-3 fatty acids needed by the body.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.12
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• pp.1629-1635
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• 2014

It is known that lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have many beneficial health effects, including anti-oxidative activity and immune regulation. In this study, the immune regulatory effects of Lactobacillus sakei and Lactobacillus plantarum, which are found in different types of kimchi, were evaluated. L. sakei and its lipoteichoic acid (LTA) have greater immune stimulating potential in IL-12, IFN-${\gamma}$, and TNF-${\alpha}$ production as compared with L. plantarum in an in vitro condition. On the other hand, L. plantarum is assumed to repress the Th1 immune response in murine experiments. After being injected with LPS, L. plantarum-fed mice maintained a healthier state, and the level of TNF-${\alpha}$ in their blood was lower than in other bacterial strainfed mice and in the LPS-only control mice. Additionally, IL-12 production was significantly decreased and the production of IL-4 was greatly increased in the splenocytes from L. plantarum-fed mice. Further experiments revealed that the pre-injection of purified LTA from L. plantarum (pLTA), L. sakei (sLTA), and S. aureus (aLTA) decreased TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-4 production in LPS-injected mice. Mouse IL-12, however, was significantly increased by aLTA pre-injection. In conclusion, the L. sakei and L. plantarum strains have immune regulation effects, but the effects differ in cytokine production and the regulatory effects of the Th1/Th2 immune response.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.89-99
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• 2014

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a fatal complication that occurs after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. To understand the dynamics of CD4 and CD8 T cell production of IFN-${\gamma}$ and IL-17 during GVHD progression, we established a GVHD model by transplanting T cell-depleted bone marrow (TCD-BM) and purified T cells from B6 mice into irradiated BALB.B, creating an MHC-matched but minor histocompatibility (H) antigen-mismatched transplantation (B6 ${\rightarrow}$ BALB.B GVHD). Transplantation-induced GVHD was confirmed by the presence of the appropriate compositional changes in the T cell compartments and innate immune cells in the blood and the systemic secretion of inflammatory cytokines. Using this B6 ${\rightarrow}$ BALB.B GVHD model, we showed that the production of IFN-${\gamma}$ and IL-17 by CD4 T cells preceded that by CD8 T cells in the spleen, mesenteric lymph node, liver, and lung in the BALB.B GVHD host, and Th1 differentiation predated Th17 differentiation in all organs during GVHD progression. Such changes in cytokine production were based on changes in cytokine gene expression by the T cells at different time points during GVHD development. These results demonstrate that both IFN-${\gamma}$ and IL-17 are produced by CD4 and CD8 T cells but with different kinetics during GVHD progression.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.237-244
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• 2006

Samultang has been believed for prevention and remedy various blood diseases such as menstrual irregularity, anemia, and metrorrhagia. However, the mechanism that accounts for anti-inflammatory effects of the Samultang is still not fully understood. This study was designed to evaluate whether and how the Samultang could modulate the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) plus calcium ionophore A23187 treated-human mast cell line, HMC-1. Samultang inhibited the production of tumor necrosis factor $(TNF)-\alpha$, interleukin (IL)-6, granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in HMC-1. Maximal inhibition rate of $TNF-\alpha$, IL-6, GM-CSF, and VEGF by 0.1 mg/ml Samultang was about $70.73{\pm}3.0%,\;51.49{\pm}4.14%,\;54.03{\pm}2.09%$, and $47.95{\pm}7.86%$, respectively. Samultang partially blocked PMA plus A23187-induced cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 expression. In addition, Samultang inhibited activation of nuclear factor (NF)-kB, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation. These results suggest that anti-inflammatory effect of Samulatng may be mediated by the suppression of cytokine production and COX-2 activation via down-regulation of NF-kB and ERK activation.