• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.101-123
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• 2011

Objectives : The aim was to study the effect of bee venom pharmacopuncture therapy with different concentration on rheumatoid arthritis rat model. Methods : We enforced a bee venom pharmacopuncture therapy with different concentration on rheumatoid arthritis rat model by the intradermal injection of chicken type II collagen emulsified. 14 days after the onset of the rheumatoid arthritis rat model, a fixed volume of bee venom was daily injected to ST-35 acupoint in the rat's knee joint for 2-3 weeks. The hind paw volume, arthritic index, arthritic flexion pain test, pain threshold, and serum analysis (CRP, $PGE_2$, ALT, AST) were analyzed, and the expression profiles of COX-2, c-fos, and substance-P at the dorsal horn region of the spinal cord and subchondral bone of the knee joint were also analyzed by using the immunohistochemistry. Results : After the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis rats with bee venom pharmacopuncture, the paw volume of edema of arthritic rats were almost restored to the level of normal group, and behavior tests were very effective. Also the evaluation on the blood serum analysis was remarkable. COX-2, c-fos, and substance-P positive cells in the immunohistological section of dorsal horn region of the spinal cord and subchondral bone of the knee joints were significantly decreased. also the bee venom pharmacopuncture was effective to alleviate their rheumatoid arthritic inflammation cytokine inhibition as regards to the behavior tests and joint histological appearance. Conclusions : Based on the results in this study, bee venom pharmacopuncture with concentrated treatment condition was very effective in low fixed quantity and progressive low increased quantity.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.1-6
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• 2011

Objectives : The present study was undertaken to determine whether an ethanol extract of Citri Pericarpium (CP-E), which is the pericarp of Citrus unshiu Markovich is efficacious against collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in mice. Methods : CIA was induced in male DBA/1J mice by intradermal injection of bovine collagen-II in Freund's incomplete adjuvant (IFA). The mice in the onset of arthritis were treated daily with oral administration of CP-E ethanol extract at different doses (50 and 100 mg/kg/bw) for 28 days. Arthritis index, histopathologic changes and the levels of TNF-${\alpha}$ as well as anti-CII IgG in blood were evaluated to confirm the anti-arthritic effect of CP-E on CIA in rats. Results : The results showed that comparing with untreated CIA mice, treated with CP-E extract significantly decreased the arthritic scores and the pathological changes of knee joint tissues, and also reduced the serum levels of TNF-${\alpha}$ and anti-CII IgG in CIA-mice. These results indicate that CP-E extract may effectively alleviate inflammatory response on CIA, and its anti-inflammation can be attributed, at least partially, to the inhibition of proinflamamtory cytokine, TNF-${\alpha}$ in CIA. Conclusions : This study suggest that CP-E has a therapeutic potential in inflammatory joint diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.40-44
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• 2012

To develop a new starter culture for Mozzarella cheese, the immunomodulatory action of Streptococcus macedonicus LC743 in male C57BL/6 mice was studied. Mice were fed for 7 wk with feed containing 1% Mozzarella cheese made with three kinds of starter cultures from S. macedonicus LC743 (G3), FD-DVS TCC-3 (G2) and S. macedonicus LC743 : FD-DVS TCC-3(1:1) (G4) and control (feed only, G1), respectively. No significant differences in body weight gain were observed among the various groups of mice. The spleen index and thymus index were observed and no significant differences were found among the groups. The production of TNF-${\alpha}$ of S. macedonicus LC743 group significantly increased compared to the control group. The production of IL-$1{\beta}$ was significantly enhanced by the feeding of S. macedonicus LC743 group compared to the control group. In regards to the white blood cell counts, the neutrophil percentages were significantly higher in the G1 group compared to other groups. The lymphocyte percentages were significantly higher in G2, G3 and G4 groups in comparison to the control group. The results of this study may suggest that the supplementation of S. macedonicus LC743 can increase the cytokine production activity by the activated macrophages in mice. Based on the result of this study, it could be concluded that S. macedonicus LC743 could stimulate the immune functions of mice.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.61-68
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• 2010

Purpose: The present study was performed to clarify the relationship between periodontal disease severity and selected immunological parameters consisting of serum IgG titer against periodontopathogenic bacteria, the expression of the helper T-cell cytokine by gingival mononuclear cells, and patients' immunoreactivity to cross-reactive heat shock protein (HSP) epitope peptide from P. gingivalis HSP60. Methods: Twenty-five patients with moderate periodontitis had their gingival connective tissue harvested of gingival mononuclear cells during an open flap debridement procedure and peripheral blood was drawn by venipuncture to collect serum. The mean level of interproximal alveolar bone was calculated to be used as an index for periodontal disease severity for a given patient. Each of selected immunologic parameters was subject to statistical management to seek their correlations with the severity of periodontal disease. Results: A significant correlation could not be identified between serum IgG titers against specific bacteria (Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, and Streptococcus mutans) and the severity of periodontal disease. Expression of interleukin (IL)-10 by gingival mononuclear cells was statistically significant in the group of patients who had higher levels of alveolar bone height. However, a similar correlation could not be demonstrated in cases for IL-4 or interferon-$\gamma$. Patients' serum reactivity to cross-reactive epitope peptide showed a significant correlation with the amount of alveolar bone. Conclusions: It was concluded that expression of IL-10 by gingival mononuclear cells and patients' sero-reactivity to the cross-reactive HSP peptide of P. gingivalis HSP60 were significantly correlated with alveolar bone height.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.22-28
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of soybean peptide on antioxidant enzymes, cortisol hormone and inflammatory cytokine levels. 19 high school male judo athletes participated in the experiments. They were randomly divided into two groups, one group took soybean peptide (S-peptide, n=10) 4 g a day for 4 weeks and the other group placebo (placebo group, n=9) for the same time. Blood samples were collected before intake, after 2 weeks intake and 4 weeks intake and these were analyzed for total antioxidant status (TAS), catalase (CAT), levels of cortisol hormone, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-${\alpha}$) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). As a result, the S-peptide group was significantly increased in TAS and CAT (P<0.05). The malondialdehyde (MDA) levels showed decrease after soybean peptide intake but there was no significant difference. In the levels of plasma cortisol which reflect stress status, there was significantly decreased in the S-peptide and placebo group after 4 weeks (P<0.05). There were significant decreases of TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-6 after 4 weeks in S-peptide group (P<0.05). These results suggest that the intake of soybean peptide can activate antioxidant defenses and decrease exercise-induced oxidative stress.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.383-390
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• 2012

Ginseng has been used as an herbal medicine, widely used in Asian countries, for long time. Recently, beneficial effects for immune functions of Korean red ginseng (KRG) have been reported in adults. This study was performed to investigate the effects of ginseng on immune functions in children after cessation of chemotherapy or stem cell transplantation for advanced cancer. Thirty patients, who were diagnosed and treated for leukemia and solid cancer at the department of pediatrics and adolescence of the Yeungnam University Hospital from June 2004 to June 2009, were enrolled for the study. The study group consisted of 19 patients who received KRG extract (60 mg/kg/d) for 1 yr and 11 patients who did not receive KRG extract were the control group. Blood samples were collected every 6 mo. Immune assays included circulating lymphocyte subpopulation, serum cytokines (IL-2, IL-10, IL-12, TNF-alpha, and IFN-gamma), and total concentrations of serum IgG, IgA, and IgM subclasses. Age at diagnosis ranged from 2 mo to 15 yr (median 5 yr). Nine patients received stem cell transplantation. The cytokines of the KRG treated group were decreasing more rapidly than that of the control group. Lymphocyte subpopulations (T cell, B cell, NK cell, T4, T8, and T4/T8 ratio) and serum immunoglobulin subclasses (IgG, IgA, and IgM) did not show significant differences between the study and the control groups. This study suggests that KRG extract might have a stabilizing effect on the inflammatory cytokines in children with cancer after chemotherapy.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.153-163
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• 1996

Macrophage inflammatory protein $(MIP)-1{\alpha}$ is a cytokine which produces wide range of bioactivities such as proinflammatory, immunomodulatory, and hematopoietic modulatory actions. To determine whether $MIP-1{\alpha}$ acts as a negative regulator on the functions of lymphocyte, $[^3H]$-thymidine incorporation test and flow cytometric analysis were performed by using human tonsil T cell, human peripheral blood T cell, and murine cytolytic T lymphocyte (CTL) line CTLL-2, The results were as follow. 1. When human tonsil T lymphocytes were stimulated with anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody (mAb), rate of T cell proliferation was about four times increased. 200ng/ml of $MIP-1{\alpha}$ inhibited anti-CD3 mAb-mediated T cell growth as much as 60% (P<0.05). 2. The suppression of human peripheral T cell proliferation produced by $MIP-1{\alpha}$ was dramatic, but variable among T cells derived from different individuals $(40%{\sim}90%)$. 3. $MIP-1{\alpha}$inhibited the proliferation of murine CTL line CTLL-2 as much as 75%(P<0.001). 4. When the $MIP-1{\alpha}$ was added to human peripheral T cell, cell proporation of $CD4^+$ helper T cell and $CD8^+$ CTL were not noticeably affected. The expression level of CD4, not of Cd8, however, was down regulated by $MIP-1{\alpha}$ treatment $(27%{\sim}82%)$.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.117-125
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• 2004

Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) plays an important role in the disease pathogenesis of acne vulgaris, a disorder of pilosebaceous follicles, seen primarily in the adolescent age group. In the present study, the presence of antibodies against P. acnes (MTCC1951) were detected in acne patient (n=50) and disease free controls (n=25) using dot-ELISA and Western blot assay. The ability of P. acnes to induce pro-inflammatory cytokines by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), obtained from acne patients and healthy subjects, were also analysed. The patients (n=26) who were culture positive for skin swab culture, were found to have a more advanced disease and higher antibody titres (1:4000 to >1:16000) compared to the P. acnes negative patients (n=24) and normal controls (n=25). An analysis of patients' sera by western blot assay recognized a number of antigenic components of P. acnes, rang-ing from 29 to 205 kDa. The major reactive component was an approximately 96 kDa polypeptide, which was recognised in 92％ (24 of 26) of the patients sera. Further, the P. acnes culture supernatant, crude cell lysate and heat killed P. acnes whole cells, obtained from 72-h incubation culture, were observed to be able to induce significant amounts of IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-${\alpha}$) by the PBMCs in both the healthy subjects and patients, as analysed by cytokine-ELISA. The levels of cytokines were significantly higher in the patients than the healthy subjects. A major 96 kDa polypep-tide reactant was eluted from the gel and was found to cause dose dependent stimulation of the pro-ductions of IL-8 and TNF-${\alpha}$. Thus, the above results suggest that both humoral and pro-inflammatory responses play major roles in the pathogenesis of acne.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.358-363
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• 2011

Background: Traditionally, interferon-${\gamma}$ (IFN-${\gamma}$) was regarded as a pro-inflammatory cytokine, however, recent reports suggested role of IFN-${\gamma}$ in immune tolerance. In our previous report, we could induce tolerance to male antigen (HY) just by male islet transplantation in wild type C57BL/6 mice without any immunological intervention. We tried to investigate the influence of IFN-${\gamma}$ deficiency on tolerance induction by male islet transplantation. Methods: To examine the immunogenicity of male tissue in the absence of IFN-${\gamma}$, we transplanted male IFN-${\gamma}$ knock-out (KO) skin to female IFN-${\gamma}$ KO mice. Next, we analyzed male IFN-${\gamma}$ KO islet to streptozotocin-induced diabetic female IFN-${\gamma}$ KO mice. And, we checked the functionality of grafted islet by graft removal and insulin staining. Results: As our previous results in wild type C57BL/6 mice, female IFN-${\gamma}$ KO mice rejected male IFN-${\gamma}$ KO skin within 29 days, and did not reject male IFN-${\gamma}$ KO islet. The maintenance of normal blood glucose level was dependent on the presence of grafted male islet. And the male islet recipient did not reject 2nd challenge of male islet graft also. Conclusion: Deficiency of IFN-${\gamma}$ does not have influence on the result of male skin graft and male islet transplantation. Conclusively, male islet transplantation induced T cell tolerance is not dependent on the presence of IFN-${\gamma}$.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.10 no.2 s.23
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• pp.73-79
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• 2007

Objectives : Tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}{\cdot}$(TNF-${\alpha}{\cdot}$) is a proinflammatory cytokine involved in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis. This study was designed to investigate the relation between TNF-${\alpha}{\cdot}$ gene polymorphism and rheumatoid arthritis in Korean population. Methods : This study was carried out on 103 rheumatoid arthritis patients who fulfilled the American College of Rheumatology 1987 revised criteria for rheumatoid arthritis and 208 healthy control subjects. Blood samples from all subjects were obtained for DNA extraction. The extracted DNA was amplified by polymerse chain reaction(PCR). PCR products were visualized by 2% agarose gel electrophoresis. We investigated the genotyping of TNF-${\alpha}{\cdot}$ by using Pyrosequencing. Results : The genotypes of TNF-${\alpha}{\cdot}$ gene were GG, AG and AA. While the distribution of TNF-${\alpha}{\cdot}$ polymorphism in control subjects was 92.31%, 7.21%, 0.48% respectively, in rheumatoid arthritis patients was 93.20%, 6.80%, 0.00%(GG, AG. AA). There was no statistical significant allelic frequency difference between control and rheumatoid arthritis groups. Conclusion : We concluded that there was no significant association between TNF-${\alpha}{\cdot}$ gene polymorphism and rheumatoid arthritis. However, the findings of this study need to be confirmed in more patients and further studies.