• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.228-237
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• 2022

In this study, the effects of the immune stimulator Euglena gracilis (Euglena) in cyclophosphamide (CCP)-induced immunocompromised mice were assessed. The key component β-1,3-glucan (paramylon) constitutes 50% of E. gracilis. Mice were orally administered Euglena powder (250 and 500 mg/kg body weight (B.W.)) or β-glucan powder (250 mg/kg B.W.) for 19 days. In a preliminary immunology experiment, ICR mice were intraperitoneally injected with 80 mg of CCP/kg B.W. during the final 3 consecutive days. In the main experiment, BALB/c mice were treated with CCP for the final 5 days. To evaluate the enhancing effects of Euglena on the immune system, mouse B.W., the spleen index, natural killer (NK) cell activity and mRNA expression in splenocytes lungs and livers were determined. To detect cytokine and receptor expression, splenocytes were treated with 5 ㎍/ml concanavalin A or 1 ㎍/ml lipopolysaccharide. The B.W. and spleen index were significantly increased and NK cell activity was slightly enhanced in all the experimental groups compared to the CCP-only group. In splenocytes, the gene expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-γ, interleukin (IL)-10, IL-6, and IL-12 receptor were increased in the E. gracilis and β-glucan groups compared to the CCP-only group, but there was no significant difference. Treatment with 500 mg of Euglena/kg B.W. significantly upregulated dectin-1 mRNA expression in the lung and liver compared to the CCP-only group. These results suggest that Euglena may enhance the immune system by strengthening innate immunity through immunosuppression.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.58 no.1
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• pp.75-79
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• 2015

Extracted mushroom water showed an ability to suppress the accumulation of body fat in female mice after feeding 5 weeks with high fat diet. Particularly, in parametrial and mesenteric adipose, it significantly reduced 44 and 47% of weight, respectively. In non-obese mice, maturated NK cell ($CD11b^{hi}CD27^{lo}$) population were increased ($70.9{\pm}3.8%$) in mushroom water fed mice compared to control ($61.4{\pm}4.3%$) and NK cell population were augmented in mushroom fed mice compared to control.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.289-293
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• 2003

Schizophyllum commune belongs to Basidiomycetes is able to produce an extracellular polysaccharide, beta-glucan, which has been well known as an effective immune stimulator. In other to obtain the optimum conditions for the polysaccharide production, Schizophyllum commune was cultivated in different cultivation media containing various carbon and nitrogen sources. For the cell growth and the polysaccharide production, the optimum synthetic medium was developed with YMP medium an a basal midium. The flask culture conditions for the polysaccharide production were $27^{\circ}C$ and 150rpm with the initial pH 5.5.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.441-451
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• 2015

Recognition of cytosolic DNA initiates a series of innate immune responses by inducing IFN-I production and subsequent triggering JAK1-STAT1 signaling which plays critical roles in the pathogenesis of infection, inflammation and autoimmune diseases through promoting B cell activation and antibody responses. The stimulator of interferon genes protein (STING) has been demonstrated to be a critical hub of type I IFN induction in cytosolic DNA-sensing pathways. However, it still remains unknown whether cytosolic DNA can directly activate the JAK1-STAT1 signaling or not. And the role of STING is also unclear in this response. In the present study, we found that dsDNA directly triggered the JAK1-STAT1 signaling by inducing phosphorylation of the Lyn kinase. Moreover, this response is not dependent on type I IFN receptors. Interestingly, STING could inhibit dsDNA-triggered activation of JAK1-STAT1 signaling by inducing SHP-1 and SHP-2 phosphorylation. In addition, compared with normal B cells, the expression of STING was significantly lower and the phosphorylation level of JAK1 was significantly higher in B cells from MRL/lpr lupus-prone mice, highlighting the close association between STING low-expression and JAK1-STAT1 signaling activation in B cells in autoimmune diseases. Our data provide a molecular insight into the novel role of STING in dsDNA-mediated inflammatory disorders.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.307-313
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• 1994

We have previously shown that crude water extract of Euonymus alatus (EA) had strong prophylactic effect against chemically induced-and tumor cell implanted-cancer, and that the mechanisms responsible for its antitumor effects were due to nonspecific enhancement of the NK cell activities and the cell mediated immunity. However, it was unknown that any components of crude extract did work so, since it consisted of several components. In this paper, we fractionated the crude watar EA-extract into several fraction such as hexane-, ethylether-, ethyl acetate-, n-butanol- and water soluble-fraction, and screened the immune regulating activities of each fraction by the evaluation of lymphokine production and activated lymphocyte proliferation. As a result of the component fraction of EA-extract, it was found that n-butanol fraction was a potent immunostimulator, and the remained water soluble fraction also contained some stimulator, But, other fraction did not showed any remarkable effect. It is therefore suggested that EA-glycosides in n-butanol fraction may be new one of the potent biological response modifiers. The present study was also undertaken in an efforts to investigate the effects of elm-bark(EB, Ulmus clavidiana var japonica), which has been used for curing ulcer and inflammation as a folk medicine without any kind of experimental evidence to support this, on the cellular- and humoral-immune responses, lymphocyte function and NK cell activities in mice. Regardless of time and duration of EB-treatment, Arthus reaction and antibody response to SRBC were not modified by EB, but delayed hypersensitivity to SRBC was significantly enhanced only when EB was treated prior to SRBC-sensitization. EB slightly inhibited the proliferation responses of splenocytes to PHA-stimulation, but it significantly augmented the responses of these cells to S aureus Cowan 1 and Con A-activation, and these effects were manifested only when EB was added at culture initiation. EB did not influence Ig secretion of spleen cells but it significantly augmented the Con A-induced 1L 2 and MIF production of splenocytes. NK cell activities of splenocytes were markedly riled when effector cells were pretreated with EB and this augmentation was dine to the increase of binding affinity of effector cells to target cells and the target cell lytic activities of effector cells. These results led to the conclusion that EB triggers increase of cellular immune responses, such as delayed hypersensitivitiy, lymphokine production and NK cell activities. Also these results suggested that EB contains potent immune stimulants, which may provide the rational basis for their therapeutic use as one of the new biological response modifiers.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.439-447
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• 2020

We investigated the immune restoration activity of Undaria pinnatifida fucoidan-rich extract in cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppressed mice. C57BL/6 mice were intraperitoneally injected with 80 mg/kg of cyclophosphamide (CP) and orally administered with either drinking water (DW), red ginseng extract (RG), or one of three different doses of Undaria pinnatifida fucoidan-rich extract (DSU02 50, 100, and 150 mg/kg). After 14 days, liver, spleen, and whole blood were isolated from each animal. The frequencies of NK and CD³⁺, CD⁴⁺, and CD⁸⁺ T cells were significantly increased in splenocytes isolated from the DSU02 100 mg/kg and DSU02 150 mg/kg groups (NK1.1+, 5.4% or 4.9% vs 3.8%; CD³⁺, 39.3% or 37.9% vs 32.3%; CD4+, 22% or 20.2% vs 17.4%; CD8+, 12.7% or 11.6% vs 10.1%). NK cytotoxicity was enhanced in the DSU02-fed groups at all doses (CP-treated DW, 93.4%; RG, 107.2%; DSU02 50, 107.3%; DSU02 100, 107.3%; DSU02 150, 107.1%), and the proliferation of T cells (CD³⁺, CD⁴⁺, and CD⁸⁺) was also greater in the DSU02 100 mg/kg and DSU02 150 mg/kg administered groups compared with the unfed group. Plasma concentrations of TNF-α, IgM, and total IgG from the DSU02 150 mg/kg group were also significantly higher compared with the other groups (TNF-α: CP-treated DW - 21.5 pg/ml, DSU02 150 - 47.1 pg/ml; IgM: CP-treated DW - 82.9 ng/ml, DSU02 150 - 110.8 ng/ml; total IgG: CP-treated DW - 114.4 ng/ml, DSU02 150 - 162.7 ng/ml). We suggest that Undaria pinnatifida fucoidan-rich extract could be a promising candidate for a marine natural immune stimulator.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.210-218
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• 2013

Numerous studies have suggested that Korean red ginseng (KRG) extract has various immune modulatory activities both in vivo and in vitro. In this study, we used a mouse model to examine the effects of orally administered KRG extract on immunity against herpes simplex virus (HSV). Balb/c mice were administered with 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg oral doses of KRG extract for 10 d and then vaginally infected with HSV. We found that KRG extract rendered recipients more resistant against HSV vaginal infection and further systemic infection, including decreased clinical severity, increased survival rate, and accelerated viral clearance. Such results appeared to be mediated by increased vaginal IFN-${\gamma}$ secretion. Moreover, increased mRNA expression of IFN-${\gamma}$, granzyme B, and Fas-ligand was identified in the iliac lymph node and vaginal tracts of KRG extract treated groups (200 and 400 mg/kg). These results suggest that the activities of local natural killer cells were promoted by KRG extract consumption and that KRG may be an attractive immune stimulator for helping hosts overcome HSV infection.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.616-623
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• 2010

Three herbal formulas (Bangpungtongsung-san, Ohyaksungi-san, and Ojeok-san) for wind-cold and heat pain symptom were applied to investigate the immunological activities on antigen (Ag)-specific or Ag-non-specific immune responses in murine macrophage cell line (RAW 264.7) and ovalbumin (OVA)-immunized mice. This study was carried out in nitric oxide (NO) synthesis in RAW 264.7 cells and cellular proliferation in mouse splenocytes according to three herbal formulas. C57BL/6 mice were immunized intraperitonially with OVA/aluminium ($100\;{\mu}g/200\;{\mu}g$/mouse) on day 1, 8, and 15. Three herbal formulas were administrated to mice orally for 3 weeks from day 1. On day 22, OVA-, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-, and concanavalin A (Con A)-stimulated splenocyte proliferation and antibodies (OVA-specific antibodies of the IgG, lgG1, and total IgM classes) in plasma were measured. Ohyaksungi-san increased NO synthesis in RAW 264.7 cells. Ojeok-san and Ohyaksungi-san significantly enhanced cellular proliferation by LPS and Con A in splenocytes from OVA-immunized mice (p<0.001). Three herbal formulas for wind-cold and heat pain symptom also significantly enhanced plasma OVA-specific IgG, IgG1, and total IgM levels compared with the OVA/Alum group. These results suggested that three herbal formulas for wind-cold and heat pain symptom could be used as stimulator of immune response.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.141-146
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• 2003

A nonspecific immunostimulator $BARODON^{\circledR}$ was tested for mutagenicity using Ames Salmonella tester strains TA98, TA1 00, TA 102, TA 1535 and TA 1537 with or without metabolic activation (59 mix). None of the fresh species showed mutagenicity. In the reverse mutation test using Salmonella phimurium TA98, TA100, TA102, TA1535 and TA1537 did not increase the number of revertants at all doses tested (5, 2.5 or 1.25 mg/ml). Chromosome aberration test was carried out in Chinese hamster lung (CHL) cell line. The cells were treated with $BARODON^{\circledR}$ (1, 0.5 or 0.25 mg/ml), while positive control group was treated with Mitomycin C (0.1 mg/ml). The results show that there is no statistically significant difference between positive control and treatment groups. In mouse micronucleus test, there was significant increase in the ratio of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocyte (MNPCE) in the high dose group (10% $BARODON^{\circledR}$), while there is no significance between control and low (2.5% $BARODON^{\circledR}$) or middle (5% $BARODON^{\circledR}$ dose groups. Taken together, this results suggest that below 5% $BARODON^{\circledR}$ might not have mutagenic potential in vitro and vivo systems.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.47-56
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• 2014

Propolis is a beehive product with a very complex chemical composition, widely used in folk medicine because of its several therapeutic activities. This study was conducted to measure the efficacy of propolis on non-specific defense reactions, specific immune response, and protection levels against pathogen challenge with Streptococcus iniae. in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, the phagocytic activity and NBT assay of peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) were evaluated in a various propolis extractsconcentrations (0, 10, 50, 100, 150, 250 and $500{\mu}g/ml$). The optimal concentration showing activation of propolis extracts was determined to $100{\mu}g/ml$. In vivo, they were divided into four groups (PBS, propoli extractss, vaccine, propolis extracts + vaccine) in vivo. Fish were received i.p. injection of either PBS or propolis extracts, and in the presence or absence of formalin inactivated S. iniae ($1{\times}10^8$ CFU/fish), respectively. The level of haematocrit is not affected among experimental groups. The phagocytic activity and the NBT reduction activities of head kidney phagocyte were markedly (p<0.05)augmented in the propolis extracts groups than in the PBS-control group, respectively. The level of serum lysozyme activity was significantly (p<0.05) increased in the propolis extracts treated groups than in the PBS-control group. The agglutinin titer was significantly (p<0.05) enhanced in the vaccine+propolis extracts group than in the vaccine group, but there was no difference between PBS-control and propolis treated group. The results of the present study suggest that propolis extracts seems to be a promising compounds of non-specific immune stimulator, also being able to use a good adjuvant.