• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.167-175
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• 2001

Recent studies have shown that cytokines are capable of modulating cardiovascular function and that some drugs used in the treatment of heart failure variably modulate the production of cytokines. Hige- namine, a positive inotropic isoquinoline alkaloid, has been used traditionally as cardiac stimulant, and reported to reduce nitric oxide (NO) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in LPS- and/or cytokine-activated cells in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, we investigated whether higenamine modulates the production of proinflammatory cytokines in myocardial infarction. In addition, effects of higenamine on antioxidant action and antioxidant enzyme expression (MnSOD) were studied. Myocardial infarction (MI) was confirmed by measuring left ventricular (LV) pressure after occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) for 5 weeks in rats. Treatment of higenamine (10 mg/kg/day) reduced infarct size about 35 %, which accompanied by reduction of production TNF-$\alpha$, IL-6, but not IFN-${\gamma}$ and IL-1$\beta$ in the myocardium. The expression of TNF-$\alpha$ mRNA in infracted myocardium was significantly reduced by higenamine. Although iNOS mRNA was not detected, nitrotyrosine staining was significantly increased in myocardium of Ml compared to higenamine-treated one, Indicating that peroxynitrite-induced damage is evident in MI. Cytochrome c oxidation by peroxynitrite was concentration-dependently reduced by higenamine, an effect which was almost compatible to glutathion. Higenamine treatment did not affect the expression of MnSOD mRNA in myocardial tissues in MI. Taken together, higenamine may be beneficial in oxidative stress conditions such as ischemic-reperfusion injury and MI due to antioxidant action as well as modulation of cytokines.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.12
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• pp.1778-1783
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• 2011

Hematopoietic cytokines regulate production of blood cells by stimulating proliferation and differentiation of bone marrow cells. Among these hematopoietic cytokines, called hematopoitic growth factors, glranulocyte-colony stimulating Factor (G-CSF), which regulates growth of neutrophils, is one of important therapeutic factors because cancer patients suffer with neutropenia which is severe reduction of neutrophils after chemotherapy. Two groups of recombinant G-CSF have approved and used for therapeutic purposes and many researches are still on-going to produce recombinant G-CSF by different techniques. We engineered human G-CSF with Bombyx specific endoplasmic reticulum (ER) signal sequence, therefore, secretion of human G-CSF protein was improved in Bombyx mori-origined cell line, Bm5. The Bombyx ER signal sequence and human G-CSF matured protein region chimera was further remodeled at the N-terminus of matured G-CSF protein to understand roles of N-terminus on outer cellular secretion and/or production. Three different mutants were generated deleting three amino acids in non alpha-helical region in N-terminus in order to scan important amino acids for G-CSF secretion. One of 3 different N-terminal deletion mutants showed dramatically reduction of secreted amount of G-CSF indicating its important role on secretion. The data suggest that remodeling in non alpha-helical region of N-terminus is also important for recombinant G-CSF production.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.86-92
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• 2006

Background: Germanium compounds are increased to use in nutrient foods and medicines in terms of antibiotics to microbes, anticancer, modulation of immune system and neutralizing heavy metal toxins. Geranti Bio-Ge Yeast, containing stable organic germanium and bound to the yeast protein was developed by Geranti Pharm. LTD. and the modulation effect in the immune system was examined in vivo and in vitro. Methods: The compound, Geranti Bio-Ge Yeast, was fed to female Balb/c mice (each group has 10 mice) for 4 weeks and the yeast powder and steamed red ginseng powder were used as control during the same feeding time points. During 4 weeks there was no symptom to be considered, and after 4 weeks feeding all mice were sacrificed to check the changes of related immune cells and subsidiary responses (i.e. cell counting, FACS, MTT, LDH, PFC assay). Results: In pre-post comparison, B cell population was increased in the group of Geranti Bio-Ge Yeast in a dose dependent manner (100 to 800 mg/kg). However, the population of T cell, dendritic cell and macrophage was not comparably changed in all doses. The ability of cytokine production and proliferation was almost same level as shown in control group. In contrast, PFC assay informed that the compound increase the antibody production ability when fed over 200 mg/kg implying that the increase of PFC number might be due to the increase of B cells. Conclusion: Over the entire study, we concluded that the compound, Geranti Bio-Ge Yeast has better potential in immune response in terms of B cell proliferation than that of positive control, red ginseng, and the compound can be one of the future candidates for a new supplementary source improving immune system activity.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.1179-1185
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• 2004

The Korean traditional medicine, Seonghyangjeonggisan (SHJGS) has long been used for acute cerebral infarction (Cl). However, scientific investigation has been carried out a little. Cytokines, involved in the regulation of inflammatory reactions and immune responses, may play an important role in the pathogenesis of Cl. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of SHJGS on the production of various cytokines in the patients with acute Cl. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) obtained from the patients with acute Cl were cultured for 24hr in the presence or absence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and phytohaemagglutinin (PHA). The amount of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-8, in PBMC culture supernatant, was significantly increased in the LPS and PHA treated cells, compared with unstimulated cells (P<0.05). This study showed that increased TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-8 level stimulated by LPS and PHA was inhibited by SHJGS (0.01-1 ㎎/㎖) in a dose-dependent manner but IL-8 level was not inhibited significantly at 1㎎/㎖ (P>0.05). The maximal inhibition rate of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-8 by SHJGS (1㎎/㎖) was 68% (P<0.05), 53.9% (P<0.05), 45.5% (P<0.05), 46.7% (P>0.05) respectively. These results suggest that SHJGS might have anti-inflammatory effects through cytokine modulation. which might explain its beneficial effects in the treatment of acute Cl.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.139-153
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• 2012

Objectives : NK cells are spontaneously cytotoxic lymphocytes. These are not only important parts in the first line of defence against bacterial and viral infections of outside, but they may also play a critical role in chronic viral diseases. NK cells kill their targets spontaneously, without the need for prior sensitization and class I MHC restriction by the regulation of cytolytic functions and secretion of a variety of cytokines, such as interleukin-12(IL-12), MCP-1, IL-6, TNF-${\alpha}$, IFN-${\gamma}$. In addition, macrophage and NK cells cooperate through the production of cell mediates. These cooperation and modulation are one of major factors to prevent for evading immune surveillance of cancer. Hence, it could be assumed that if any candidate to enhance activities of macrophage and NK cell, it is considered as a potentially useful agents against cancer. Methods : In our study, to investigate effect of fermented soybean extracts by Lactic acid bacteria (SFE, soybean fermented extracts) work on intestinal immune cell to maintain general immune modulating and anti-cancer activity. We analyzed NK cytotoxicity assay and gene expressions of cytokine related with macrophage and NK cell activity. Results : In vitro experiment, SFE was verified as safety material for cell toxicicty to tumor cell strain without any toxicity of tumor growth inhibition and various cell strain. Effects of macrophage activity stimulating directly by SFE measured induced cytokine. The studies showed that IL-12 production by stimulation of SFE depended on concentration from 0.16mg/mL to 0.63mg/mL with non toxicity to cell, and it was the best activity at 0.63mg/mL. Besides, the effective concentration of SFE producing TNF-${\alpha}$ is similar to IL-12, but it was the best activity at 1.25mg/mL. The level of MCP-1, IL-6 and IFN-${\gamma}$ depended on concentration from 0.16mg/mL to 10mg/mL, IFN-${\gamma}$ showed the best activity at the effective concentration of 0.63mg/mL. With the result of NK cell activity measurement, the spleen cell of mouse injected SFE had 1.5 times higher killing effect than non injected cell. Conclusions : The result of this studies is that Soybean fermetated extracts(SFE) has possibility to immune aided material for the function not only inhibition of microbial infection to macrophage but also activity of adaption immune and cellular immune system.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.18 no.sup
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• pp.55-64
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• 2012

We investigated the effect of the clay mineral fortified with complex trace elements by specific fermentation microbes on growth performance and a quality of pork in this study. For the declared experimental animal, 80 heads of crossbred with Large White and Yorkshire were randomly splitted into a control group and a test group. Each group were assigned with 4 replicates and 10 heads of each replicate. When 0.3% of the fermentation product of the clay mineral (FCM) was added into feed stuff and fed for 9 weeks of experimental feeding period, the results of the feed intake, weight gains, pH of carcass, lightness of meat color, and brightness of the muscle semimembranosus were similar to those of the control group. However, dressing percentage, reddishness of carcass, and water holding capacity were improved, respectively, as much as 2.7%, 12%, and 10%, and reduced by 6% in cooking loss. In order to investigate the immune modulatory effect of fermented clay mineral, pheripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated and Immune modulatory parameters were measured. The proliferation activity of PBMC from pigs fed the fermented clay mineral were significantly increased compared to control group pigs, and also those results were more clearly observed as activated with lipopolysaccharide and concanavaline A. The secretion of TNF-${\alpha}$ of the FCM group pigs showed an increasing tendency. Therefore it was suggested that the feeding of FCM which was high in cation metathesis and the value of infrared ray, activated the immune responses, and thus the production of the environment-friendly high quality pork without the use of antibiotics would be possible.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.701-709
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• 2011

This study was performed to establish an effective extraction method of pig placenta extract that could be used for a putative functional food supplement with immunomodulatory effects. In the present study, we used different temperatures (4, 37, 60, 80, and $100^{\circ}C$) and different solvents (chloroform, NaOH, and phosphate buffered saline [PBS]) to extract the pig placenta. Among the different placenta extracts yielded by the different extraction methods, placenta extract (PE) in PBS at $80^{\circ}C$ for 30 min (referred to as PE-PBS80) showed a significant increase of nitric oxide production of up to 22.97 ${\mu}M/10^5$ cells at a 1 mg/mL dose (p<0.05 ) in J774A.1 cells than other extracts and control tested. Using PE-PBS80, further animal challenges were performed to identify the immune-enhanced effects. As a result, orally administered PE-PBS80 showed a significant increase in blood T and B cell activities and immunoglobulin (IgG and IgM) production. IgG and IgM levels increased to 41.53 mg/mL at a 20 mg dose on day 7 and to 27.38 mg/mL at a 10 mg dose on day 14, respectively (p<0.05). Furthermore, PE-PBS80 was also able to significantly enhance the immune modulator cytokine levels (p<0.05) compared to the control and vehicle treatments. Among the evaluated cytokines, the tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$) level increased to 28.89 pg/mL at extract doses of 20 and 50 mg, the interleukin-$1{\beta}$ (IL-$1{\beta}$) level increased to 21.52 pg/mL at extract doses of 10, 20, 50 and 75 mg and the interferon (IFN)-${\gamma}$ level increased to 18.24 pg/mL at extract doses of 10, 20, and 50 mg. Therefore, this study presents an effective method for extracting pig placenta extracts and also demonstrates that pig placenta extracts had significant immunomodulatory effects not only at the cellular level but also in a mouse model, suggesting that this material could be used as an excellent candidate functional food supplement.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.83-93
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• 2020

Lactoferrin (LF) is an iron-binding glycoprotein that is present in colostrum, milk, and other body secretions. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of lactoferrin hydrolysates (LHs) on the production of immunomodulatory factors, including inflammatory related cytokines. The nuclear factor (NF)-κB reporter assay using human embryonic kidney 293 cells (HEK-293) revealed that NF-κB activity was significantly decreased by 1, 50, and 100 ㎍/mL of LH and the fractions above and below the 10 kDa LH. The mRNA expression of interferon (IFN)-γ in rat basophilic leukemia mast cells (RBL-2H3) treated with the fraction above the 10 kDa LH decreased in a dose-dependent manner, but the cells treated with LH and the fraction below the 10 kDa LH showed an increased expression of IFN-γ in a dose-dependent manner. The level of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 expression decreased dose-dependently in RBL-2H3 cells treated with LH and the fraction above the 10 kDa LH, but the cells treated with the fraction below the 10 kDa LH showed an increased COX-2 expression in a dose-dependent manner. The mRNA expression of interleukin (IL)-4) was dose-dependently decreased by the fraction below the 10 kDa LH in human mast cells (HMC-1). The mRNA expressions of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and IL-6 were significantly dose-dependently decreased by the fractions above and below the 10 kDa LH, but was dose-dependently increased by LH. The production of IL-4 was a little increased by the fraction above the 10 kDa LH compared to the positive control, but was decreased with LH and the fraction below the 10 kDa LH in HMC-1 cells. It was concluded that LF hydrolysates had an immunomodulating effect on anti-, pro-inflammatory and anti-allergic reactions.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.22-29
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• 2023

Background: The existing research results on the combined toxicity of these pollutants using mammals, such as rodents, are insufficient, especially in relation to changes in the immune system. Objectives: This study aims at evaluating the cellular immune response to PE-MPs solely or when combined with Pb, which possess excellent adsorption capacity with PE-MPs and is commonly co-exposed in our daily lives. Methods: The study investigated the cellular immune function of 9-week ICR mice with 28 days exposure to PE-MPs (2 mg/mouse/day) and Pb (0.1 mM in distilled water) individually and in combination. PE-MPs were administered via gastric intubation while the lead intake was conducted via the oral drinking water route. Cellular immunity was evaluated by analyzing the production for T_H1 cytokines namely, TNF-α and IFN-𝛾 and T_H2 cytokines, IL-4 and IL-6 in culture supernatants from polyclonally activated splenic mononuclear cells ex vivo. Results: Both the PE-MPs only and the PE-MPs+Pb exposure group revealed an increased T_H1 response with elevated TNF-α and IFN-𝛾 levels and downregulated T_H2 response with low IL-4, and IL-6 production levels compared to the control group. Furthermore, an increased IFN-𝛾/IL-4 ratio was found in the PE-MPs only and PE-MPs+Pb exposure groups, which indicated the skewedness to T_H1 response. Meanwhile, reduced blood hemoglobin levels and increased levels of IL-4, the dominant T_H2 cytokine in the Pb-only exposure group, were observed. Conclusions: Our current findings on the predominance of T_H1 immune response in the PE-MPs and PE-MPs+Pb groups suggest that PE-MPs could be responsible for the predominant induction of the cellular immune changes. This finding could be used as an important landmark in research related to T_H1 predominance, such as autoimmune diseases. It suggests that additional research on immune modulation using longer exposure durations or the same exposure route is required to elucidate stronger findings.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.682-692
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• 2012

Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) has been used in traditional medicine for the treatment of cough, indigestion, circulatory problems and pain. The associated anti-inflammatory effect of this agent is achieved via the inhibition of Nf-${\kappa}B$ signaling, a property that has been demonstrated to effectively control the symptoms of various skin disorders, including atopic dermatitis. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of Sea Buckthorn in reducing the production of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) activated nitric oxide (NO) by inhibiting the Nf-${\kappa}B$ pathway, as measured by the symptoms of atopic dermatitis (AD) occurring secondarily to inflammation and immune dysregulation. Our data demonstrate that Sea Buckthorn significantly decreased the LPS-induced production of NO (p<0.001). Atopic dermatitis was induced by repeated application of 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene to the dorsal skin of mice. Topical application of 5% Sea Buckthorn extract improved the symptoms of AD, specifically reducing disease severity scores, scratching behaviors and epidermal thickness. When compared to the control group, animals treated with Sea Buckthorn exhibited increased serum IL-12 levels and decreased serum TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-4 and IL-5 levels. Such a modulation of biphasic T-helper (Th)1/Th2 cytokines may result in a reduction in serum IgE levels. Our findings suggest that mechanism of action of Sea Buckthorn in the treatment of AD is associated with a marked anti-inflammatory effect as well as an inhibition of Th2-mediated IgE overproduction via the modulation of biphasic Th1/Th2 cytokines. Such results suggest that topical Sea Buckthorn extract may prove to be a novel therapy for AD symptoms with few side effects.