• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.203-212
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• 2001

Background: Rapid advances in neuroendocrine immunology have established the concept of bidirectional communication between the immune and neuroendocrine systems. Capsaicin suppresses the immune function by destroying substance P acting as mediatior of neuroendocrine immune system. Methods and Results: In this study, effect of capsaicin on mature murine lymphocyte functions and lymphoid tissue morphology was examined. Formally, capsaicin showed the strong cytotoxic effect on splenocyte over $10{\mu}g/ml$ concentration in citro. And proliferation and Th1-cytokine expression of splenic cells in mice that received high dose of capsaicin ($100{\mu}g/mouse$) were significantly diminished. However, low dose of capsaicin treatment did not influence these responses in vivo($1{\mu}g/mouse$) and in vitro (under $5{\mu}g/ml$). And the morphology of spleen and lymph nodes after capsaicin treatment was observed. In the spleen of mice injected with high dose of capsaicin (100, $200{\mu}g/mouse$), the size of white pulp was significantly decreased and the length of red pulp was increased, Moreover, vascularity index was diminished in a dose dependent manner. Conclusion: These results implies that immunosuppressive effect of capsaicin is associated with cytotoxic activity on lymphocyte, Th1-cytokine down-regulation and lymphoid tissue abnormalization, and this report is expected to give a hand to the study for the mechanism of action of neurotoxin of the immune system.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.75-82
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• 2016

The immune system and neuroendocrine systems are the two key components that maintain bodily homeostasis. Peripheral blood specimens can indicate abnormalities in a body, which often cause various threats to human health, including devastating autoimmune or metabolic diseases. To develop a treatment regimen for such diseases, experimental animal models are indispensable to researchers in academic fields. In this study, we examined the peripheral blood of 3 representative mouse strains (ICR, Balb/c, and C57Bl/6), which are widely used, to investigate whether there is a difference in reference range according to animal model. We performed hematological and chemistry analysis on individuals of both genders. The results of hematology analysis showed that the number of most types of blood cells was lower in ICR than in the other two strains. The results of chemical analysis revealed no specific pattern, but different patterns according to the individual indicator. Although the distinction between ICR and B6 was prominent, differences between Balb/c and B6 were also observed for several indicators. For some indicators, totally different patterns existed between females and males. Conclusively, this study provides the information that 3 experimentally representative mouse models have their own basal levels of blood components, suggesting the importance of a careful choice of a proper mouse model in research into immune or metabolic diseases, to exclude any biases.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.373-376
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• 2015

Background: EVA1A (eva-1 homolog A) is a novel gene that regulates programmed cell death through autophagy and apoptosis. Our objective was to investigate the expression profiles and potential role of EVA1A in normal and neoplastic human pancreatic tissues. Materials and Methods: The expression pattern of EVA1A in normal pancreatic tissue was examined by indirect immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy. Protein levels in paraffin-embedded specimens from normal and diseased pancreatic and matched non-tumor tissues were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Results: EVA1A colocalized with glucagon but not with insulin, demonstrating production in islet alpha cells. Itwas strongly expressed in chronic pancreatitis, moderately or weakly expressed in the plasma membrane and cytoplasm in pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma, and absent in normal pancreatic acinar cells. Although the tissue architecture was deformed, EVA1A was absent in the alpha cells of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas, intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms, mucinous cystadenomas, solid papillary tumors and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. Conclusions: EVA1A protein is specifically expressed in islet alpha cells, suggesting it may play an important role in regulating alpha-cell function. The ectopic expression of EVA1A in pancreatic neoplasms may contribute to their pathogenesis and warrants further investigation.