• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.172-178
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• 2019

Inflammation is an innate immune response that protects the body from pathogens, toxins, and other dangers and is initiated by recognizing pathogen-associated molecular patterns or danger-associated molecular patterns by pattern-recognition receptors expressing on or in immune cells. Intracellular pattern-recognition receptors, including nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptors (NLRs), absent in melanoma 2, and cysteine aspartate-specific protease (caspase)-4/5/11 recognize various pathogen-associated molecular patterns and danger-associated molecular patterns and assemble protein complexes called "inflammasomes." These complexes induce inflammatory responses by activating a downstream effector, caspase-1, leading to gasdermin D-mediated pyroptosis and the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin $(IL)-1{\beta}$ and IL-18. Ginsenosides are natural steroid glycosides and triterpene saponins found exclusively in the plant genus Panax. Various ginsenosides have been identified, and their abilities to regulate inflammatory responses have been evaluated. These studies have suggested a link between ginsenosides and inflammasome activation in inflammatory responses. Some types of ginsenosides, including Rh1, Rg3, Rb1, compound K, chikusetsu saponin IVa, Rg5, and Rg1, have been clearly demonstrated to inhibit inflammatory responses by suppressing the activation of various inflammasomes, including the NLRP3, NLRP1, and absent in melanoma 2 inflammasomes. Ginsenosides have also been shown to inhibit caspase-1 and to decrease the expression of $IL-1{\beta}$ and IL-18. Given this body of evidence, the functional relationship between ginsenosides and inflammasome activation provides new insight into the understanding of the molecular mechanisms of ginsenoside-mediated antiinflammatory actions. This relationship also has applications regarding the development of antiinflammatory remedies by ginsenoside-mediated targeting of inflammasomes, which could be used to prevent and treat inflammatory diseases.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.297-304
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• 2009

A complete mRNA sequence of transferrin from the wax moth, Galleria mellonella, was obtained, and compared with those of other species. We previously reported that the sequence was most similar to those of Manduca sexta and Bombyx mori. As in other moths, G. mellonella transferrin had only one iron-binding site at its N-terminal region. Semi-qRT PCR was conducted to investigate tissue-specific distribution and transcriptional regulation of the wax moth transferrin mRNA. Larval muscle and fat body contained larger quantity of mRNA than other tested tissues. In this study, it was observed that iron and cadmium regulated transferrin transcription, and this regulation pattern was tissue specific. Iron up-regulated transferrin mRNA level in fat body, while suppressed it in the Malpighian tubules and silk glands. Cadmium decreased the mRNA level in fat body, muscle, and Malpighian tubules, but significantly increased the mRNA level in silk glands. In addition, the mRNA expression was induced by all tested pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) including LPS, lipoteichoic acid (LTA), glucan, and even chitin.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.40-50
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• 2015

In the interaction between plants and pathogens, carbon (C) resources provide energy and C skeletons to maintain, among many functions, the plant immune system. However, variations in C availability on pathogen associated molecular pattern (PAMP) triggered immunity (PTI) have not been systematically examined. Here, three types of starch mutants with enhanced susceptibility to Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 hrcC were examined for PTI. In a dark period-dependent manner, the mutants showed compromised induction of a PTI marker, and callose accumulation in response to the bacterial PAMP flagellin, flg22. In combination with weakened PTI responses in wild type by inhibition of the TCA cycle, the experiments determined the necessity of C-derived energy in establishing PTI. Global gene expression analyses identified flg22 responsive genes displaying C supply-dependent patterns. Nutrient recycling-related genes were regulated similarly by C-limitation and flg22, indicating re-arrangements of expression programs to redirect resources that establish or strengthen PTI. Ethylene and NAC transcription factors appear to play roles in these processes. Under C-limitation, PTI appears compromised based on suppression of genes required for continued biosynthetic capacity and defenses through flg22. Our results provide a foundation for the intuitive perception of the interplay between plant nutrition status and pathogen defense.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.278-284
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• 2011

The CCR4-CAF1-NOT complex-mediated degradation of mRNA is a fundamental aspect of gene regulation in eukaryotes. We herein examined the role of AtCAF1 in the innate immune and wound responses of plants. Our results showed that overexpression of AtCAF1 significantly downregulated the transcript level of EFR but not FLS2 and BRI1, as well as abolished up-regulated expression pattern of EFR in response to wounding. Consistently, Agrobacteriummediated transient expression of GUS was highly enhanced in the transgenic plants overexpressing AtCAF. Furthermore, JA responsive genes were down-regulated by overexpression of AtCAF, causing the transgenic plants overexpressing AtCAF more susceptible to necrotrophic fungal pathogen, Botrytis cinerea. These results suggest that The CCR4-CAF1-NOT complex-mediated degradation of mRNA negatively regulates wounding-mediated disease resistance in Arabidopsis thaliana.

• BMB Reports
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.55-57
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• 2017

Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) together with MD2, one of the key pattern recognition receptors for a pathogen-associated molecular pattern, activates innate immunity by recognizing lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Gram-negative bacteria. Although LBP and CD14 catalyze LPS transfer to the TLR4/MD2 complex, the detail mechanisms underlying this dynamic LPS transfer remain elusive. Using negative-stain electron microscopy, we visualized the dynamic intermediate complexes during LPS transfer-LBP/LPS micelles and ternary CD14/LBP/LPS micelle complexes. We also reconstituted the entire cascade of LPS transfer to TLR4/MD2 in a total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscope for a single molecule fluorescence analysis. These analyses reveal longitudinal LBP binding to the surface of LPS micelles and multi-round binding/unbinding of CD14 to single LBP/LPS micelles via key charged residues on LBP and CD14. Finally, we reveal that a single LPS molecule bound to CD14 is transferred to TLR4/MD2 in a TLR4-dependent manner. These discoveries, which clarify the molecular mechanism of dynamic LPS transfer to TLR4/MD2 via LBP and CD14, provide novel insights into the initiation of innate immune responses.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.73-78
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• 2008

Immune system can protect host attacking from a variety of microorganism and virus through innate and adaptive immunities. The innate immune system can be activated by recognition of conserved carbohydrates on the cell surface of pathogen resulting in protection, immunity regulation and inflammation. Immunostimulating and anti-tumor ${\beta}$-glucan, major cell wall component of many fungi, could be recognized as pathogen associated molecular pattern (PAMP) by C-type lectin such as pathogen recognition receptor (PRR) of host innate immunity cells. In spite of many studies of basidiomycetes ${\beta}$-glucan on immunostimulation, little is known about the precise mechanism as molecular-level. Among C-type lectins, dectin-1 was cloned and reported as a ${\beta}$-glucan receptor. In this report, we demonstrated induction of cytokine gene transcription by Ganoderma lucidum ${\beta}$-glucan in the absence or presence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) by RT-PCR analysis. The expression of murine dectin-1 (MD-1) on RAW264.7 macrophage by RT-PCR showing both the full length, 757 bp $(MD-1{\alpha})$ and alternative spliced form, 620 bp $(MD-1{\beta})$. Both $MD-1{\alpha}$ and $MD-1{\beta}$ mRNAs were induced by ${\beta $-glucan both in the absence and presence of LPS. To explore expression of inflammatory cytokines by ${\beta}$-glucan, RAW264.7 cells were treated with ${\beta}$-glucan for 12 hours. As a result, the expressions of IL-1 IL-6, IL-l0 and $TNF-{\alpha}$ were increased by ${\beta}$-glucan treatment in a dose-dependent fashion. From these results, ${\beta}$-glucan induced transcriptions of dectin-1 and immune activating cytokine genes, indicating induction of immune allertness by expressing dectin-1 and secreting inflammatory cytokines.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.243-250
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• 2009

Recent studies suggest a novel role of $HIF-1{\alpha}$ under nonhypoxic conditions, including antibacterial and antiviral innate immune responses. However, the identity of the pathogen-associated molecular pattern which triggers $HIF-1{\alpha}$ activation during the antiviral response remains to be identified. Here, we demonstrate that cellular administration of double-stranded nucleic acids, the molecular mimics of viral genomes, results in the induction of $HIF-1{\alpha}$ protein level as well as the increase in $HIF-1{\alpha}$ target gene expression. Whole-genome DNA microarray analysis revealed that double-stranded nucleic acid treatment triggers induction of a number of hypoxia-inducible genes, and induction of these genes are compromised upon siRNA-mediated $HIF-1{\alpha}$ knock-down. Interestingly, $HIF-1{\alpha}$ knock-down also resulted in down-regulation of a number of genes involved in antiviral innate immune responses. Our study demonstrates that $HIF-1{\alpha}$ activation upon nucleic acid-triggered antiviral innate immune responses plays an important role in regulation of genes involved in not only hypoxic response, but also immune response.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.395-401
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• 2023

Innate immunity is a first line defence system in the body which is for sensing signals of danger such as pathogenic microbes or host-derived signals of cellular stress. Pattern recognition receptors (PRR's), which present in the cell memebrane, are suspect the infection through pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMP), and activate innate immunity with response to promote inflammation via inflammatory cells such as macrophages and neutrophils, and cytokines. Inflammasome are protein complexes which are part of innate immunity in inflammation to remove pathogens and repair damaged tissues. What is the important role of inflammation in disease? In this review, we are focused on the action mechanism of NLRP3 inflammasome in inflammatory diseases such as asthma, atopic dermatitis, and sepsis.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.52-60
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• 2016

Dendritic cells (DCs) are professional antigen-presenting cells (APCs) that bridge innate and adaptive immune responses, thereby leading to immune activation. DCs have been known to recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns such as lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and nucleic acids via their pattern recognition receptors, which trigger signaling of their maturation and effector functions. Furthermore, DCs take up and process antigens as a form of peptide loaded on the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and present them to T cells, which are responsible for the adaptive immune response. Conversely, DCs can also play a role in inducing immune suppression under specific circumstances. From this perspective, the role of DCs is related to tolerance rather than immunity. Immunologists refer to these special DCs as tolerogenic DCs (tolDCs). However, the definition of tolDCs is controversial, and there is limited information on their development and characteristics. In this review, we discuss the current concept of tolDCs, cutting-edge methods for generating tolDCs in vitro, and future applications of tolDCs, including clinical use.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 2006.11a
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• pp.103-115
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• 2006

$\beta$-Glucan is a glucose polymer that has linkage of $\beta$-(1,3), -(1,4) and -(1,6). As exclusively found in fungal and bacterial cell wall, not in animal, $\beta$-glucans are recognized by innate immune system. Dendritic cells (DC) or macrophages possesses pattern recognition molecule (PRM) for binding $\beta$-glucan as pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP). Recently $\beta$-glucan receptor was cloned from DC and named as dectin-l which belongs to type II C-type lectin family. Human dectin-1 is consisted of 7 exons and 6 introns. The polypeptide of dectin-1 has 247 amino acids and has cytoplasmic, transmembrane, stalk and carbohydrate recognition domains. Dectin-1 could recognize variety of beta-1,3 and/or beta-1,6 glucan linkages, but not alpha-glucans. In our macrophage cell line culture system, dectin-1 mRNA was detected in RA W264.7 cells by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Dectin-1 was also detected in the murine organs of spleen, thymus, lung and intestines. Treatment of RA W264.7 cells with $\beta$-glucans of Ganoderma lucidum (GLG) resulted in increased expression of IL-6 and TNF-$\alpha$ in the presence of LPS. However, GLG alone did not increase IL-6 nor TNF-$\alpha$. These results suggest that receptor dectin-1 cooperate with CD14 to activate signal transduction that is very critical in immunoresponse.