• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.12-28
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• 2001

Background and Object : Immunostimulatory CpG-oligodeoxynucleotides (ISS CpG-ODN) up-regulate the $T_{H1}$-type immune response and down-regulate the $T_{H2}$-type response. This study was performed to investigate the immune response changes resulting from ISS CpG-ODN on bronchial hyperresponsiveness, eosinophilic inflammation and mucus hypersecretion in rat asthma. Materials and Methods : 10 normal controls(NC) and 26 asthmatic rats, which were generated by ovalbumin(OVA) sensitization and challenge, were studied. The asthmatic rats were randomized into 11 asthma controls(AC) and 15 in the asthma-CpG treatment group(CpG). The CpG group was administered ISS CpG-ODN intramuscularly and the AC group was administered a placebo(0.9% NaCl) on day 15 and 20. After CpG-ODN or placebo administration, we measured the IFN-${\gamma}$($T_{H1}$-type cytokine) and IL-4($T_{H2}$-type cytokine) levels in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF), the specific airway resistance(sRaw), eosinophilic fraction in BALF, eosinophilic infiltration, goblet cell dysplasia and MUC5AC gene expression in the lung tissue. Results : In the BALF of the CpG group, the IFN-${\gamma}$ concentration was significantly high and the IL-4 concentration was significantly low when compared with the AC group. Both the sRaw and eosinophilic fraction, and infiltration into the BALF and lung tissue significantly lower in the CpG group when compared with the AC group. However, little difference in goblet cell dysplasia and MUC5AC gene expression was observed between the CpG group and the AC group. Conclusion : ISS CpG-ODN decreases bronchial hyperresponsiveness and eosinophilic inflammation in the rat asthma model through the up-regulation of the $T_{H1}$-type immune response with the down-regulation of the $T_{H2}$-type response. However, the effect of these immune response changes on mucus hypersecretion was is not remarkable in this study.

• The Journal of the Korean bone and joint tumor society
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.118-125
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• 2005

Purpose: The expression of apoptosis-related genes, such as survivin, bcl-2, and bax has been examined in the human osteosarcoma and then evaluated the correlation with clinical data of patients. Materials and Methods: Fifty human osteosarcoma specimens were established from incisional biopsy and examination of survivin, bcl-2, and bax by immunohistochemical study was performed. We investigated the correlation of survivin, bcl-2, bax and their two or three combined expressions with clinical data including the response of chemotherapy, local recurrence, distance metastasis, and oncologic outcome. Results: Survivin was showed in 26 cases (52%), bcl-2 in 23 cases (46%), and bax in 21 cases (42%) osteosarcoma. And coexpression of survivin and bcl-2 was showed in 19 cases (38%), survivin and bax in 13 cases (26%), bcl-2 and bax in 8 cases (16%), and all three expression was showed in 8 cases (16%). There was no correlation between their apoptosis related gene and histologic difference, the presence of local recurrence and distant metastasis. Whereas neoadjuvant chemotherapy response correlated with bcl-2 expression (P=0.04), and survivin and bcl-2 coexpression (P=0.044) with poor chemoresponse. The rate of died of disease was correlated with bcl-2 (P=0.001), survivin and bcl-2 coexpression (P=0.027) with bad outcome. Survival curves of bcl-2 (P=0.0075), survivin and bcl-2 (P=0.0012) was showed negative correlation in the Kaplan-Meier method. Conclusion: The apoptosis related gene expression was relatively high in osteosarcoma, bcl-2 expression was correlated with poor chemotherapy response and poor survival rate, but survivin was correlated with this oncologic outcome only in the bcl-2 coexpression. The examination of immunohistochemical stain of apoptosis related gene in osteosarcoma could be helpful in the judgment of osteosarcoma prognosis.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.109-118
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• 1989

Production of circulating specific antibodies to the lung fluke (Paragenimus westermani) by its host is well known and used in various kinds of immunodiagnostic methods, However, it has not been well documented which compartments (or structures) of the lung fluke are most responsible for the production of specific antibodies. The present immunohistochemical study was undertaken to demonstrate the antigenicity of each body compartment of p. westermani such as suckers, tegument, spines, vitelline glands, intestine, reproductive organs(male and female), and eggs. Indiret immunoperoxidase(IP) stain technique was applied, using formalin-fked, paraffin- embedded lung tissues of P westermani-infected cats sectioned in 4 Um thickness as the antigen and cat antisera (11~20 weeks of infection) as the primary antibody. Peroxidase-conjugated goat anti-cat IgG was used as the secondary antibody and diaminobensidine(DAB) as the coloring agent. Strong yellow or yellowish brown staining was regarded positive. The primary and secondary antibody dilutions were made at 1 : 500~1 : 2, 000 and 1 : 200~1 : 500 respectively, and IP stain was repeated 10 times for each dilution. A consistent result obtained was that the intestinal epithelial border, intestinal content, vitelline glands, and eggs scattered around the worm capsule showed strong positive staining, while uterine eggs and some parenchymal portions showed weak positive reaction. On the other hand, the suckers, tegument, spines, subtegumental cells, cytoplasm of intestinal epithelial cells, male reproductive organs, and ovary revealed negative staining. The body compartments showing higher antigenicity were, in the decreasing order, the intestinal epithelial border, intestinal content, eggs in the worm capsule, vitelline glands, uterine eggs, and parenchymatous portions. The intestinal epithelial border and luminal contents revealed positive staining even at a few concentration of 1 : 4, 000 primary antibody(secondary ab., 1 : 200) whereas the parenchymatous portion showed positive reaction only at higher concentrations than 1'500 (secondary ab., 1 : 200). The results suggest that the specific antibody responses of the host to p. westermani occur most strongly upon the excretes from the intestinal epithelium of the worm and e99s Produced around the worm capsule,

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.28 no.3 s.68
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• pp.441-452
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• 1998

The c-fos is known as neuronal marker of second neurons which is activated by noxious peripheral stimulation. To investigate the changes of c-fos el(pression in the trigeminal nucleus complex during tooth movement, immunohistochemical study was performed. Experimental rats(9 weeks old, 210 gm 21 rats) were divided into seven groups(normal, 1 hour group, 3 hour group, 6 hour group, 12 hour group, 1 day group,3 day group). Rats in the normal group were anesthesized without orthodontic force. Rats in the experimental groups were applied orthodontic force (approximately 30 gm) to upper right maxillary molar. Frozen sections of brain stem were immunostained using rabbit antisera. The changes of c-fos expression were observed with respect to rostrocaudal distribution, laminar organization, md duration of orthodontic force application. The study results were as follows $\cdot$The c-fos nuclei in the dorsal part were observed from ipsilateral transition zone of subnucleus interpolaris and subnucleus caudalis to $C_1$ cervical dorsal horn rostrocaudally. The maximal peak point was the rostral part of subnucleus caudalis. The greatest proportion of c-fos cells were located within lamina I and II. $\cdot$The c-fos nuclei in the dorsal Part were observed from the most caudal part of subnucleus interpolaris to the middle part of the subnucleus caudalis. $\cdot$The number of c-fos immunoreactive dot increased at 1 hour group, reached its maximum at the 3 and 6 hour groups, and showed a decreasing trend after 12 hours. These results imply that nociceptive stimulation caused by continuous orthodontic force might be modulated by transition zone of subnucleus interpolaris and subnucleus caudalis, subnucleus caudalis, $C_1$ spinal dorsal hem.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.12
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• pp.1356-1363
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• 2014

Ghrelin is a 28 amino acid orexigenic peptide hormone that is secreted predominantly by tX/A cells in the stomach, and it plays a major role in energy homeostasis. Activated ghrelin has an n-octanoyl group covalently linked to the hydroxyl group of the Ser3 residue, which is critical for its binding to the G-protein coupled growth hormone secretagogue receptor-1a (GHS-R1a). According to recent reports, both ghrelin and its receptor, GHS-R1a, are expressed by a variety of immune cells, including T- and B-lymphocytes, monocytes, and dendritic cells, and ghrelin stimulation of leukocytes provides a potent immunomodulatory signal controlling systemic and age-associated inflammation and thymic involution. Here, we report that ghrelin protected murine thymocytes from dexamethasone (DEX)-induced cell death both in vivo and in vitro. Subsequently, we explored the molecular mechanisms of the antiapoptotic effect of ghrelin. According to our experiments, ghrelin inhibited the expression of proapoptotic proteins via the regulation of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) phosphorylation. As a result, ghrelin inhibited the proapoptotic activation of proteins, such as Caspase-3, PARP, and Bim. These data suggest that ghrelin, through GHS-R, inhibits the pathway to apoptosis by regulation of the proapoptotic protein activation signal pathway. They provide evidence that blocking apoptosis is an essential function of ghrelin during the development of thymocytes.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.101-112
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• 2002

Background : Toluene diisocyanate(TDI) is a leading cause of occupational asthma. However, the pathogenesis of TDI-induced asthma is largely unknown because there is no suitable animal model. Materials and Methods : We developed a murine model of TDI-induced asthma by performing two sensitization with 3% TDI and one challenge with 1% TDI using ultrasonic nebulization. Results : Similar to occupational asthma in humans, murine TDI-induced asthma includes findings 1) increased inflammatory cells, including neutrophils and eosinophils, 2) histologic changes, including infiltration of inflammatory cells around bronchioles, thickened airway epithelium, contraction of bronchioles, and accumulation of mucus and debris in the bronchioles, 3) increased MMP-9 activity in inflammatory cells in the airway lumen, 4) airway hyperrespnosiveness. Administraion of an MMP inhibitor, MMPI-I, remarkably reduced all these pathophysiological findings. Conclusion : Therefore, we conclude that TDI-induced occupational asthma is associated with the induction of MMP-9 in inflammatory cells, and the inhibition of MMP-9 may be a good therapeutic strategy.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.165-176
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• 2005

Studies on molecular plasticity of Bermann glia (BG) after harmaline-induced Purkinje cell (PC) degeneration in the rat cerebellum. The intimate structural relationship between BG and PC, evidenced by the sheathing of the PC dendrites by veil-like process from the BG has been suggestive of the close functional relationship between these two cell types. However, little is known about metabolic couplings between these cells. This study designed to investigate molecular plasticity of BG in the rat cerebellum in which PCs were chemically ablated by harmaline treatment. Immunohistochemical examination reveals that harmaline induced PC degeneration causes a marked glial reaction in the cerebellum with activated BG and microglia aligned in parasagittal stripes within the vermis. In these strips, activated BG were associated with upregulaion of metallotheionein, while GLAST and was down regulated, as compared with nearby intact area where both BG are in contact with PCs. The data from this study demonstrate that BG can change their phenotypic expression when BG loose their contact with PCs. It is conceivable that activated BG may upregulate structural proteins, metallothionein expression to use for their proliferation and hypertrophy; metallothionein expression to cope with oxidative stress induced by PC degeneration and microglial activation. On the contrary, BG may down regulated expression of GLAST because sustained loss of contact with PCs would eliminate the necessity for the cellular machinery involved glutamate metabolism. In conclusion, BG might respond man to death of PCs by undergoing a change in metabolic state. It seems possible that signaling molecules released from PCs regulates the phenotype expression of BG. Also ultrastructures in the organelles of normal PC and BG are distinguished by mitochondrial appearance, and distributed vesicles at the synaptic area in the cytoplasm.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.237-242
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• 2007

One of the chief characteristics of the retrovirus life cycle is the appearance of provirus caused by integration of viral genome into the host cell genome, and its delivery stably to the next generation as a part of host germ line. This stable form is called endogenous retrovirus (ERV) and expressed by exogenous or endogenous factors. HERVs and MuERVs are present in humans and mice correspondingly, and their expressions frequently cause diseases. Several diseases such as cancer, autoimmunity and neurological disorders are related with HERVs. Therefore, various strategies should be established for the development of effective therapies for the suffering patients.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.3 s.272
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• pp.180-192
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• 2007

Background: As determined from the recent investigations of discordant cardiac xenotransplantation, hyperacute rejection occurs mainly at the endothelial cells in donor microvascular systems, but this does not occur at cardiac valve leaflets or at medium-to-large caliber vessels. On the basis of this background, this study was performed to look into the biocompatibility for transplantation of a middle or large diameter xenogenic blood vessel by conducting xenogenic arterial transplantation with the carotid artery in a pig-to-goat model. Material and Method: The experimental group was composed of 10 pairs of pig-to-goat combinations. They were divided into each period of 1 week, and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months. Four carotid artery grafts obtained through collection of the bilateral carotid arteries from two pigs were preserved at $-70^{\circ}C$ without other treatment, and then they were transplanted into the bilateral carotid arteries of two goats. Doppler ultrasonography was done on a periodic basis after transplantation to evaluate the patency of the grafted blood vessel. At the ends of a predetermined period, the grafts were explanted from the goats and they underwent gross examination. Hematoxylin-eosin and Masson's trichrome staining were conducted. In addition, in order to examine the immunological rejection of the grafted xenogenic blood vessel, immunohistochemical staining was conducted with T-lymphocyte indicator and von Willebrand factor. Result: Two goats at the each one-week period and the one-year period died during the experimental period because of a reason unrelated to the experimental procedure, and the remaining 8 goats survived until the end of each experiment period. On Doppler ultrasonography, unilateral carotid artery occlusion was found in a goat, whose period was specified as 3 months, among the 8 survived goats. However, the vascular patency was maintained well and there was no graft that formed aneurysms in the other goats. On gross examination, the region of vascular anastomosis was preserved well, and calcification of the grafted blood vessel was not shown. Histologically, the endothelial cells of the graft disappeared one week after transplantation, and then there was progressive spread of the recipients' endothelial cells from the anastomotic site. The reendothelialization occurred over the whole graft at one month after transplantation. The neointimal thickening and adventitial inflammation became severe by 3 months after transplantation, but this lessened at 6 months and 12 months, respectively. The rate of CD3 positive cells was very low among the infiltrated inflammatory cells. Conclusion: The fresh-frozen xenogenic artery kept its patency without being greatly influenced by xenogenic immune reaction.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.495-503
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• 1998

The present study investigated the effects of Bisroot, that contains live bacteria (Bacillus polyfermenticus, Bacillus mesentericus, Streptococcus faecalis, & Bifidobacterium breve) and digestive enzymes (protease, lipase), on the growth, body composition and immune response of Nile tilapia fingerlings. One percent of the Bisroot was added to the experimenta feed. All exprimental fish were fed for 60 days. The weigh gains among the experimental fish were not significntly different (P>0.05). Hematocrit value, hemoglobin, total protein, glucose, GOT, and GPT were unaffected by Bisroot treatment. However, it was observed that glucose, GOT, and GPT value in the fish that were fed Bisroot, were lower than the control. The complement activity ($CH_50$) tended to be significantly increased by Bisroot treatment, but not lysozyme activity. Phagocytosis and respiratory burst activities of macrophages in the head kidney were enhanced by Bisroot. Therefore, the Bisroot diet enhances the cellular immune activities were enhanced by Bisroot. Therefore, the Bisroot diet enhances the cellular immune activities of non-specific immune responses. When fish were challenged with a virulent strain of Edwardsiella tarda, the Bisroot treated fish were more resistant than the control. The present results suggest that the introduction of Bisroot into the diet of Nile tilapia could increase their resistance against bacterial infection, reduce fish mortality, and offers economic benefits.