• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.13 no.1_2
• /
• pp.167-173
• /
• 1997

LBD-001, a recombinant human interferon $\gamma$ produced by genetically engineered yeast as a host system, was intravenously administered to pregnant female rabbits (New Zealand White strain) from day 6 to 18 of gestation at dose levels of $0.35 \times 10^6$, $0. 69 \times 10^6$, and $1.38 \times 10^6$ I.U./kg/day. Hydrocortisone sodium succinate (0.3 mg/kg/day) was also given in the same way. Teratological effects of the test agents on the organogenesis of fetuses and the development of offsprings (F1 rabbits) were investigated. The results were as followings: (1) No significant changes by the treatment of LBD-001 or hydrocortisone sodium succinate were observed in the body weights, the food and water consumption, the lactating or nurshing behaviors, and the autopsy of the pregnant rabbits. (2) No significant changes in the resorption rate, the fetal organogenesis, and the normal develpoment of offsprings (F1) by the treatment of LBD-001 or hydrocortisone sodium succinate were detected. The results show that LBD-001 at the dose of $1.38 \times 10^6$ I.U./kg/day or less and hydrocortisone sodium succinate at the dose of 0.3 mg/kg/day are neither teratogenic in the organogensis of the fetuses and the development of the offsprings (F1) nor toxic to the mother rabbits.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
• /
• 2004.06a
• /
• pp.228-228
• /
• 2004

Interferon-tau (IFN-τ) is the primary agent responsible for maternal recognition of pregnancy in cattle. Bovine embryos begine to express IFN-τ as the blastocyst forms. Pregnancy recognition in ruminants occurs when IFN-τ from the trophoblast prevents the increase of oxytocin receptors, disrupting luteolytic pulses of prostaglandin (PG) F2a by oxytocin. The expression of IFN-τ is strongly associated with the degree of methylation of the CpG islands in promoter region. (omitted)

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
• /
• v.12 no.4
• /
• pp.315-320
• /
• 2004

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of Orostachys japonicus A. Berger (OJB) on the immune system. Administration of OJB (500 mg/kg) enhanced viability of splenocytes and thymocytes in BALB/c mice, and also OJB increased of splenic T lymphocytes, significantly, increased CD4 positive $T_H$ cells and CD8 positive Tc cells. OJB markedly, enhanced the production of ${\gamma}-interferon$ in mice serum. OJB accelerated the apoptosis of L1210 and U937 leukemia cells and increased the expression of apoptosis-related ICE, c-myc, p53 gene. These results suggest that OJB have an immuno-regulatory and anti-cancer activity.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.53 no.11
• /
• pp.975-978
• /
• 2010

A 7-year-old boy presented with hematochezia and abdominal pain. A 3.7-cm-sized mass was identified in the ascending colon by abdominal computed tomography and colonoscopy. The patient underwent surgical resection. Pathological examination revealed a low-grade perivascular epithelioid cell tumor (PEComa). PEComa in the colon is very rare. Only a few cases have been reported so far. An effective treatment method for this rare tumor has not been established yet. The patient received adjuvant interferon-${\alpha}$ immunotherapy for 1 year. He has been tumor-free for 26 months since the initial diagnosis. This report is the first documented case of the use of interferon-${\alpha}$ for pediatric PEComa of the colon.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.27 no.5
• /
• pp.1032-1037
• /
• 2017

The poly-${\gamma}$-$\small{D}$-glutamic acid (PGA) capsule, a major virulence factor of Bacillus anthracis, provides protection of the bacterium from phagocytosis and allows its unimpeded growth in the host. We investigated crosstalk between murine natural killer (NK) cells and macrophages stimulated with the PGA capsule of Bacillus licheniformis, a surrogate of the B. anthracis capsule. PGA induced interferon-gamma production from NK cells cultured with macrophages. This effect was dependent on macrophage-derived IL-12 and cell-cell contact interaction with macrophages through NK cell receptor NKG2D and its ligand RAE-1. The results showed that PGA could enhance NK cell activation by inducing IL-12 production in macrophages and a contact-dependent crosstalk with macrophages.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.29 no.11
• /
• pp.1852-1859
• /
• 2019

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a single-stranded positive-sense RNA virus, belonging to the genus Alphavirus of the Togaviridae family. It causes multiple symptoms, including headache, fever, severe joint and muscle pain, and arthralgia. Since CHIKV was first isolated in Tanzania in 1952, there have been multiple outbreaks of chikungunya fever. However, its pathogenesis and mechanisms of viral immune evasion have been poorly understood. In addition, the exact roles of individual CHIKV genes on the host innate immune response remain largely unknown. To investigate if CHIKV-encoded genes modulate the type I interferon (IFN) response, each and every CHIKV gene was screened for its effects on the induction of the IFN-β promoter. Here we report that CHIKV nsP2, E2 and E1 strongly suppressed activation of the IFN-β promoter induced by the MDA5/RIG-I receptor signaling pathway, suggesting that nsP2, E2, and E1 are the major antagonists against induction of IFN-β. Delineation of underlying mechanisms of CHIKV-mediated inhibition of the IFN-β pathway may help develop virus-specific therapeutics and vaccines.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• v.10 no.4
• /
• pp.126-134
• /
• 2010

Background: $CD8^+$ T cells contribute to the clearance of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and an insufficient $CD8^+$ T cell response may be one of the major factors leading to chronic HBV infection. Since the HBx antigen of HBV can up-regulate cellular expression of several immunomodulatory molecules, we hypothesized that HBx expression in hepatocytes might affect $CD8^+$ T cell activity. Methods: We analyzed the activation and apoptosis of $CD8^+$ T cells co-cultured with primary hepatocytes rendered capable of expressing HBx by recombinant baculovirus infection. Results: Expression of HBx in hepatocytes induced low production of $interferon-{\gamma}$ and apoptosis of CD8+ T cells, with no effect on CD8 T cell proliferation. However, transcriptional levels of H-2K, ICAM-1 and PD-1 ligand did not correlate with HBx expression in hepatocytes. Conclusion: Our results suggest that HBx may inhibit $CD8^+$ T cell response by regulation of $interferon-{\gamma}$ production and apoptosis.

• Neonatal Medicine
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.183-189
• /
• 2008

Infantile hepatic hemangioendotheliomas (IHHEs) are benign vascular tumors, but can be associated with the life-threatening complications, such as congestive heart failure, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and massive bleeding. Various therapeutic options have been developed and the treatment response depends on the patient's clinical status and the nature of the lesion. In the case of a symptomatic IHHE, a non-invasive and precise diagnosis should be performed promptly before the therapeutic method is chosen. Additionally, it should be kept in mind that the residual lesions have malignant potential. We report a case of a congenital giant IHHE that was successfully reduced in size by interferon-$\alpha$ and completely removed by surgical tumor resection with a hepatic lobectomy.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.17 no.3
• /
• pp.957-963
• /
• 2016

Cellular senescence, a barrier to tumorigenesis, controls aberrant proliferation of cells. We here aimed to investigate cellular senescence in immortalized cholangiocyte and cholangiocarcinoma cell lines using five different inducing agents: 5-aza-2'deoxycytidine, bromodeoxyuridine, interferons ($IFN{\beta}$ and $IFN{\gamma}$), and hydrogen peroxide. We analyzed senescence characteristics, colony formation ability, expression of genes involved in cell cycling and interferon signaling pathways, and protein levels. Treatment with all five agents decreased cell proliferation and induced cellular senescence in immortalized cholangiocyte and cholangiocarcinoma cell lines with different degrees of growth-inhibitory effects depending on cell type and origin. Bromodeoxyuridine gave the strongest stimulus to inhibit growth and induce senescence in most cell lines tested. Expression of p21 and interferon related genes was upregulated in most conditions. The fact that bromodeoxyuridine had the strongest effects on growth inhibition and senescence induction implies that senescence in cholangiocarcinoma cells is likely controlled by DNA damage response pathways relating to the p53/p21 signaling. In addition, interferon signaling pathways may partly regulate this mechanism in cholangiocarcinoma cells.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.365-371
• /
• 1996

Partially reduced interferon-a ($IFN-{\alpha}$) was cross-linked with thymosin ${\alpha}1$ ($T{\alpha}1$) using sulfo-succinimidyl (4-iodoacetyl) amino benzoate (SIAB), a bifunctional cross-linking reagent. The partially reduced $IFN-{\alpha}$ optimal for the cross-linking reaction was obtained by incubating native $IFN-{\alpha}$ with 0.5 mM DTT at $30^{\circ}C$ for 60~100 min. $T{\alpha}1$ was activated by incubating with sulfo-SIAB at $37^{\circ}C$ for 30 min to produce $T{\alpha}1-IAB$. The $T{\alpha}1-IFN-{\alpha}$ cross-linking was achieved by the reaction of the partially reduced $IFN-{\alpha}$ with $T{\alpha}1-IAB$. This cross-linking was between the sulfhydryl group of Cys1 in $IFN-{\alpha}$ and the N-terminal amino group of $T{\alpha}1$ through acetyl amino benzoate as a spacer. The immunological activity of the cross-linked molecule showed the same extent as that of $T{\alpha}1$, and most of the antiviral activity was retained compared to that of the partially reduced $IFN-{\alpha}$.