• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.869-878
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• 1999

Intravesical instillation of the bacillus Calmentte-Gu$\acute{e}$rin(BCG), an attenuated strain of Mycobacterium bovis, is an approved method for the treatment of superficial bladder cancer. Because BCG is a living organism, the potential for infection exists. BCG is generally well tolerated, with complications in less than 5% of those treated with use of current practices. The most frequent symptoms of toxicity associated with intravesical BCG immunotherapy include bladder irritation, frequency, and dysuria. Systemic reactions are less common but more serious than local side effects, and include fever, chills, malaise, rash, hepatitis, pneumonitis, arthritis and sepsis. In rare cases, BCG treatment can result in a systemic infection that requires antituberculous therapy. The pulmonary toxicity that results from intravesical BCG treatment is generally characterized by one of two types : systemic allergic reaction with pulmonary reticulonodular opacities depicted on chest radiographs with cellular findings consisting of activated lymphocytes, and actual BCG mycobacteremia with a miliary pattern depicted on chest radiographs and granuloma formation which rarely results in positive acid-fast stain or culture results. Recently we experienced two types of pulmonary complications following intravesical BCG immunotherapy in patients with superficial bladder cancer. We report two cases with a review of literatures.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.330-336
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• 2009

Cell-cell adhesion managed by various adhesion molecules is known to be one of important phenomena found in numerous immunological responses or diseases such as immunostimulation, rheumatoid arthritis and allergic diseases. In this study, we examined the regulatory role of ginsenosides (G)-Rb1, reported to display immunostimulatory and anticancer effects, on cell adhesion, the up-regulation of surface adhesion molecules and morphological changes using monocytic U937 and macrophage-like RAW264.7 cells. G-Rb1 significantly up-regulated U937 cell-cell adhesion mediated by both CD29 and CD43. It also enhanced U937 cell-fibronectin adhesion, while CD29 blocking antibody P5D2 strongly suppressed it. In agreement, this compound also significantly increased the surface level of CD29 as well as CD43. Furthermore, this compound differentially modulated CD82 up-regulation and morphological changes triggered by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA). Therefore, these results suggest that G-Rb1 may have differential modulatory function on cell adhesion events, surface molecule expression and morphological changes responsible for immune responses.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.359-366
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• 1996

Background : Eosinophilic leukocytes are prominent cellular participants in the pathogenesis of allergic disease and asthma. Chemotaxis is still a very useful method in evaluating the response of human eosinophil to novel modulators. Degranulated mast cells and activated T lymphocytes are responsible for the pathophysiology of asthma and tryptase is one of most important proteases released after activation of mast cells. The purpose of this study was to investigate the actions of trypsin and chymotrypsin on eosinophils in terms of chemotaxis and activation. Method : Eosinophils were isolated by negative immunoselection from the peripheral blood of atopic donors. Chemotaxis was studied by using micro-Boyden chambers and ECP release was assayed by fluoroimmunoassay. Results : Eosinophil showed a chemotactic response to trypsin. Maximal chemotactic response was with $1000{\mu}g/ml$ trypsin ($56.52{\pm}14.50$/HPF) which was comparable to PAP. But chymotrypsin showed no significant chemotactic response to eosinophils. Trypsin at the concentration of 10, 100, $1000{\mu}g/ml$ induced secretion of ECP, which at the concentration of $10{\mu}g/ml$ represented about 2.7 times of the spontaneous rate of release. Soybean protease inhibitor reduced trypsin induced ECP release. Conclusion : Trypsin can induce chemotactic response to eosinophils and activation of eosinophils that can induce secretion of ECP. On the contrary, chymotrypsin showed no direct effect on eosinophils. We propose a role of trypsin on the chemotaxis and activation of eosinophils.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.182-189
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• 1996

Background : RANTES is associated with chemotaxis and activation of eosinophils. RANTES is up-regulated in allegic inflammation and play a critical role in the pathogenesis of allegic inflammation. Recently, circulating form of RANTES have been identified in the peripheral blood. Method : In the present study, we measured soluble RANTES levels in 17 patients with atopic brochial asthma (8 patients: early response to allegen challenge, 8 patients : early and late response to allergen challenge) on 30mins, 2hrs and 8 hrs after allergen challenge with house dust mite, prechallenge period. Result : RANTES levels in sera from patients with bronchial astma in prechallenge conditions were higher than in normal control subjects. But, RANTES levels in sera from patients with bronchial asthma in 30mins, 2hrs and 8hrs after challenge were no significantly higher than prechallenge conditions. Conclusion : These results suggest that RANTES plays a role in the pathogenesis of patients with atopic bronchial asthma and may be related to persistence of subclinical allergic inflammation.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.418-428
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• 2012

Objectives : Ojeok-san, a traditional herbal formula, has been used for the treatment of cold illness and its related symptoms such as headache, nausea and indigestion. This study was performed to compare effects of water (OJSW) and 70% ethanol extracts (OJSE) of Ojeok-san on inflammation and its related diseases atopy, asthma and obesity in vitro. Methods : We performed HPLC to investigate contents of index components of OJSW and OJSE. We investigated the effects of OJSW and OJSE with an in vitro model, using 5 cell lines, specifically RAW 264. 7, HaCaT, MC/9, BEAS-2B and 3T3-L1. Results : HPLC analysis displayed that the contents of index components were higher in OJSE than OJSW. In lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated RAW 264.7 macrophages, OJSE significantly inhibited productions of interleukin (IL)-6, nitrite and prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PEG_2$). In TNF-${\alpha}$/IFN-${\gamma}$-treated HaCaT keratinocytes, OJSE significantly lowered levels of macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC) as well as regulated and normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES). OJSE also had a protective effect on inflammatory response by decreasing RANTES secretion in TNF-${\alpha}$-stimulated BEAS-2B cells. Conclusions : We conclude that OJSE could be more appropriate to enhance the biological activities against inflammation and its related diseases, and could be applied as a bioactive material for developing the potent anti-inflammatory agents.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.37-43
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• 2018

Chamaecyparis obtusa (CO) has recently been attracting attention because of its beneficial effects on skin allergies, atopic dermatitis, and skin diseases, such as acne and eczema. In the present study, the extract from CO leaf grown in Jangseong gun, Jeollanam-do, Korea was evaluated for its anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-allergic effects in vitro. The total polyphenol content of the CO leaf extract was $25.89{\pm}0.31mg$ gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g. Gas-chromatography mass-spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis revealed the presence of six compounds in the CO leaf extract: ${\alpha}-terpinene$ (3.03 mg/g), ${\alpha}-terpineol$ (9.48 mg/g), limonene (5.96 mg/g), borneol (59.78 mg/g), myrcene (4.85 mg/g), and sabinene (11.31 mg/g). The $RC_{50}$ values of the CO leaf extract for $H_2O_2$ and ABTS radical were $5.47{\pm}0.13mg/mL$ and $4.00{\pm}0.01mg/mL$, respectively. In addition, the CO leaf extract showed significant inhibitory effects on lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide production in RAW 264.7 cells and IgE-induced release of ${\beta}-hexosaminidase$ (degranulation) in mast-cell like RBL-2H3 cells. The cell viability assay showed that the CO leaf extract ($100{\sim}800{\mu}g/mL$) did not affect the viability of human normal skin fibroblast CCD-986sk cells significantly. Overall, these results suggest that the CO leaf extract is a potential functional cosmetic ingredient that can exert anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-allergic effects.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.91-100
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• 2010

Purpose : Recurrent otitis media (ROM) is usually defined as ${\geq}$3 distinct and well-documented episodes within 6 months or ${\geq}$4 episodes within 12 months. ROM is sufficiently important to warrant consideration of chemoprophylaxis, tympanostomy tube placement. There also is evidence that children with ROM are at risk for both hearing loss and speech delay. However, studies of ROM have been notably insufficient. In addition, even though environmental, racial, and sociocultural differences can affect risk factors, few studies have been conducted with regard to recurrent otitis media in Korea. Methods : This study was conducted from July 2009 to January 2010 with infants and children who were younger than 60 months old, who visited the out-patient clinics at Han-Il General Hospital and Kyunghee University Hospital. Data were collected by interview using a pre-formed sheet. Among a total of 892 infants and children, 457 were excluded, and the remaining 435 were allocated to 104 with ROM and 331 as a control group. Results : Attendance at daycare centers (P<0.001, OR=2.85), allergic rhinitis (P=0.026, OR=2.32), past history of bronchiolitis (P=0.003, OR=2.33), and low socioeconomic status (P=0.005, OR=2.00) were found to have a close significant correlation with ROM. Risk factors such as sex, having a sibling, breast-feeding, use of pacifiers, atopy, pneumococcal vaccination, influenza vaccination, smoking of parents, and indoor smoking are not relevant. Conclusion : Attendance at daycare centers, allergic rhinitis, past history of bronchiolitis, and low socioeconomic status have been identified as risk factors for ROM.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.735-743
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• 2009

The common word flavonoids is often used to classify a family of natural compounds, highly abundant in all higher plants, that have received significant therapeutic interest in recent years. Naringin is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease, neurodegenerative disease, cancer and other chronic diseases; however the molecular basis of this effect remains to be elucidated. Thus we attempted to elucidate the anti-allergic effect of Naringin in ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthma model mice. The OVA-induced mice showed allergic reactions in the airways. These included an increase in the number of eosinophils in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, an increase in inflammatory cell infiltration into the lung around blood vessels and airways, airway luminal narrowing, and the development of airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR). The administration of Naringin before the last airway OVA challenge resulted in a significant inhibition of all asthmatic reactions. Accordingly, this study may provide evidence that Naringin plays a critical role in the amelioration of the pathogenetic process of asthma in mice. These findings provide new insight into the immunopharmacological role of Naringin in terms of its effects on asthma in mice.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.10
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• pp.1168-1175
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• 2017

Probiotics are usually defined as intestinal bacteria that provide healthy benefit to the host and may offer new therapeutic materials for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium and Enterococcus are known as typical probiotics. But, these bacteria have mostly a weak viability and thus decreased probiotics-mediated effects in the intestinal tract. Asthma is an inflammatory airway disease, which is characterized by the releases of inflammatory mediators including cytokine and IgE. They are mainly associated with the recruitment, activation and disregulation of specific inflammatory cells, especially mast cells, monocytes, T cells, eosinophils and neutrophils in asthma. We performed these studies as in vitro and in vivo test the human inflammatory cell lines and ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthma mouse model. And then the inhibitory effects of Enterococcus faecalis whole extract on inflammatory responses were examined. For our examinations, the E. faecalis whole extract (Ef extract) was acquired from whole bacteria of E. faecalis using freeze/thawing after ultrasonication method. As results, OVA-mediated THP-1 cell viability was decreased by the treatment of Ef extract. In the asthmatic mouse model, Ef extract inhibited the infiltration of inflammatory cells into the inflammatory sites and blood. This whole extract may have anti-asthmatic effects associated with the regulation of IL-5 and IgE expression. It may also be a promising candidate in anti-allergic medicine for the treatment of asthma.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.182-192
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• 2011

Purpose : Atopic findings may be associated with severity of pneumonia in 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) infection, which could suggest a possible association between atopic findings and the severity of viral infections. Thus, we studied association between atopic findings and severity of disease in children with H1N1 influenza infection. Methods : A retrospective study was performed in 74 children admitted in a single tertiary institute and confirmed as H1N1 patients by reverse transcriptase (RT) - polymerase chain reaction (PCR). They were divided into 2 groups according to the severity of pneumonia. We evaluated whether the atopic finding is risk factor between the two groups. Results : Children with severe pneumonia had higher percentages of serum eosinophilia (88% vs 40%, P <0.001), asthma (65% vs 35%, P =0.011), allergic rhinitis (71% vs 40%, P =0.009), and IgE level (P =0.007). We found positive correlations between aeroallergen sensitizations and severity of pneumonia (82% vs 53%, P =0.007). Conclusion : Among patients with H1N1 pneumonia, asthma and atopic findings are risk factors for severity of pneumonia.