• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.171-179
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• 1999

Non-biting midges are known to contain potent inhalant allergens. IgE antibody responses to the crude extract of Chironomus kiiensis adults, a dominant chironomid species in Korea, were examined. With the IgE-ELISA or passive cutaneous anaphylaxis reactions, increased levels of chironomid-specific IgE were detected in the skin test positived human sera, or immunized BALB/c mouse sera with the crude extract adsorbed to alum. IgE-immunoblot analysis showed mafor IgE-reacting protein band patterns, which reacted with more than 50% of the skin test positive human sera, at 110, 80, 46, 40, 37, 34 and 31 kDa. The reactive band patterns were larely similar between skin test positive humans and immune BALB/c mice. However, the bands of 55, 31, 27, 26, 24 and 23 kDa were found only in sensitized humans, but not in immunized mice.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.191-203
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• 1992

The immunosuppressive effects of safrole were studied in female BALB/c mouse. Mice were given 100,200and 400mg safrole/kg daily for 14days and evaluated on day 15. The day 4 immunogloblin-M antibody response to T-dependent antigen, sheep red blood cells (SRBC) was inhibited dose-dependently in all doses studied. In vitro antibody response to polyclonal antigen, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) by spleen cell suspensions from safrole-treated mice were also significantly inhibited. When safrole was treated for 14days to mice, and mitogen-induced proliferation of splenocytes were assayed on day 15, there were significant suppression of responses to B-cell mitogen, LPS and T-cell mitogen concanavalin A(Con A) at a dose of 400mg safrole/kg. Direct addition of safrole on the splenocyte culture also produced a dose dependent suppression on in vitro antibody response to LPS, and mitogen-induced lymphoproliferatin at doses of 100,200,400 and 800${\mu}M$ safrole. The role of metabolic activation in safrole-induced suppression of in vitro antibody response was studied using splenocyte-hepatocyte coculture system. The suppression of in vitro antibody respose to LPS by safrole was not altered when safrole were incubated in the splenocyte-hepatocyte system for 4hr as compared with direct addition of safrole in splenocytes culture. Neither the addition of salicylamide, sulfotransferase inhibitor, nor the addation of inorganic sulfate, sulfation cofactor to the splenocyte-hepatocyte coculture, altered the suppression of antibody response by safrole. These results suggest that the immunosuppression by safrole may not by produced by the reactive metabolites which are mediated in carcinogenesis of safrole.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.18-24
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• 2016

We investigated 23 lactic acid bacteria isolated from Korean breast milk-fed infant in order to select strains which show superior anti-allergic effect. The candidates were cultivated and then we obtained dried powders of tyndallized cells and supernatant concentrate separately. Screening was carried out with down-regulation of interleukin (IL) 4 and up-regulation of IFN-${\gamma}$ in mouse splenocytes. As a result of the screening, we selected Lactobacillus rhamnosus IDCC 3201 (RH3201) for oral feeding to ovalbumin-sensitized BALB/c mice. Oral administration of RH3201 as dead cell bodies and supernatant concentrate suppressed hyper-production of serum immunoglobulin (Ig) E levels compared to vehicle group. Such anti-allergic effects were achieved by improvement of the balance between cytokines produced from type-1 helper T (Th1) and type-2 helper T (Th2) lymphocytes. Therefore, RH3201 has potential to improve atopic symptoms by immunomodulatory effect.

• Journal of the Optical Society of Korea
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.91-96
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• 2013

We report a method for optical monitoring of tumors in an animal model using optical coherence tomography (OCT). In a spectral domain OCT system, a superluminescent diode light source with a full width of 66 nm at half maximum and peak wavelength of 950 nm was used to take images having an axial resolution of 6.8 ${\mu}m$. Cancer cells of PC-3 were cultured and inoculated into the hypodermis of auricle tissues in BALB/c nude mice. We observed tumor formation and growth at the injection region of cancer cells in vivo and obtained the images of tumor mass center and sparse circumferences. On the $5^{th}$ day from an inoculation of cancer cells, histological images of the tumor region using cross-sectional slicing and dye staining of specimens were taken in order to confirm the correlation with the high resolution OCT images. The OCT image of tumor mass compared with normal tissues was analyzed using its A-scan data so as to obtain a tissue attenuation rate which increases according to tumor growth.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.115-125
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• 2022

Background: Ginsenosides (GS) have potential value as cosmetic additives for prevention of skin photoaging. However, their protective mechanisms against skin barrier damage and their active monomeric constituents are unknown. Methods: GS monomer types and their relative proportions were identified. A UVB-irradiated BALB/c hairless mouse model was used to assess protective effects of GS components on skin epidermal thickness and transepidermal water loss (TEWL). Skin barrier function, reflected by filaggrin (FLG), involucrin (IVL), claudin-1 (Cldn-1), and aquaporin 3 (AQP3) levels and MAPK phosphorylation patterns, were analyzed in UVB-irradiated hairless mice or HaCaT cells. Results: Total GS monomeric content detected by UPLC was 85.45% and was largely attributed to 17 main monomers that included Re (16.73%), Rd (13.36%), and Rg1 (13.38%). In hairless mice, GS ameliorated UVB-induced epidermal barrier dysfunction manifesting as increased epidermal thickness, increased TEWL, and decreased stratum corneum water content without weight change. Furthermore, GS treatment of UVB-irradiated mice restored protein expression levels and epidermal tissue distributions of FLG, IVL, Cldn-1, and AQP3, with consistent mRNA and protein expression results obtained in UVB-irradiated HaCaT cells (except for unchanging Cldn-1 expression). Mechanistically, GS inhibited JNK, p38, and ERK phosphorylation in UVB-irradiated HaCaT cells, with a mixture of Rg2, Rg3, Rk3, F2, Rd, and Rb3 providing the same protective MAPK pathway inhibition-associated upregulation of IVL and AQP3 expression as provided by intact GS treatment. Conclusion: GS protection against UVB-irradiated skin barrier damage depends on activities of six ginsenoside monomeric constituents that inhibit the MAPK signaling pathway.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.65-71
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• 2013

Objectives : Asthma is a chronic, complex respiratory disease, caused by airway obstruction, airway eosinophilic inflammation(AEI), and airway hyperresponsiveness(AHR). This study was conducted to determine whether oral administration of crude water extracts of Pinellia ternate Breitenbach(PTB) has an antiasthmatic potential in the treatment of asthma in mice. Methods : Asthmatic AEI and AHR were induced by systemic sensitization to ovalbumin(OVA) by intratracheal instillation with 0.1 mg/mL suspension of diesel exhaust particles(DEP) once a week for 10 weeks in BALB/c mice. Crude PTB water extracts(50 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg) were orally administered 5 times a week for 10 weeks. Cyclosporin(10 mg/kg) was administrered the same manner as a positive control. Results : Long-term treatment with crude PTB water extracts suppressed the infiltration of inflammatory cells, including eosinophils, into airways from blood. It also reduced asthmatic AEI and AHR by attenuating the increase in the levels of cytokines such as interleukin(IL)-4, IL-5 and IL-13 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF), as well as the levels of histamine and OVA-specific IgE in blood. However, the effect of crude PTB water extracts(200 mg/kg) was not likely to be stronger than that of cyclosporin(10 mg/kg). Conclusion : These results suggest that crude PTB water extracts have inhibitory effects on AEI and AHR in a mouse model of asthma and may act as a potential Th2 cytokine antagonist, and have a therapeutic effect on allergic asthma.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.65-73
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• 2023

Background: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a significant visual disease that induces impaired vision and irreversible blindness in the elderly. However, the effects of ginseng berry extract (GBE) on the retina have not been studied. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the protective effects of GBE on blue light (BL)-induced retinal damage and elucidate its underlying mechanisms in human retinal pigment epithelial cells (ARPE-19 cells) and Balb/c retina. Methods: To investigate the effects and underlying mechanisms of GBE on retinal damage in vitro, we performed cell viability assay, pre-and post-treatment of sample, reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), and western immunoblotting using A2E-laden ARPE-19 cells with BL exposure. In addition, Balb/c mice were irradiated with BL to induce retinal degeneration and orally administrated with GBE (50, 100, 200 mg/kg). Using the harvested retina, we performed histological analysis (thickness of retinal layers), qRT-PCR, and western immunoblotting to elucidate the effects and mechanisms of GBE against retinal damage in vivo. Results: GBE significantly inhibited BL-induced cell damage in ARPE-19 cells by activating the SIRT1/PGC-1α pathway, regulating NF-kB translocation, caspase 3 activation, PARP cleavage, expressions of apoptosis-related factors (BAX/BCL-2, LC3-II, and p62), and ROS production. Furthermore, GBE prevented BL-induced retinal degeneration by restoring the thickness of retinal layers and suppressed inflammation and apoptosis via regulation of NF-kB and SIRT1/PGC-1α pathway, cleavage of caspase 3 and PARP, and expressions of apoptosis-related factors in vivo. Conclusions: GBE could be a potential agent to prevent dry AMD and progression to wet AMD.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.375-381
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• 1997

The purpose of the production of monoclonal antibodies aganist the Canine distemper virus(CDV) were perfect diagnosis and a new approach to treat canine distemper because the diagnosis and treatment of canine distemper were difficult. Canine distemper virus(CDV) was purified using saturated ammonium sulfate, and injected into hind footpads of BALB/c mouse. 12-15 days later, popliteal lymph node(PN) cells were harvested and fused with SP2/O myeloma cells. Characteristics of monoclonal antibodies were analysed. 1. 9 hybridomas produce the specific antibody against CDV. 2. 6 monoclonal antibodies are against intranuclear and cytoplasmic component of CDV, and 3 monoclonal antibodies are against cytoplasmic inclusions. 3. All monoclonal antibodies did not react with other 5 different viruses (CAV-I, CAV-II, CCV, CPV and CPIV) and react with another CDV-FXNO strain. 4. 3 monoclonal antibodies have neutralizing activity against CDV. 5. Antigenic difference was observed between CDV by IFA.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.67-71
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• 2000

It has been demonstrated that the injection of naked DNA expressing vascular endothelial growth factor 165(VEGFl165) to the affected area can provide significant therapeutic effects on peripherol artery occlusive diseases. Success with this type of gene therapy highly depends on the quality of the vector delivering the therapeutic gene, especially in terms of the level and duration of gene expression in the localized area. We have recently developed a vector expressing VEGF165(pCK-VEGF) for the treatment of peripheral artery occulsive diseases and demonstrated high level expression of VEGF165 in mouse skeletal muscle. This study was designed to assess the acute toxicity of intramuscularly injected pCK-VEGF in BALB/c mice and Sprague-Dawely rats. There was no evidence of any changes in clinical signs, body weights, or gross pathological signs. We estimate LD50 values of pCK-VEGF higher than 50mg/kg in mice and 20 mg/kg in rats by intramuscular injection.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.100-107
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• 1999

Apoptosis is now widely recognized as a common form of cell death and represents mechanism of cell clearance in many physiological situations where deletion of cells is required. In vivo administration of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to Balb/c mice induced DNA fragmentation in the thymus. DNA fragmentation in the thymus was roughly dependent on the dose of LPS injected and reached the peak 18 hours after injection. This apoptosis in the thymus might be mediated due to LPS stimulant. DEN (diethylnitrosamine) has been shown to cause liver cancer in experimental animals and humans. The hepatic tumorigenesis was induced by ad libitum feeding of DEN only. It was suggested that DEN induced hepatic tumorgenesis in rat is a good reproducible model for studying biochemical and pathophysiological changes associated with the development of hepatic tumorigenesis and apoptosis.