• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.257-262
• /
• 2008

Purpose: Oral mucositis induced by radiotherapy to the head and neck area, is a common acute complication and is considered as the most severe symptom for cancer patients in the early stages of treatment. This study was proposed to establish the oral mucositis mouse model induced by a single dose of radiation for the facility of testing therapeutic candidates which can be used for the oral mucositis treatments. Materials and Methods: Fifty-five BALB/c mice were divided into four groups: control, 16 Gy, 18 Gy, and 20 Gy. Oral mucositis was induced by a single dose of radiation to the head and neck using 6 MV x-Ray from linear accelerator. After irradiation, body weight and physical abnormalities were checked daily. Tongue tissues from all groups were taken on days 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 14, respectively and H&E staining was conducted to examine morphological changes. Results: Body weight dramatically decreased after day 5 in all irradiated mice. In the 16 Gy treatment group, body weight was recovered on day 14. The histology data showed that the thickness of the epithelial cell layer was decreased by the accumulated time after radiation treatment, up to day 9. Severe ulceration was revealed on day 9. Conclusion: A single dose of 16 Gy is sufficient dose to induce oral mucositis in Balb/C mice. Significant changes were observed in the Balb/C mice on days 7 and 9 after radiation. It is suggested that this mouse model might be a useful standard tool for studying oral mucositis induced by radiation.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
• /
• v.49 no.2
• /
• pp.150-160
• /
• 2017

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease. It is characterized by eczematous lesions, skin dryness, and pruritus. The existing treatment drugs for AD have side effects, especially if the drugs are taken for extended periods. Therefore, new alternative therapies are necessary. The aim of this study was to investigate the combined effects of curcumin administration and LED irradiation on AD. AD-like lesions were induced in BALB/c mice by repeated application of 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (DNCB) to the shaved skin of the ear and neck. Thirty male BALB/c mice were divided into five groups: vehicle, DNCB, curcumin, LED, and curcumin+LED groups. Curcumin (0.1 g/kg/day) was administrated repeatedly during a period of 14 days (experimental period) and 630 nm LED irradiation ($5J/cm^2/day$) was performed in the acryl box once a day for 10 days, after inducing AD-like lesions via DNCB application. The severity of AD-like lesions was evaluated during the experimental period, using a modified SCORAD index. Both ear and neck skin tissues were examined histologically for epidermal thickness, mast cell, eosinophil counting, and dermal collagen density. Epidermal cell proliferation and apoptosis were detected using immunohistochemistry and TUNEL, respectively. These were all reduced in SCORAD index, epidermal thickness, collagen density, number of mast cell and eosinophil in dermis, and number of proliferating cell and apoptotic cell in epidermis by curcumin administration and 630 nm LED irradiation. Moreover, all parameters were significantly lower in the curcumin+LED group compared with the curcumin group and LED group. These results suggest that the combined therapy of curcumin and LED is more effective than a single treatment. We recommend that this can be a feasible alternative therapy to manage AD.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.98-105
• /
• 1994

The search for tumor-avid agents for use in nuclear medicine imaging or therapy is a field of ongoing importance. Metallothionein (MT) is an intracellular protein that binds many metals with isotopes having imaging or radiotherapeutic potential. The purpose of the study was to determine whether uptake of radioisotopes that bind to MT is increased in tumor. We measured the uptake of Cd-109 and Ga-67 in tumor and normal tissues of sarcoma-bearing mice. Tumors were grown subcutaneously in female Balb/C mice from cultured Balb/3T3 cells transformed by the Moloney murine sarcoma virus (MMSV). When the tumors reached about 1 cm in diameter, mice were injected subcutaneously with Cd-109 and Ga-67. Eighteen and seventy-two hours later, the mice were sacrified. Organs and tissues were removed, weighed, and activity per mg tissue determined by gamma well-counting. Uptake of Cd-109 by MMSV tumors exceeded that by normal tissues examined, with the exception of liver and kidney (the organs known to be richest in MT). The tumor-to-tissue ratios of uptake for Cd-109 were far greater than those for Ga-67 for many normal tissues of great importance in terms of background activity (bone, intestine, fat, muscle, and blood). We concluded that metals that bind to MT may be useful for oncologic imaging or rediotherapy of cancer.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.127-131
• /
• 2000

Previously, we have reported an antitumor efficacy of liposomal N-(phosphon-acetyl)-L-aspartic acid (or PALA) in C-26 tumor bearing Balb/c mice, where PALA in liposome was administered one day after tumor inoculation. In this report, we have investigated the therapeutic potency of liposomal formulation of PALA, which was administered eight days after tumor inoculation in the same C-26 tumor bearing mice. The C-26 murine colon tumor inoculated mice were randomized for the in vivo therapy and the survival was measured after a single intraperitoneal injection of the drug. When the therapy was initiated eight days after tumor inoculation, DSPC-PALA at 150 mg/kg resulted in a significant increase in median survival time (MST) of 56% over the control group which received MES/HEPES buffer alone. However, none of the free PALA and DSPG-PALA liposome doses caused a statistically significant increase in MST over control group at the 95% confidence level. At 750 mg/kg dose, free PALA caused a marginally significant improvement in MST by 34%, but both 375 mg/kg and 150 mg/kg doses of free PALA caused only a 2% and a 4% increase in MST, respectively. These results show that PALA in neutrally charged liposome can exhibit considerably greater potency than free PALA in established C-26 tumor bearing mice.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.174-179
• /
• 2015

BP201, porcine lung tissue-derived phospholipids, consists of phosphatidylcholine as a major phospholipid species. BP201 promoted hair growth after application onto the shaved backs of BALB/c and C3H mice. Its effect was enhanced when applied together with minoxidil (MNX) in C3H mice. When the tissue specimens prepared from the shaved skins of BP201-treated and control mice were microscopically examined, the total numbers of hair follicles in both anagen and telogen phases of BP201-treated mice were significantly higher than those of control mice. The numbers of hair follicles in the anagen phase of BP201-treated mice were also higher than those of control mice. In combination with MNX, BP201 further increased the total number of hair follicles, but did not alter the percentage of hair follicles in the anagenic phase. BP201 also increased the proliferation of human hair follicle dermal papilla cells. Collectively, BP201 possesses hair growth promoting potential, which would suggest its use singly or in combination for hair growth products.

• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.1-9
• /
• 2003

This experimental study was carried out to evaluate the effects of Kimchi intake of Acanthopanacis cortex extract (APCE) supplementation on cytokine-induction and immune response in mice. To study in experiments using male Balb/c mice fed Kimchi and Kimchi of APCE supplementation (addition of 2% of total Kimchi weight) containing fed experimental diet during 2 weeks. Experimental mice were fed control diet or diet containing freeze-dried Kimchi at the level of 5%(w/w) or 5% freeze-dried Kimchi with 2% APCE supplementation. The main ingredient of Kimchi was Korean cabbage and fermentation was carried out at $4^{\circ}C$ for three weeks. Freeze-dried 2% APCE supplementation was added to Kimchi at the begining of fermentation. In order to investigate the effect of Kimchi intake of APCE supplementation (5%Kimchi-2%APCE), the following was performed; body weight, food intake, hematological parameter, serum level of mouse interleukin-4 (mlL-4) and mouse interferon-$\gamma$ (mIFN-$\gamma$ ), and, the percentage of CD3+/CD4+, CD3+/CD8+, B220+ in splenic cells. The results of final body weight, and food diet intake of two Kimchi groups were lower than those of the control group (not supplemented experimental diet). The hematology change obtained from the level of WBC (white blood cell) and platelet were not affected by feeding different dietary regiments, but the level of RBC (red blood cells) HB (hemoglobin), and spleen weight of two Kimchi groups were increased significantly than those of the control group. The serum level of IL-4 and IFN-$\gamma$ of two Kimchi groups were increased significantly than those of the control group, also enhanced the percentages of the CD3+/CD4+ and CD3+/CD8+ by 5% freeze-dried Kimchi, and 5%Kimchi-2%APCE group were 43.9 and 65.2%, and 96.0 and 208% than those of the control group, respectively. From these results, it can be concluded that Kimchi itself has an immuno-stimulatory effect and Kimchi contaning 2% APCE supplementation has the more pronounced effect in vivo system.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.83-90
• /
• 2015

Evaluation and screening of vaccines against tuberculosis depends on development of proper cost effective disease models along with identification of different immune markers that can be used as surrogate endpoints of protection in preclinical and clinical studies. The objective of the present study was therefore evaluation of subcutaneous model of M.tuberculosis infection along with investigation of different immune biomarkers of tuberculosis infection in BALB/c mice. Groups of mice were infected subcutaneously with two different doses : high ($2{\times}10^6CFU$) and low doses ($2{\times}10^2CFU$) of M.tuberculosis and immune markers including humoral and cellular markers were evaluated 30 days post M.tuberculosis infections. Based on results, we found that high dose of subcutaneous infection produced chronic disease with significant (p<0.001) production of immune markers of infection like $IFN{\gamma}$, heat shock antigens (65, 71) and antibody titres against panel of M.tuberculosis antigens (ESAT-6, CFP-10, Ag85B, 45kDa, GroES, Hsp-16) all of which correlated with high bacterial burden in lungs and spleen. To conclude high dose of subcutaneous infection produces chronic TB infection in mice and can be used as convenient alternative to aerosol models in resource limited settings. Moreover assessment of immune markers namely mycobacterial antigens and antibodies can provide us valuable insights on modulation of immune response post infection. However further investigations along with optimization of study protocols are needed to justify the outcome of present study and establish such markers as surrogate endpoints of vaccine protection in preclinical and clinical studies in future.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.446-454
• /
• 2009

1-Furan-2-yl-3-pyridin-2-yl-propenone (FPP-3) has recently been synthesized and characterized to have an anti-inflammatory activity through the inhibition of the production of nitric oxide and tumor necrosis factor-$\alpha$. In the present study, adverse effects of FPP-3 on immune functions were determined in female BALB/c mice. When mice were administered orally with FPP-3 at 125, 250 or 500 mg/kg for 7 consecutive days, FPP-3 suppressed the number of antibody-forming cells and reduced thymus weight at 500 mg/kg. In addition, FPP-3 administered mice exhibited reduced splenic cellularity and numbers of splenocyte subsets, such as $CD3^+$ cells, $CD3^+CD4^+$ cells, $CD3^+CD8^+$ cells and macrophages. IL-4 mRNA expression was significantly suppressed by FPP-3 treatment. Moreover, the number of $CD4^+IL-4^+$ cells was reduced following the treatment of mice with 500 mg/kg of FPP-3. These results suggested that FPP-3 at 500 mg/kg might be immunotoxic, and that FPP-3-induced immunotoxicity might be mediated, at least in part, through the inhibition of cytokine production, such as IL-4.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.15-21
• /
• 1995

Several populations of lymphocytes possess receptors for autonomic neurotransmitter, which make lymphocytes susceptible to autonomic stimulation. This study was to evaluate the functional alternation of effector cells of the immune system. Female Balb/C mice, 15-20 g, were injected with MA subcutaneously under various conditions. Mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) showed certain T cell subsets were affected by MA. The level of interleukin-2 (IL-2) production was inhibited due to a defect in expression of the IL-2 receptor. In mice injected with 20 mg MA/kg, 1 day before assay, phagocytosis of peritoneal macrophages showed $14.07\pm3%$, which was similar degree to 5 mg MA/kg treatment for 4 consecutive days. Phagocytosis was almost recovered to that of control after 4 day in 20 mg/kg injected mice. Maximum inhibition of plaque forming cell (PFC) occurred when MA was given early, indicating the inductive time point of antibody production was affected. The cortisol level increased in the MA treated group (0.05, 0.20, and $0.08{\mu}g$/dl for control, low, and high dose-MA treated mice, respectively). Based on these results, MA has general suppression effects on the immune systems by functional alteration of effector cells. Considering the increment of serum cortisol levels, MA partially impacts the neuroendocrine system to lead to failure of immune response.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.38 no.4
• /
• pp.179-184
• /
• 2013

The biological effects of radiation are dependent on the dose rate and dose of radiation. In this study, effects of dose and dose rate using whole body radiation on plasma cytokines and blood count from male BALB/c mice were evaluated. We examined the blood and cytokine changes in mice exposed to a low (3.49m Gy $h^{-1}$) and high (2.6 Gy $min^{-1}$) dose rate of radiation at a total dose of 0.5 and 2 Gy, respectively. Blood from mice exposed to radiation were evaluated using cytokine assays and complete blood count. Peripheral lymphocytes and neutrophils decreased in a dose dependent manner following high dose rate radiation. The peripheral lymphocytes population remained unchanged following low dose rate radiation; however, the neutrophils population increased after radiation. The sera from these mice exhibited elevated levels of flt3 ligand and granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), after high/low dose rate radiation. These results suggest that low-dose-rate radiation does not induce blood damage, which was unlike high-dose-rate radiation treatment; low-dose-rate radiation exposure activated the hematopoiesis through the increase of flt3 ligand and G-CSF.