• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.467-474
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• 2015

Allergic rhinitis is a growing tendency to increase. Following this tendency, allergic rhinitis is lively studied also in Korean oriental medicine. Bupleuri Radix (BR) has been used for many inflammatory diseases, but experimental backgrounds are not enough to treat allergic rhinitis. So in this study, effects of BR on OVA-induced allergic rhinitis model of BALB/c mice were examined. Thirty two BALB/c mice are equally devided into four groups; control group, OVA group, OVA+BR group, OVA+Cet group. The OVA, OVA+BR and OVA+Cet groups were induced allergic rhinitis by sensitizing to OVA. And then saline solution included BR (10.6 mg/kg body weight) was administered to the OVA+BR group orally. The number of nasal rubbing and nasal sneezing was evaluated for 10 days and later serological and histological changes were analyzed. Serological analysis included the serum levels of cytokines and chemokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-12, MCP-1, MIP-2), total IgE and OVA-specific IgE levels in serum. Histological analysis included thickness of nasal septum, eosinophil counts changes of nasal mucosa, infiltration of eosinophil in nasal mucosa and histological changes of nasal mucosa. The number of nasal rubbing and nasal sneezing was significantly decreased in the OVA+BR group. The serum levels of IL-4, IL-5, MCP-1, MIP-2 were significantly decreased in the OVA+BR group but the serum levels of IL-1β had not significance. Total IgE and OVA-specific IgE levels in serum were decreased in the OVA+BR group, but total IgE levels in serum had only significance. Thickness of nasal septum, eosinophil counts of nasal mucosa and infiltration of eosinophil in nasal mucosa were significantly decreased in the OVA+BR group. From the results of this study, we think that BR has an effect on improvement of allergic rhinitis by improving nasal rubbing and nasal sneezing, reducing histological changes of nasal mucosa and infiltration of eosinophil in nasal mucosa, inhibiting increasing of the serum levels of cytokines, chemokines and total IgE.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.127-135
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• 2009

Objectives : Gagam-Gongjin-dan (GGD) composited with Cervi parvum Cornu, Corni Fructus, Angelica gigantis Radix, Lycii Fructus, Dioscoreae Rhizoma, Citri Pericarpium, Gastrodiae Rihzoma, Agastachis Herba, Cassiae cortkex, Scutellariae Radix, Schisandrae Fructus has been traditionally used for chronic diseases or weakness after illness in oriental countries. However, little is known about the effects of methanol extract of GGD on immune responses to ovalbumin (OVA) plus alum. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of GGD on immune responses to ovalbumin plus alum in Balb/c mice. Methods : In this study, the extract of GGD was prepared by extracting with methanol for 7 days. The extract was freeze-dried following filtration through vacuum distillation system. Mice were orally administrated with or without GGD extract of different doses (50-200 mg/kg/day) for 30 days. We examined the effects of GGD extract on the serum levels of total IgE, OVA-specific IgE, IgG1, IgG2a, and CTACK/CCL27 production and CCR10 expression in lymph node cells and body weight change and foot pad swelling responses in ovalbumin treated Balb/c. Results : The oral administration of GGD dose-dependently reduced the serum levels of total IgE, OVA-specific immunoglobulin (IgE, IgG1 and IgG2b) and CTACK/CCL27 production in ovalbumin treated BALB/c mice. The levels of CCR10 expression from lymph node cells of OVA treated mice were markedly suppressed by treatment with GGD in a concentration dependent manner. Furthermore, foot pad swelling responses were also markedly suppressed by GGD. However, body weight were significantly increased dose dependently by GGD treatment. Conclusions : These results suggest that GGD treatment suppresses immune responses to ovalbumin, and these properties may contribute to allergic disease care.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.31-34
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• 1998

The N-methylpurine-DNA glycosylase (MPG), a ubiquitous DNA repair enzyme, removes N-methylpurine and other damaged purines induced in DNA. Tissue-specific mRNA levels of the N-methylpurine-DNA glycosylase (MPG) were investigated in Balb/c mice of four different growing stages; newborn, 1, 4 and 8-weeks postpartum. MPG expressions in the newborn and the 8-week-old mice were the highest in thymus and testis, respectively. The tested tissues of the newborn mice had consistently higher MPG mRNA level than 8-week-old adults except in testis and thymus. The MPG mRNA level in testis was the lowest in the newborn mice, but it attained the highest in the 8-week-old mice. The levels of MPG mRNA among the different tissues in the newborn and the 8-week-old mice were more than 9.0 and 19.0-fold respectively. These results suggest that the of MPG expression was dependent on the growing stage and had tissue-specificity.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.599-605
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• 1998

The purpose of this work was to examine whether X-Y chromosome dissociation in the primary spermatocytes of mice could be used as an in vivo short-term assaying system that detect environmental mutagens. Four alkylating agents(EMS, MMS, MMC and MNNG) which were known as strong mutagens were administered to BALB/c male mice 3-4 months old. In the control group, the mean frequencies of previously dissociated X and Y chromosomes and autosomes were 7.17% and 2.12%, respectively. Compared to the control group, mutagen-treated groups have no significant differences in dissociation rate of autosomes, while these poops were about 1.2-2.5 times higher in the frequencies of X-Y dissociation. Generally, X-Y dissociation frequency increased consistently with the concentration of mutagens whereas the tendency of autosome dissociation frequency was variable among several mutagens. These results suggest that X-Y dissociation in the primary spermatocytes of mice is applicable as an vivo short-term assaying system for environmental mutagens. There were significantly distinct increase in dissociation of X-Y chromosome in both the hybrid and parents but the X-Y previous dissociation of hybrid appeared higher frequency than BALB /c and wild mice. These results indicate that the factor related to binding X-Y chromosome is specific to strains.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.244-253
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• 2006

Effects of chrysene on immune functions were studied in female BALB/c mice. When mice were treated po with chrysene for 7 consecutive days, the antibody response was suppressed dose-dependently. Chrysene induced the enzyme activities of CYP LA and 2B time- and dose-dependently. In ex vivo lymphocyte proliferation, chrysene inhibited splenocyte proliferation by LPS and Con A. Moreover, the numbers of $CD4^+IL-2^+$ cells were reduced by chrysene. In conclusion, chrysene-induced immunotoxicity might be mediated, at least in part, via IL-2 production, and caused by mechanisms associated with metabolic activation.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.357-364
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• 2006

This study was undertaken to develop a reliable mice model demonstrating similar immunologic phenomena as human atopic dermatitis characterized with predominance of type-2 immune response. BALB/C mice and NC/Nga mice were sensitized twice with $100{\mu}l$ of 1% 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) or vehicle (acetone : olive oil=4:1 mixture) in a week and challenged twice with $100{\mu}l$ of 0.2% DNCB or the vehicle at the following week. Mice were sacrificed at 19 days following the second DNCB or vehicle challenge for NC/Nga mice and at 28 days following the second DNCB or vehicle challenge for BALB/c mice. Upregulation of plasma 1gE, a hallmark of atopic dermatitis occurrence, was evident in the plasma obtained 4 day after the second DNCB challenge from BALB/c mice (approximately 4-fold) and NC/Nga mice (approximately 6-fold) treated with DNCB in comparison with that of the vehicle treated-control mice, and remain higher $3{\sim}4$ week after the second challenge. Ratio of plasma IgG1 versus IgG2a concentration was significantly higher in the mice treated with DNCB than the control mice, which also implies the skewed type-2 reactivity in vivo. Ratio of interleukin-4 versus interferon gamma produced in the splenic T cell culture supernatants was approximately 3-fold higher in the both strains of mice treated with DNCB than their control mice, respectively. The DNCB-treated mice demonstrated atopic dermatitis-like skin legions characterized with erythma, scaling, and hemorrhage, which was not observed with the control mice. Scratching on face or dorsal area was significantly more frequent (approximately 25-fold) in the DNCB-treated mice than the control at next day of the second DNCB challenge, and scratching frequency remains higher (approximately 4-fold) in the mice treated with DNCB than the control at 14 day following the second DNCB challenge. Overall, the mice model developed through sensitization and challenge with DNCB may be useful for research on atopic dermatitis and development of treatment materials for atopic dermatitis.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.254-259
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• 2012

Infections involving Echinostoma hortense (E. hortense) are considered to more severe than infections caused by other heterophyids. Although parasite expulsion by host immune responses attenuates the symptoms of infection, the detailed mechanisms of the host immune response need to be determined, especially in local immune responses involving cytokine and immunoglobulin expressions. We infected BALB/c mice with E. hortense and examined recovery rates together with expressions of multiple cytokines and immunoglobulins in the villi and crypts of the small intestine using immunohistochemistry. We observed a close correlation between worm expulsion rates and cytokine/immunoglobulin expressions in E. hortense infected mice. This study contributes to an understanding of the relationship between the immune response and parasite expulsion in hosts.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.173.1-173.1
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• 2003

The present study was conducted to determine the effects of bis-carboxyethyl germanium sesquioxide(Ge-132) and caffeic acid phenethyl ester(CAPE) on immune system in female BALB/c mice. The mice were orally exposed continuously to Ge-132 (0, 50, 100, or 200mg/kg), or CAPE (0, 5. 10, or 20mg/kg) for 14 days. Immunomodulatory activity was evaluated by assessment of body and organ weight, lymphocytes blastogenesis, (omitted)

• Toxicological Research
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.205-213
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• 2002

This study was undertaken to develop a subacute murine model for predicting occurrence of systemic anaphylaxis and to evaluate efficacy of various immunological parameters as the monitoring indices for the occurrence of anaphyalxis. The murine anaphyalxis model was developed through intraperitoneally sensitizing 100 $\mu\textrm{g}$ ovalbumin (OVA) in the presence of 1 mg alum and 300 ng cholera toxin twice a week interval followed by challenging 500 $\mu\textrm{g}$. OVA intravenously. Typical anaphylaxis symptoms were demonstrated at the both BALB/c mice, a strain prone to type-2 response, and C57BL/6 mice. a strain prone to type-1 response. Level of plasma histamine was approximately 50-fold or 30-fold higher in the mice sensitized with OVA than the mice sensitized with alum plus cholera toxin or the saline-treated mice after OVA challenge, respectively. Sensitization and challenge with OVA significantly enhanced plasma leukotriene $B_4$ level but not IgE levels in comparison with the control mice, which indicated the role of leukotriene $B_4$ for progression of anaphyalxis. Furthermore, among mice suffered from anaphylaxis, levels of OVA-specific IgGl were significantly higher in the BALB/c mice than in the C57BL/6 mice, which implied the genetic susceptibility for the induction of systemic anaphylaxis. Conclusively, simultaneous evaluation of histamine, leukotriene $B_4$, and allergen-specific IgG isotype may serve as more efficient monitoring tool for vaccine-related anaphyalxis.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.159-166
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• 2012

The present study was performed to investigate the toxicity of low-dose-rate irradiation in BALB/c mice. Twenty mice of each sex were randomly assigned to four groups of five mice each and were exposed to 0 (sham), 0.02, 0.2, or 2 Gy, equivalents to low-dose-rate irradiation to 3.49 $mGy{\cdot}h^{-1}$. Urine, blood, and blood biochemistry were analyzed, and organ weight was measured. The low-dose-rate irradiation did not induce any toxicologically significant changes in mortality, clinical signs, body weight, food and water consumption, urinalysis, and serum biochemistry. However, the weights of reproductive organs including the testis, ovary, and uterus decreased in a dose-dependent manner. Irradiation at 2 Gy significantly decreased the testis, ovary, and uterus weights, but did not change the weights of other organs. There were no adverse effects on hematology in any irradiated group and only the number of neutrophils increased dose dependently. The low-dose-rate irradiation exposure did not cause adverse effects in mice at dose levels of 2 Gy or less, but the reproductive systems of male and female mice showed toxic effects.