• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.189-196
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• 1998

Swage sludge cakes produced from domestic wastewater treatment plants were collected from 21 different sites throughout Korea, and chemical properties of the sludge samples were determined. Inorganic nutrient contents did not indicate great differences among swage sludges from each sites, whereas the toxic heavy metal contents differed greatly. T-N, $NH_4{^+}-N$ and $NO_3{^-}-N$ contents from 21 sites sludges ranged 2.3-6.0, 291-4284, $1.4-58.8mg\;kg^{-1}$, respectively. Heavy metal (Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn) contents ranged 2.86-58.22, 144.0-5417.3, N.D.-943.5, and $N.D.-8,083mg\;kg^{-1}$, respectively. One of the sludges was treated to soils at rates of 12.5, 25, 50. and 100, $Mg\;ha^{-1}$ and incubated for 12 weeks to determine nitrogen materialization rate. Ammoniun nitrogen content decreased sharply at higher rates of sludge treatment up to 8 weeks after treatment and did not change much, while $NO_3{^-}$ increased at all treatment levels. The net amount of mineralized N of sludge treatment rates (12.5, 25, 50, and $100Mg\;ha^{-1}$) during 12weeks incubation were 189.0, 277.2, 303.8 and $376.6mg\;kg^{-1}$.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.79-94
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• 2011

Background: Dendritic cell (DC)-based vaccines are currently being evaluated as a novel strategy for tumor vaccination and immunotherapy. However, inducing long-term regression in established tumor-implanted mice is difficult. Here, we show that deoxypohophyllotoxin (DPT) induces maturation and activation of bone marrow-derived DCs via Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 activation of MAPK and NF-${\kappa}B$. Methods: The phenotypic and functional maturation of DPT-treated DCs was assessed by flow cytometric analysis and cytokine production, respectively. DPT-treated DCs was also used for mixed leukocyte reaction to evaluate T cell-priming capacity and for tumor regression against melanoma. Results: DPT promoted the activation of $CD8^+$ T cells and the Th1 immune response by inducing IL-12 production in DCs. In a B16F10 melanoma-implanted mouse model, we demonstrated that DPT-treated DCs (DPT-DCs) enhance immune priming and regression of an established tumor in vivo. Furthermore, migration of DPT-DCs to the draining lymph nodes was induced via CCR7 upregulation. Mice that received DPT-DCs displayed enhanced antitumor therapeutic efficacy, which was associated with increased IFN-${\gamma}$ production and induction of cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity. Conclusion: These findings strongly suggest that the adjuvant effect of DPT in DC vaccination is associated with the polarization of T effector cells toward a Th1 phenotype and provides a potential therapeutic antitumor immunity.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.301-310
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• 1998

Background: Cell mediated immune response mediated by interaction between CD4+ T lymphocytes and macrophagies is thought to play an important role in tuberculous pleurisy. This interaction is dependent on the interplay of various cytokines. The immunologic response of tuberculous pleurisy is thought to depend on the balance between helper T cell(Th1) cytokine Interleukin-12, Interferon gamma and Th2 cytokine IL-4, IL-10. To understand immunologic mechanism in tuberculous pleurisy and evaluate diagnostic value of these cytokines, the concentrations of Th1 cytokine IL-12, IFN -$\gamma$ and Th2 cytokine IL-10 were measured in tuberculous pleurisy and malignant pleural effusion group. Material and Methods: The concentrations of IL-10, IL-12 and IFN-$\gamma$ were measured by ELISA method in pleural fluids and serums of 20 patients with tuberculous pleurisy and 20 patients with malignant pleural effusion ADA activities were measured by spetrophotomery in pleural fluids of both groups. Results: In tuberculous pleurisy, the mean concentrations of IL-10, IL-12 and IFN-$\gamma$ of pleural fluids showed $121.3{\pm}83.7$ pg/mL, $571.4{\pm}472.7$ pg/mL and $420.4{\pm}285.9$ pg/mL. These were significantly higher than that of serum, $21.2{\pm}60.9$ pg/mL, 194.5 pg/mL, $30.1{\pm}18.3$ pg/mL respectively(p< 0.01). In malignant pleural effusion, the mean concentrations of IL-10, IL-12 and IFN-$\gamma$ of pleural fluids showed $88.4{\pm}40.4$ pg/mL, $306.5{\pm}271.1$ pg/mL and $30.5{\pm}54.8$ pg/mL respectively. Compared with that of serum ($43.4{\pm}67.2$ pg/mL, $206.8{\pm}160.6$ pg/mL, $14.6{\pm}3.3$ pg/mL), only IL-10 was significantly higher (p<0.001), but IL-12, IFN-$\gamma$ were not significant. In tuberculous pleural effusion compared with malignant pleural effusion, the concentration of IL-12, IFN-$\gamma$, ADA were significantly higher (p=value 0.046, <0.001, <0.001), but IL-10 was not significant. For differential diagnosis of tuberculous pleurisy from malignant pleural effusion, using cut-off value of IL-12, IFN-$\gamma$, ADA as 300 pg/mL. 100 pg/mL, 45 U/L, the sensitivity/specificity were 60%/70%, 90%/87.5%, 85%/90% respectively. Conclusion: In tuberculous pleurisy, IL-10, IL-12 and IFN-$\gamma$ were selectively concentrated highly in pleural space than serum. Compared with malignant pleural effusion, IL-12 and IFN-$\gamma$ were significantly higher, but IL-10 were not in tuberculous pleural effusion. The results suggest that Th1 pathway contributes to immune resistant mechanism in tuberculous pleurisy. IFN-$\gamma$ and ADA revealed useful methods of differential diagnosis in tuberculous pleurisy from malignant pleural effusion.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.103-109
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• 2011

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of enzymolytic products of soybean meal (ESBM), as one of the protein sources in the diet, on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility and immune function of weaned piglets. Soybean meal produced by bioprocessing with fermentation and enzymolysis contains reduced anti-nutritional factors and improved protein utilization. A total of 240 weaned piglets (Duroc${\times}$Landrace${\times}$Yorkshire, $9.01{\pm}0.22\;kg$ body weight) were randomly allocated to 4 treatments with 6 pens per treatment and 10 piglets per pen. The diets were based on corn-soybean meal and ESBM partially replaced soybean meal and soybean protein isolate at the inclusion level of 5, 10 or 15% in the basal diet. Feed intake and body weight were measured weekly. On days 24 to 27, faeces of each replicate were proportionally collected to determine the nutrient digestibility. On day 28 of the experiment, one piglet from each replicate was slaughtered humanely to collect immune organs. The results showed that inclusion of ESBM increased (p<0.05) the final weight, daily feed intake and daily gain of weaned pigs compared with the control diet, and ESBM at the inclusion levels of 10 and 15% improved (p<0.05) the feed/gain compared with the control diet. There were no differences (p>0.05) in daily feed intake among the levels of ESBM, but increasing the levels of ESBM from 5 to 15% improved (p<0.05) the final weight, average daily gain of pigs and feed/gain. The inclusion of ESBM at 5 to 15% increased (p<0.05) the digestibility of crude protein (CP) by 5 to 16%, and ESBM at 15% increased (p<0.05) the digestibility of digestible energy (DE), Ca and P compared with the control diet. ESBM increased (p<0.05) the relative weights of thymus and mandibular lymph nodes by 57.7 and 29.6%, respectively. The percentages of T lymphocytes, CD4+ and CD8+ in peripheral blood of weaned piglets were also increased (p<0.05) by feeding ESBM. The results suggest that ESBM can be a better protein source in improving growth performance, nutrient digestibility and immune function of weaned piglets.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.10
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• pp.5825-5831
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• 2013

Background/Objectives: Maintenance of cellular function in culture is vital for transfer and development following adoptive immunotherapy. Dual properties of IL-21 in activating T cells and reducing activation induced cell death led us to explore the mechanism of action of IL-21 enhanced proliferation and cytotoxic potential of CIK cells. Method: CIK cells cultured from PBMCs of healthy subjects were stimulated with IL-21 and cellular viability and cytotoxicity to K562 cells were measured. To elucidate the mechanism of action of IL-21, mRNA expression of cytotoxic factors was assessed by RT-PCR and protein expression of significantly important cytotoxic factors and cytokine secretion were determined through flow cytometry and ELISA. Western blotting was performed to check the involvement of the JAK/STAT pathway following stimulation. Results: We found that IL-21 did not enhance in vitro proliferation of CIK cells, but did increase the number of cells expressing the CD3+/CD56+ phenotype. Cytotoxic potential was increased with corresponding increase in perforin ($0.9831{\pm}0.1265$ to $0.7592{\pm}0.1457$), granzyme B ($0.4084{\pm}0.1589$ to $0.7319{\pm}0.1639$) and FasL ($0.4015{\pm}0.2842$ to $0.7381{\pm}0.2568$). Interferon gamma and TNF-alpha were noted to increase ($25.8{\pm}6.1ng/L$ to $56.0{\pm}2.3ng/L$; and $5.64{\pm}0.61{\mu}g/L$ to $15.14{\pm}0.93{\mu}g/L$, respectively) while no significant differences were observed in the expression of granzyme A, TNF-alpha and NKG2D, and NKG2D. We further affirmed that IL-21 signals through the STAT-3 and STAT-5b signaling pathway in the CIK cell pool. Conclusion: IL-21 enhances cytotoxic potential of CIK cells through increasing expression of perforin, granzyme B, IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha. The effect is brought about by the activation of STAT-3 and STAT-5b proteins.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.639-652
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• 2022

The prolyl 3-hydroxylase family member 4 (P3H4), is associated with post-translational modification of fibrillar collagens and aberrantly activated in cancer leading to tumor progression. However, its role in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is still unknown. Here we reported that P3H4 was highly expressed in renal cancer tissues and significantly positive correlated with poor prognosis. Knockdown of P3H4 inhibited the proliferation, migration and metastasis of renal cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, and also, overexpression of it enhanced the oncogenic process. Mechanistically, P3H4 depletion decreased the levels of GDF15-MMP9 axis and repressed its downstream signaling. Further functional studies revealed that inhibition of GDF15 suppressed renal cancer cell growth and GDF15 recombinant human protein (rhGDF15) supplementation effectively rescued the inhibitory effect induced by P3H4 knockdown. Moreover, decreased levels of MMP9 caused by inhibition of P3H4-GDF15 signaling constrained the expression of PD-L1 and suppression of P3H4 accordingly promoted anti-tumor immunity via stimulating the infiltration of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in syngeneic mice model. Taken together, our findings firstly demonstrated that P3H4 promotes ccRCC progression by activating GDF15-MMP9-PD-L1 axis and targeting P3H4-GDF15-MMP9 signaling pathway can be a novel strategy of controlling ccRCC malignancy.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.215-224
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• 1994

The presence of a calcium current $(i_{Ca^{2+}})$ passed via a specific channel was examined in the unfertilized hamster egg using the whole-cell voltage clamp technique. Pure inward current was isolated using a $Ca^{2+}-rich$ pipette solution containing 10 mM TEA. This current was independent of external $Na^+$ and was highly sensitive to the $Ca^{2+}$ concentration in the bathing solution, indicating that the inward current is carried by $Ca^{2+}$. The maximal amplitude was $-4.12{\pm}0.58nA\;(n=12)$ with 10mM $Ca^{2+}$ at -3OmV from a holding potential of -8OmV. This current reached its maximum within 20ms beyond -3OmV and decayed rapidly with an inactivation time constant $({\tau})$ of 15ms. Activation and inactivation of this $i_{Ca^{2+}}$ was steeply dependent on the membrane potential. The $i_{Ca^{2+}}$ began to activate at the lower voltage of -55 mV and reached its peak at -35 mV, being completely inactivated at potentials more positive than -40 mV. These result suggest that $i_{Ca^{2+}}$ in hamster eggs passes through channels with electrical properties similar to low voltage-activated T-type channels. Other results from the present study support this suggestion; First, the inhibitory effect of $Ni^{2+}\;(IC_{50}=13.7\;{\mu}M)$ was more potent than $Cd^{2+}\;(IC_{50}=123\;{\mu}M)$. Second, $Ba^{2+}$ conductance was equal to or below that of $Ca^{2+}$. Third, $i_{Ca^{2+}}$ in hamster eggs was relatively insensitive to nifedipine $(IC_{50}=96.6\;{\mu}M)$, known to be a specific t-type blocker. The physiological role of $i_{Ca^{2+}}$ in the unfertilized hamster eggs remains unclear. Analysis from steady-state inactivation activation curves reveals that only a small amount of this current will pass in the voltage range $(-70{\sim}-30\;mV)$ which partially overlaps with the resting membrane potential. This current has the property that it can be easily activated by a weak depolarization, thus it may trigger a certain kind of a intracellular event following fertilization which may cause oscillations in the membrane potential.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.1636-1648
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• 2006

There are detailed descriptions of the clinical experiences and prescriptions of asthma in traditional Korean medicine. Zedoariae rhizoma is one of the Korean herbal medicines used to treat bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis for centuries. However, the therapeutic mechanisms of this medication are still far from clear, In this study, a house-dust-mite (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus [Der p])-sensitized murine model of asthma was used to evaluate the immunomodulatory effect of Zedoariae rhizoma on the allergen-induced airway inflammation in asthma. Three different protocols were designed to evaluate the treatment and/or long-term prophylacitic effect of Zedoariae rhizoma in Der p-sensitized mice. Cellular infiltration and T-cell subsets in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF)of allergen-challenged mice were analyzed. Intrapulmonary lymphocytes were also isolated to evaluate their response to allergen stimulation. When Zedoariae rhizoma was administered to the sensitized mice before AC (groups A and C), it suppressed airway inflammation by decreasing the number of total cells and eosinophil infiltration in the BALF, and downregulated the allergen- or mitogen-induced intrapulmonary lymphocyte response of sensitized mice as compared to those of controls. This immunomodulatory effect of Zedoariae rhizoma may be exerted through the regulation of T-cell subsets by elevation or activation of the CD8+ and double-negative T-cell population in the lung. However, the administration of Zedoariae rhizoma to sensitized mice 24 h after AC (group B) did not have the same inhibitory effect on the airway inflammation as Zedoariae rhizoma given before AC. Thus, the administration of Zedoariae rhizoma before AC has the immunomodulatory effect of reducing bronchial inflammation in the allergen-sensitized mice. On the other hand, to determine the potentiality of prophylactic and/or therapeutic approaches using a traditional herbal medicine, Zedoariae rhizoma, for the control of allergic disease, we examined the effects of oral administration of Zedoariae rhizoma on a murine model of asthma allergic responses. When oral administration of Zedoariae rhizoma was begun at the induction phase immediately after OVA sensitization, eosinophilia and Th2-type cytokine production in the airway were reduced in OVA-sensitized mice following OVA inhalation. These results suggest that the oral administration of Zedoariae rhizoma dichotomously modulates allergic inflammation in murine model for asthma, thus offering a different approach for the treatment of allergic disorders.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.152-158
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• 2017

Objective: To identify the associations between polymorphisms of the 3'-untranslated region (UTR) of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene, which codes for an important regulatory enzyme primarily involved in folate metabolism, and idiopathic recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) in Korean women. Methods: The study population comprised 369 RPL patients and 228 controls. MTHFR 2572C > A, 4869C > G, 5488C > T, and 6685T > C 3'-UTR polymorphisms were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis or by TaqMan allelic discrimination assays. Natural killer cell proportions were determined by flow cytometry. Results: The MTHFR 2572-5488-6685 (A-C-T) haplotype had an adjusted odds ratio of 0.420 (95% confidence interval, 0.178-0.994; p= 0.048) for RPL. Analysis of variance revealed that MTHFR 4869C > G was associated with altered $CD56^+$ natural killer cell percentages (CC, $17.91%{\pm}8.04%$; CG, $12.67%{\pm}4.64%$; p= 0.024) and folate levels (CC, $12.01{\pm}7.18mg/mL$; CG, $22.15{\pm}26.25mg/mL$; p= 0.006). Conclusion: Variants in the 3'-UTR of MTHFR are potential biomarkers for RPL. However, these results should be validated in additional studies of ethnically diverse groups of patients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.5785-5790
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• 2012

The use of chemotherapeutics induces cardiotoxicity and affects immune functions, therefore development of combinatorial agents against cardiotoxicity and immunosuppression needs to be explored. Previous studies of the hexane insoluble fraction (HIF) of an ethanolic extract of Ficus septica leaves showed anticancer effects singly and in combination with doxorubicin on T47D breast cancer cells. In this present study, it was evaluated for its immunomodulatory activities in doxorubicin-treated rats. Thirty male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into five groups consisting of six rats each as follows: Group 1, receiving oral saline 10 ml/kg BW (control group); Group 2, receiving HIF dose 750 mg/kg BW orally, once daily; Group 3, receiving HIF dose 1.500 mg/kg BW orally, once daily; Group 4, given oral saline 10 ml/kg BW (normal group); Group 5, receiving HIF dose 1.500 mg/kg BW orally, once daily. The rats of group 1-3 were intramuscularly administered with doxorubicin at a dose of 4.67 mg/kg BW at the days 1 and 4 to suppress immune functions. Concomitantly, the rats were treated with saline or HIF for seven consecutive days (1 to 7). Treatment of HIF succeeded in reducing side effects of doxorubicin based on increasing lymphocyte density and phagocytosis activity and capacity of macrophages, as well as increasing the CD8+ blood level and decreasing spleen IL-10 expression. Hexane insoluble fraction of of ethanolic extract of Ficus septica leaves has potential as a protective agent combined with doxorubicin.