• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.35-46
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• 2017

The process of spontaneous abortion involves a complex mechanism with various cytokines, growth factors, and hormones during the pregnancy. However, the mechanism underlying spontaneous abortion by pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the serum during the pregnancy is not fully understood. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the serum levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and spontaneous abortion using the $CBA/j{\times}DBA/2$ mouse model. Serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as $IFN-{\gamma}$, $IL-1{\alpha}$ and $TNF-{\alpha}$ were not increased in abortion model mice, but anti-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-4, IL-13 and IL-1ra were decreased compared to normal pregnant mice. In addition, serum levels of chemokine, such as SDF-1, G-CSF, M-CSF, IL-16, KC and MCP-1 were decreased in abortion model mice compared to normal pregnant mice. However, the expression levels of nesfatin-1/NUCB2 mRNA and protein in the uteri of implantation sites were significantly higher in abortion model mice than normal pregnant mice. These results suggest that uterine nesfatin-1/NUCB2 expression may be down-regulated by inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in the serum of pregnant mice. Moreover, this study suggests the possibility that nesfatin-1/NUCB2 expressed in the implantation sites may be associated with the maintenance of pregnancy.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권10호
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• pp.5281-5286
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• 2012

Purpose: Receptor 7 (CXCR7) has recently been characterized as a novel receptor for CXCL12/SDF-1 (stromal cell derived factor-1). Given the demonstrated importance of CXCL12/SDF-1 in angiogenesis and tumour metastasis, we hypothesized that CXCR7 may also play a role in tumour pathogenesis. Located in the limited space of the intracranial cavity, any brain tumours can be inherently serious and life-threatening. However, the expression of CXCR7 in pituitary adenoma, neurilemmoma or hemangioblastoma remains to be elucidated. Therefore, we aimed to determine the potential contribution of CXCR7 in the development of brain tumours. Methods: In this study we examined and quantified the mRNA expression of CXCR7 in four different human brain tumours - 27 patients with neurilemmoma (8 patients), pituitary adenoma (7 patients), hemangioblastoma (6 patients), or meningioma (6 patients) undergoing surgical resection in the West China Hospital of Sichuan University. There were 15 females and 12 males aged from 28 to 70 years old. Total RNA was isolated and mRNA was measured by quantitative real-time RT-PCR. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed using SPSS 11.0 statistical software to compare the mRNA levels of CXCR7 among four groups. Results: We found that CXCR7 mRNA was detected in all tumour samples. Quantitative results showed that the levels of CXCR7 mRNA in brain tissues from patients with neurilemmoma or meningioma were significantly higher than those with pituitary adenoma or hemangioblastoma. Conclusions: The results suggest that the CXCR7 may play a role in progression, metastasis and angiogenesis of brain tumours.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• 제17권5호
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• pp.855-869
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic disease with an increasing incidence globally; therefore, there is a growing demand for natural compounds effective in treating dermatitis. In this study, the protective effects of Lycium barbarum leaves with and without chlorophyll (LLE and LLE[Ch-]) on AD were investigated in animal models of AD and HaCaT cells. Further, we investigated whether LLE and LLE(Ch-) show any differences in physiological activity. MATERIALS/METHODS: AD was induced by 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) for three weeks, while NC/Nga mice were fed LLE or LLE(Ch-) extracts for 7 weeks. Serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) and cytokine (tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α, interleukin [IL]-6, and IL-4) concentrations and the degree of DNA fragmentation in lymphocytes were examined. A histopathological examination (haematoxylin & eosin staining and blue spots of toluidine) of the dorsal skin of mice was performed. To elucidate the mechanism of action, the expression of the thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC) and macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC) were measured in HaCaT cells. RESULTS: Serum IgE and cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6) levels as well as DNA fragmentation of lymphocytes were significantly decreased in AD-induced mice treated with LLE or LLE(Ch-) compared to those of the control group. The epidermal thickness of the dorsal skin and mast cell infiltration in the LLE group significantly reduced compared to that in the control group. The LLE extracts showed no cytotoxicity up to 1,000 ㎍/mL in HaCaT cells. LLE or LLE(Ch-)-treated group showed a reduction of TARC and MDC in TNF-α-and IFN-γ-stimulated HaCaT cells. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that LLE potentially improves inflammation by reducing the expression of chemokines that inhibit T helper 2 cell migration. LLE(Ch-) showed similar effects to LLE on blood levels of IgE, TNF-α and IL-6 and protein expression in HaCat cells, but the ultimate effect of skin improvement was not statistically significant. Therefore, both LLE and LLE(Ch-) can be used as functional materials to alleviate AD, but LLE(Ch-) appears to require more research to improve inflammation.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.67-78
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• 2007

Interferon-${\gamma}$ (IFN-${\gamma}$)의 주된 생산세포는 림프구이며 주로 Interleukin-18(IL-18)에 의해 생산이 된다. IP-10은 IFN-${\gamma}$에 의해 유도, 생산되는 대표적인 케모카인이다. 따라서 본 연구는 마우스 복강내 대식세포에서의 IL-18에 의한 IP-10의 생산 여부를 관찰하고자하였다. IL-18은 마우스 복강내 대식세포에서 IP-10의 발현을 직접적으로 유도 하지는 않았다. 그러나 대식세포에 지다당질을 처리하기 전 IL-18을 전 처리 시킨 결과 지다당질에 의해 유도된 IP-10의 발현이 항진되어 나타남을 확인하였다. 이러한 항진 효과는 IL-18 전처리 16시간에 나타났으며, 이때 NF-${\kappa}B$의 활성이 IP-10의 발현 항진과 일치함을 확인하였다. 비록 IL-18이 IP-10을 직접적으로 발현시키지는 못하나 NF-${\kappa}B$의 활성을 통하여 IL-18의 적정시간에 따른 전 처리시 IP-10 발현의 항진은 케모카인 발현에있어 IL-18의 작용기전을 이해하는데 유용한 자료가 될 것이다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제10권5호
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• pp.599-605
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• 2000

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is responsible for the tissue injury that occurs following the invasion of multicelluar organisms by Gram-negative microbes. The effect of LPS on IFN-$\gamma$-induced chemokine Mig gene expression in mouse peritoneal macrophages was investigated. Very little Mig mRNA was detectable upon exposure to LPS without IFN-$\gamma$. Although LPS alone is only minimally effective, LPS plus IFN-$\gamma$ synergized to produce a high level of Mig mRNA in the peritoneal macrophages. This synergy was not dependent on a new protein synthesis, and was not controlled at the level of the gene transcription. Futhermore, LPS did not increase IFN-$\gamma$-induced Mig mRNA stability. Accordingly, it is suggested the LPS may synergize the expression of IFN-$\gamma$-induced Mig mRNA through a process that depends on a pretranscriptional level or concurrent Mig mRNA translation.

• 한국식품영양학회지
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• 제15권3호
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• pp.191-196
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• 2002

마늘의 주요 성분인 allicin투여 후 유도되는 사람 말초혈액의 단핵구의 유전자 발현에 미치는allicin의 효과를 규명하였다. DNA microarray를 이용하여, allicin이 chemokines, cytokine, 면역관련 유전자 및 신호전달 관련 유전자의 발현을 유도하는 것을 확인하였다. 반대로 allicin은 Th1 type의 획득면역 관련 유전자의 발현을 억제하였다. 염증세포에 있어서 allicin은 억제효과 및 자극 효과를 동시에 보여주었다. 이는 allicin이 휴지기 세포에서 먼저 증가시킨 특정 유전자의 발현을 이후에 감소시키는 결과를 보여주는 것으로 positive와 negative 효과를 발휘하는 새로운 기전을 제시하는 것이다. Allicin에 대한 광범위하고 새로운 관심을 고려해 볼 때 본 연구에서 보여주는 많은 유전자의 발현 양상은 좀 더 특정적이고 효과적인 치료법을 고안하는 데 유용할 것이다.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제16권5호
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• pp.840-849
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• 2006

외부 병원체의 침입에 의한 병원독소로 발병된 뇌염증에서 미성숙뇌는 성숙뇌에서 보다 많은 백혈구의 침윤을 일으킨다. 케모카인은 뇌염증부위로 염증세포의 침윤을 매개하는 물질이다. 본 연구는 미성숙뇌의 뇌염증에서 백혈구침윤의 기전을 연구하기 위하여 내독소로 유발된 뇌염증에서 케모카인의 일종인 MCP-1, $MIP-1{\alpha}$, MIP-2의 발현을 연구하였다. 신생쥐와 성숙쥐의 미상핵 국소에 LPS $(0.5\;{\mu}g/{\mu}l)$를 정위주사 한 후 시간대별로 RT-PCR과 면역조직화학검사을 통하여 각각 mRNA상과 단백질상에서의 발현을 비교분석하였다. 광학현미경상 LPS 주입 후 6 시간 후부터 주사부위의 염증세포의 침윤이 시작되었으며 24 시간 후에 가장 뚜렷한 현상을 보였다. RT-PCR 결과, MCP-1, $MIP-1{\alpha}$, MIP-2 mRNA 발현은 24 시간 때에 최고치를 나타냈었다. 미성숙뇌의 각 케모카인의 mRNA발현은 성숙뇌에 비해 MCP-1은 약 2.6배, $MIP-1{\alpha}$는 약 1.4배, MIP-2는 약 1.2배 발현양이 더 많다. 면역조직화학검사는 광학현미경결과와 RT-PCR결과와 상응하여 각 케모카인들이 24 시간 때에 가장 양성반응이 뚜렷이 나타났다. 이러한 현상은 뇌염증에서 백혈구의 침윤은 케모카인을 생성하는 소교세포, 성상세포, 내피세포 등의 영향을 받는 기전에 의하여 조절되었다는 것을 나타내며 이들 케모카인 형성환경의 역할을 명확히 밝히고 질병의 진행에서 케모카인의 활성을 조정하는 방법을 연구하면 향후 뇌염증을 포함한 여러 가지질환에서 신경세포의 손상을 막는 치료법의 개발이 가능하게 될 것이다.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권10호
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• pp.4291-4295
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• 2015

Background: Chemokines and their receptors influence carcinogenesis and cysteine-cysteine chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) directs spread of cancer to other tissues. A 32 base pair deletion in the coding region of CCR5 that might alter the expression or function of the protein has been implicated in a variety of immune-mediated diseases. The action of antiviral drugs being proposed as adjuvant therapy in cancer is dependent on CCR5 wild type status. In the present study, distribution of CCR5${\Delta}32$ polymorphism was assessed in North Indian esophageal cancer patients to explore the potential of using chemokine receptors antagonists as adjuvant therapy. Materials and Methods: DNA samples of 175 sporadic esophageal cancer patients (69 males and 106 females) and 175 unrelated healthy control individuals (69 males and 106 females) were screened for the CCR5${\Delta}32$ polymorphism by direct polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: The frequencies of wild type homozygous (CCR5/CCR5), heterozygous (CCR5/${\Delta}32$) and homozygous mutant (${\Delta}32/{\Delta}32$) genotypes were 96.0 vs 97.72%, 4.0 vs 1.71% and 0 vs 0.57% in patients and controls respectively. There was no difference in the genotype and allele frequencies of CCR5${\Delta}32$ polymorphism in esophageal cancer patients and control group. Conclusions: The CCR5${\Delta}32$ polymorphism is not associated with esophageal cancer in North Indians. As the majority of patients express the wild type allele, there is potential of using antiviral drug therapy as adjuvant therapy.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제14권4호
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• pp.235-240
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• 2010

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) functionally expressed in salivary epithelial cells, but their roles remain elusive. Among TLRs family, TLR3 is activated by dsRNA, a byproduct of viral infection. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of TLR3 in the inflammatory immune responses using HSG cells. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), real-time PCR and ELISA were performed to identify expression of TLRs and TLR3-mediated chemokine inductions. The chemotaxis assay of activated T lymphocytes was also performed. Treatment of HSG cells with polyinosinic: polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)) significantly increased interferon-$\gamma$-inducible protein 10 (IP-10), interferoninducible T-cell $\alpha$ chemoattractant (I-TAC), and regulated on activation, normal T-cells expressed and secreted (RANTES) gene expressions in a concentration-dependent manner. Anti-TLR3 antibody blocked the increases of IP-10 and I-TAC genes. Poly(I:C)-induced increases of IP-10 and I-TAC were also confirmed at protein levels from cell lysates, but their release into extracellular medium was detected only in IP-10. We found that the culture media from HSG cells stimulated with poly(I:C) significantly increases T lymphocyte migration. Our results suggest that TLR3 plays an important role in chemokine induction, particularly IP-10, in salivary epithelial cells.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• 제63권1호
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• pp.95-101
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• 2020

건선(psoriasis)은 인체 피부조직 중 표피의 과증식 및 다양한 크기의 홍반, 인설 등이 동반되는 난치성 자가면역 피부질환이다. 건선 피부염 발병 기작은 명확히 규명되지 않았으나 각질 형성세포의 과분화 과정에 관여하는 염증성 cytokine과 Th17 세포를 포함한 면역세포를 염증부위로 유인하는 chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 20 (CCL20)이 발병과정에 관여하는 것으로 알려진다. 따라서 건선치료에 효과적인 천연 소재를 발굴하기 위해 예로부터 항염증 활성이 알려진 익지인(Alpiniaoxyphylla Miquel)의 유효성분인 yakuchinone-A의 건선 피부염 개선효과를 연구하였다. 먼저 CCK-8 assay 통해 human keratinocyte (HaCaT) 세포에 tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)와 yakuchinone-A를 동시 처리하여 세포독성을 관찰한 결과, yakuchinone-A는 10 ㎍/mL까지 세포독성이 관찰되지 않았다. TNF-α를 HaCaT 세포에 처리하여 염증을 유발한 후 yakuchinone-A를 농도별로 처리한 결과 IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α 등 건선 피부염 유발 cytokine의 mRNA 발현이 각각 61.4±7.5, 23.6±1.5, 46.0±4.8% 수준으로 감소하였고, Th17 세포를 유인하는 chemokine인 CCL20 또한 yakuchinone-A에 의해 유의적으로 억제되었다. 또한 CCL20 발현에 관여하는 NF-κB/IκB pathway에서 IκB 인산화 및 STAT3 인산화가 yakuchinone-A에 의해 79.1±5.0, 80.8±2.3% 수준만큼 농도 의존적으로 억제되었다. 마지막으로 Th17 세포에 의해 분비되는 IL-17A에 의해 활성화된 HaCaT 세포에 yakuchinone-A를 처리한 결과, CCL20 mRNA발현이 농도의존적으로 감소하였다. 이러한 결과들을 토대로 yakuchinone-A는 건선 피부염 개선 활성을 가지며, 향후 새로운 건선 피부염 개선 소재로 개발될 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.