• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.18
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• pp.7995-8001
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• 2014

Interferon-gamma (IFN-${\gamma}$) has been used to treat various malignant tumors. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the direct anti-proliferative activity of IFN-${\gamma}$ are poorly understood. In the present study, we examined the in vitro antitumor activity of IFN-${\gamma}$ on two human non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) cell lines, H322M and H226. Our findings indicated that IFN-${\gamma}$ treatment caused a time-dependent reduction in cell viability and induced apoptosis through a FADD-mediated caspase-8/tBid/mitochondria-dependent pathway in both cell lines. Notably, we also postulated that IFN-${\gamma}$ increased indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) expression and enzymatic activity in H322M and H226 cells. In addition, inhibition of IDO activity by the IDO inhibitor 1-MT or tryptophan significantly reduced IFN-${\gamma}$-induced apoptosis and death receptor 5 (DR5) expression, which suggests that IDO enzymatic activity plays an important role in the anti-NSCLC cancer effect of IFN-${\gamma}$. These results provide new mechanistic insights into interferon-${\gamma}$ antitumor activity and further support IFN-${\gamma}$ as a potential therapeutic adjuvant for the treatment of NCSLC.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.199-205
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• 2015

T-bet is a critical transcription factor that regulates differentiation of Th1 cells from $CD4^+$ precursor cells. Since T-bet directly binds to the promoter of the IFN-${\gamma}$ gene and activates its transcription, T-bet deficiency impairs IFN-${\gamma}$ production in Th1 cells. Interestingly, T-bet-deficient Th cells also display substantially augmented the production of IL-2, a T cell growth factor. Exogenous expression of T-bet in T-bet deficient Th cells rescued the IFN-${\gamma}$ production and suppressed IL-2 expression. IFN-${\gamma}$ and IL-2 reciprocally regulate Th cell proliferation following TCR stimulation. Therefore, we examined the effect of T-bet on Th cell proliferation and found that T-bet deficiency significantly enhanced Th cell proliferation under non-skewing, Th1-skewing, and Th2-skewing conditions. By using IFN-${\gamma}$-null mice to eliminate the anti-proliferative effect of IFN-${\gamma}$, T-bet deficiency still enhanced Th cell proliferation under both Th1- and Th2-skewing conditions. Since the anti-proliferative activity of T-bet may be influenced by IL-2 suppression in Th cells, we examined whether T-bet modulates IL-2-independent cell proliferation in a non-T cell population. We demonstrated that T-bet expression induced by ecdysone treatment in human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells increased IFN-${\gamma}$ promoter activity in a dose dependent manner, and sustained T-bet expression considerably decreased cell proliferation in HEK cells. Although the molecular mechanisms underlying anti-proliferative activity of T-bet remain to be elucidated, T-bet may directly suppress cell proliferation in an IFN-${\gamma}$- or an IL-2-independent manner.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.70-77
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• 2002

Background : Asthma is considered to be an inflammatory disease characterized by airway hyperresponsiveness and pulmonary eosinophilia. Production of cytokines by bronchial epithelial cells may contribute to the local accumulation of inflammatory cells in patients with bronchial asthma. In many recent studies molecular biological methods have been used to investigate the role of cytokines in pathogenesis and new therapeutic targets of asthma. Objective : We aimed to identify the effects of Sochongryong-tang on Serum IL-4, IL-5, $IFN-{\gamma}$ in asthmatic patients. Material and Methods: The subjects consisted of 15 patients with asthma who had been treated with Sochongryong-tang for two weeks from February 2001 through June 2001. Sochongryong-tang is an herbal decoction which has traditionally been used as a therapeutic agent for asthma. Results : The serum IL-4 in asthmatic patients was increased significantly compared to the serum IL-4 in the normal control group. However, the serum IL-5, $IFN-{\gamma}$ in asthmatic patients showed no significant difference from the serum IL-5, $IFN-{\gamma}$ in the normal control group. The patients were treated with Sochongryong-tang for two weeks with no significant difference in the serum IL-4, IL-5, and $IFN-{\gamma}$. Conclusion : This study shows that the serum IL-4 may be a new therapeutic target of asthma. Further long-term studies must be made in a larger number of asthmatic patients.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.362-367
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• 2012

Corn has been used for a long time as a traditional remedy, as well as a food source. We previously reported that in vitro supplementation of corn water extracts enhanced the proliferation of splenocytes, compared to the control group. In this study, we examined the immunomodulative effect of a water extract of corn. Seven to eight weeks old mice(Balb/c) were fed an ad libitum chow diet, and were orally administrated a water extract of corn every other day, for four weeks, at two different concentrations(50 and 500 mg/kg B.W). Cytokine production(IL-2, IL-10 and IFN-${\gamma}$) by macrophages stimulated with LPS or not stimulated with LPS was detected by ELISA assay using the cytokine kit. In an ex vivo study, the cytokines IL-2, IL-10 and IFN-${\gamma}$ were detected at 500 mg/kg b.w. supplementation group with LPS stimulation in all cases. Also, the ratio of IFN-${\gamma}$ to IL-10 was in the range of 0~3 with mitogen stimulation, such as con A and LPS. In conclusion, this study suggests that in mice, corn extracts may enhance immune function by regulating the cytokine production(IL-2, IL-10 and IFN-${\gamma}$) of the activated macrophages.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.20-30
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• 2000

Objective : This experiment was performed in order to study the effect of an aqueous extract of Salviae radix root(SRRAE) on NO production and NOS gene induction from macrophages Methods : To investigate dose-dependent effects of SRRAE for NO release on the $rIFN-{\gamma}-treated$ macrophages, the cells were incubated for 6 hrs in a medium containing $rIFN-{\gamma}$ (5 U/ml), stimulated with SRRAE and incubated in a CO2 incubator. The cells were treated with 5 U/ml $rIFN-{\gamma}$ plus 100 g/ml of SRRAE, Then, the cells were incubated with various concentrations of NGMMA at $37^{\circ}C$ for 48 hrs, Results : SRRAE had no effect on NO production by itself, whereas recombinant $interferon-{\gamma}(rIFN-{\gamma})$ alone showed modest activity, When SRRAE was used in combination with $rIFN-{\gamma}$, there was a marked cooperative induction of NO production in a dose-dependent manner. The optimal effect of SRRAE on NO production was shown at 6hrs after treatment with $rIFN-{\gamma}$. The SRRAE-induced production of NO was inhibited by NG-monomethyl- L-arginine(NGMMA) and arginase. $rIFN-{\gamma}$ in combination with SRRAE showed a marked increase of the expression of the inducible NOS(iNOS) gene. In addition, the effect of SRRAE was mainly dependent on the SRRAE-induced tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}(TNF-{\alpha})$ secretion. Conclusions : SRRAE induces NO production from macrophages as a result of SRRAE-induced $TNF-{\alpha}$ secretion. SRRAE may provide a second signal for synergistic induction of NO production in macrophages already induced to express iNOS gene by $rIFN-{\gamma}$.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.182-187
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• 2003

Background: The mushroom Phellinus linteus (PL) has been shown to have the anti-tumor and immunostimulatory effects. We hypothesized that the hot water extract of PL (WEPL) exerts its significant immunostimulatory effect by inducing production of the Th1-derived cytokine interferon-${\gamma}$ (IFN-${\gamma}$) by T lymphocytes. Methods: T lymphocytes were isolated from the mice fed with 200 mg/kg of WEPL once a day for 4 weeks, and then stimulated with the mitogen concanavaline A (Con A). IFN-${\gamma}$ gene and intracellular protein expressions were analyzed by RT-PCR and flow cytometry, respectively. The production of IFN-${\gamma}$ was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: WEPL significantly enhanced the transcription of IFN-${\gamma}$ mRNA. The effect of WEPL on IFN-${\gamma}$ expression was further supported by a concomitant increase in the number of cells with intracellular IFN-${\gamma}$ protein as well as the secretion of IFN-${\gamma}$. However, WEPL did not modulate either gene expression or protein secretion of interleukin-4, a Th2-associated cytokine, by Con A-stimulated T lymphocytes. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that one of the potentially beneficial anti-tumor and immunostimulatory effects of WEPL may be mediated through the enhancement of IFN-${\gamma}$ secretion by T lymphocytes.

• BMB Reports
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.583-589
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• 2002

The signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)1 is a cytoplasmic-transcription factor that is phosphorylated by Janus kinases (Jak) in response to interferon $\gamma$ (IFN-$\gamma$). The phosphorylated STAT1 translocates to the nucleus, where it turns on specific sets of IFN-$\gamma$-inducible genes, such as the interferon regulatory factor (IRF)-1. We show here that gamma irradiation reduces the IFN-$\gamma$ mRNA expression. The inhibition of the STAT1 phosphorylation and the IRF-1 expression by gamma irradiation was also observed. In contrast, the mRNA levels of IL-5 and transcription factor GATA-3 were slightly induced by gamma irradiation when compared to the non-irradiated sample. Furthermore, we detected the inhibition of cell-mediated immunity by gamma irradiation in the allogenic-mixed lymphocytes' reaction (MLR). These results postulate that gamma irradiation induces the polarized-Th2 response and interferes with STAT1 signals, thereby causing the immunosuppression of the Th1 response.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.10b
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• pp.138.2-139
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• 2003

Apoptosis has been implicated as an important mediator in immunosuppression observed in a depleted nutritional state. The recent report has indicated that IFN-$\gamma$ treated bone marrow macrophages were protected from apoptosis induced by several stimuli in complete medium condition. However, our previous study demonstrated that IFN-$\gamma$ treated peritoneal macrophages were enhanced the apoposis in a depleted nutritional state. Therefor, we investigated the apoptotic regulatory mechanism of IFN-$\gamma$ in malnutrition-induced macrophage. (omitted)

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.20-25
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• 1995

기생충감영시 cytokine으로 활성화된 대식세포가 방어기전의 Effector cell로 작용할 때 분비하는 nitric oxide의 양 및 TNF-$\alpha$ 와 IFN-$\gamma$의 분비정도와 nitric oxide와의 상관관계 등을 알아보기 위하여 3종의 흡충류, Fasciola, paragonimus, Schistosma의 조항원 (100mg/ml)을 마우스 복강내에 주사　 후 24시간, 72시간, 9일간격으로 마우스의 대식세포(1X10$^{6}$/ml)를 분리하여 RPMI 배지 (10% FCS 첨가)에서 48시간 배양후 Nitric TNF-$\alpha$ 및 IFN-$\gamma$를 ELISA로 정량하여 다음과 같은 결과를 얻었다. Nitrite 생성정도는 Fasciola 조항원으로 24시간 감작시킨 대식세포에서 가장 높게 나타났으며 (140$\mu$M/ml) Paragonimus 항원군에서는 24시간에 최고치에 달하였다가(34 $\mu$M/ml) 시간이 경과함에 따라 점차 감소하였다. IFN-$\gamma$는 Paragonimus 항원군에서만 대조군에 비해 높았으며 9일경에 최고치를 보였다(475ng/ml). TNF-$\alpha$는 Schistosoma 항원군에서는 nitric oxide의 생성과 분비 양상이 일치하였다. 위의 결과에 의하면, 흡충류항원으로 감작된 마우스 대식세포의 nitric oxide 생성에 영향을 미치는 cytokine의 종류는 흥충류에 따라 차이를 보였으며, 이 중 Paragonimus 항원에 의해서는 IFN-$\gamma$의 분비가 촉진되는 것으로 나타났고, Schistosoma 의 경우에는 TNF-$\alpha$가 nitric oxide의 생성에 관계함을 알 수 있었다.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.293-298
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to investigate the modification of expression and functionality of the drug transporter P-glycoprotein (P-gp) by tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-${\alpha}$) and interferon-gamma (IFN-${\gamma}$) at the blood-brain barrier (BBB). We used immortalized human brain microvessel endothelial cells (iHBMEC) and primary human brain microvessel endothelial cells (pHBMEC) as in vitro BBB model. To investigate the change of p-gp expression, we carried out real time PCR analysis and Western blotting. To test the change of p-gp activity, we performed rhodamin123 (Rh123) accumulation study in the cells. In results of real time PCR analysis, the P-gp mRNA expression was increased by TNF-${\alpha}$ or IFN-${\gamma}$ treatment for 24 hr in both cell types. However, 48 hr treatment of TNF-${\alpha}$ or IFN-${\gamma}$ did not affect P-gp mRNA expression. In addition, co-treatment of TNF-${\alpha}$ and IFN-${\gamma}$ markedly increased the P-gp mRNA expression in both cells. TNF-${\alpha}$ or IFN-${\gamma}$ did not influence P-gp protein expression whatever the concentration of cytokines or duration of treatment in both cells. However, P-gp expression was increased after treatments of both cytokines together in iHBMEC cells only compared with untreated control. Furthermore, in both cell lines, TNF-${\alpha}$ or IFN-${\gamma}$ induced significant decrease of P-gp activity for 24 hr treatment. And, both cytokines combination treatment also decreased significantly P-gp activity. These results suggest that P-gp expression and function at the BBB is modulated by TNF-${\alpha}$ or/and IFN-${\gamma}$. Therefore, the distribution of P-gp depending drugs in the central nervous system can be modulated by neurological inflammatory diseases.