• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제46권1호
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• pp.156-166
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• 2022

Background: Panax ginseng Meyer (P. ginseng), a herb distributed in Korea, China and Japan, exerts benefits on diverse inflammatory conditions. However, the underlying mechanism and active ingredients remains largely unclear. Herein, we aimed to explore the active ingredients of P. ginseng against inflammation and elucidate underlying mechanisms. Methods: Inflammation model was constructed by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in C57BL/6 mice and RAW264.7 macrophages. Molecular docking, molecular dynamics, surface plasmon resonance imaging (SPRi) and immunofluorescence were utilized to predict active component. Results: P. ginseng significantly inhibited LPS-induced lung injury and the expression of proinflammatory factors, including TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β. Additionally, P. ginseng blocked fluorescencelabeled LPS (LPS488) binding to the membranes of RAW264.7 macrophages, the phosphorylation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). Furthermore, molecular docking demonstrated that ginsenoside Ro (GRo) docked into the LPS binding site of toll like receptor 4 (TLR4)/myeloid differentiation factor 2 (MD2) complex. Molecular dynamic simulations showed that the MD2-GRo binding conformation was stable. SPRi demonstrated an excellent interaction between TLR4/ MD2 complex and GRo (K_D value of 1.16 × 10^-9 M). GRo significantly inhibited LPS488 binding to cell membranes. Further studies showed that GRo markedly suppressed LPS-triggered lung injury, the transcription and secretion levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β. Moreover, the phosphorylation of NF-κB and MAPKs as well as the p65 subunit nuclear translocation were inhibited by GRo dose-dependently. Conclusion: Our results suggest that GRo exerts anti-inflammation actions by direct inhibition of TLR4 signaling pathway.

• 대한한방내과학회지
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• 제31권2호
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• pp.189-200
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• 2010

Objectives : Regulatory T cells can reduce inflammation and allergic reactions through their inhibitory functions. Gardeniae Fructus(GF) is a Heat-clearing herb used in traditional Korean medicine, and a wide range of studies on its antiinflammatory effects are being carried out. The authors investigated the effect that Gardeniae Fructus has on regulatory T cells. Methods : The authors screened 14 herbs for their effects on regulatory T cells. 100mg of each herb were separately dissolved in 1ml of sterile saline and the supernatant was harvested after 10 minutes of centrifuge at 15,000 rpm. The supernatant was filtered through a 0.2 ${\mu}m$ syringe filter, and the resulting stock was refrigerated at $4^{\circ}C$. The stock was diluted before testing and used at a final concentration of $0.01{\mu}g/ml$. CD4+CD25+ T cells from healthy BALB/c spleens were used as natural regulatory T cells (nTreg), and CD4+CD25- T cells were used as reactive T cells. CD4+CD25+ and CD4+CD25- T cells were activated with anti-CD3e ($10{\mu}g/m{\ell}$)/anti-CD28 ($1{\mu}g/m{\ell}$) and cultured. IL-10 from supernatant of the culture medium was measured by IL-10 cytokine ELISA. The percentages, cell numbers, phenotype and function of CD4+CD25+ Treg cells were determined by flow cytometry. Results : Gardeniae Fructus was shown to be the most potent herb among the 14 herbs tested for suppressing CD4+CD25- reactive T cell proliferation by stimulating CD4+CD25+ natural regulatory T cells. Gardeniae Fructus induces IL-10 secretion increase by stimulating CD4+CD25+ natural regulatory T cells, and indirectly suppresses CD4+CD25- reactive T cell proliferation through increasing CD25 (IL-2 receptor $\alpha$) expression and thus promoting bonding with IL-2. Gardeniae Fructus did not directly affect CD4+CD25- reactive T cell proliferation. Conclusions : Gardeniae Fructus suppressed reactive T cell proliferation through inducing increases in IL-10 secretion and CD25 (IL-2 receptor $\alpha$) expression.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• 제30권1호
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• pp.1-8
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• 2005

The elderly suffer from an impaired immune function being obvious in a higher susceptibility to infections. Although the inflammatory cells are the major immunomodulatory cells, fibroblasts also secrete a variety of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Therefore periodontal tissue aging might playa role in development and progress of periodontitis. In this study, we investigated the effect of in vitro periodontal ligament cellular aging on the inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and matrix metalloprotease(MMP)-2 expression induced by lipopolysaccharide(LPS) treatment. Three different cell populations were used; passages 4-5, 14-15, and 24-25 (at passage 27, more than 90% cells were replicative senescent). LPS increased the expression of interleukin(IL)-1${\beta}$, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$, IL-8, RANTES, and MMP-2. However, the order of induction folds were passages 14-15 > 4-5 > 24-25. While the expression level of Toll-like receptor(TLR) 4 decreased according to the increase in passage number, the level of TLR2 was highest at passages 14-15 and then decreased at passages 24-25. While the spontaneous expression of IL-8 decreased according to the increase in passage number, that of RANTES and proMMP-2 increased according to the increase in passage number. These results suggest that the aging of periodontal ligament fibroblasts differentially affect the role as immunomodulatory cells in response to periodontopathic bacteria and therefore might be another risk factor of periodontitis progression.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제32권2호
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• pp.256-262
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• 2022

Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer is well known as traditional herbal medicine, and ginseng berries are known to exhibit potential immune-enhancing functions. However, little is known about the in vivo immunomodulatory activity of Korean ginseng berries. In this study, crude Korean ginseng berries polysaccharides (GBP) were isolated and their immunomodulatory activities were investigated using cyclophosphamide (CY)-induced immunosuppressive BALB/c mice. In CY-treated mice, oral administration of GBP (50-500 mg/kg BW) remarkably increased their spleen sizes and spleen indices and activated NK cell activities. GBP also resulted in the proliferation of splenic lymphocytes (coordinating with ConA: plant mitogen which is known to stimulate T-cell or LPS: endotoxin which binds receptor complex in B cells to promote the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines) in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, GBP significantly stimulated mRNA expression levels of immune-associated genes including interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in CY-treated mice. These results indicate that GBP is involved in immune effects against CY-induced immunosuppression. Thus, GBP could be developed as an immunomodulation agent for medicinal or functional food application.

• 대한약학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한약학회 2001년도 Proceedings of International Convention of the Pharmaceutical Society of Korea
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• pp.137.1-137.1
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• 2001

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제24권4호
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• pp.387-394
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• 2016

Sepsis, a serious clinical problem, is characterized by a systemic inflammatory response to infection and leads to organ failure. Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling is intimately implicated in hyper-inflammatory responses and tissue injury during sepsis. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors have been reported to exhibit anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the hepatoprotective mechanisms of trichostatin A (TSA), a HDAC inhibitor, associated with TLR signaling pathway during sepsis. The anti-inflammatory properties of TSA were assayed in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Polymicrobial sepsis was induced in mice by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), a clinically relevant model of sepsis. The mice were intraperitoneally received TSA (1, 2 or 5 mg/kg) 30 min before CLP. The serum and liver samples were collected 6 and 24-h after CLP. TSA inhibited the increased production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$ and interleukin (IL)-6 in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. TSA improved sepsis-induced mortality, attenuated liver injury and decreased serum TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-6 levels. CLP increased the levels of TLR4, TLR2 and myeloid differentiation primary response protein 88 (MyD88) protein expression and association of MyD88 with TLR4 and TLR2, which were attenuated by TSA. CLP increased nuclear translocation of nuclear factor kappa B and decreased cytosolic inhibitor of kappa B ($I{\kappa}B$) protein expression, which were attenuated by TSA. Moreover, CLP decreased acetylation of $I{\kappa}B$ kinase (IKK) and increased association of IKK with $I{\kappa}B$ and TSA attenuated these alterations. Our findings suggest that TSA attenuates liver injury by inhibiting TLR-mediated inflammatory response during sepsis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제27권8호
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• pp.1529-1538
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• 2017

Klebsiella pneumoniae is an opportunistic and clinically significant emerging pathogen. We investigated the relative roles of Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 and TLR4 in initiating host defenses against K. pneumoniae. TLR2 knockout (KO), TLR4 KO, TLR2/4 double KO (DKO), and wild-type (WT) mice were inoculated with K. pneumoniae. Mice in each group were sacrificed after either 12 or 24h, and the lungs, liver, and blood were harvested to enumerate bacterial colony-forming units (CFU). Cytokine and chemokine levels were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and real-time PCR, and pneumonia severity was determined by histopathological analysis. Survival was significantly shortened in TLR4 KO and TLR2/4 DKO mice compared with that of WT mice after infection with $5{\times}10^3CFU$. TLR2 KO mice were more susceptible to infection than WT mice after exposure to a higher infectious dose. Bacterial burdens in the lungs and liver were significantly higher in TLR2/4 DKO mice than in WT mice. Serum $TNF-{\alpha}$, MCP-1, MIP-2, and nitric oxide levels were significantly decreased in TLR2/4 DKO mice relative to those in WT mice, and TLR2/4 DKO mice showed significantly decreased levels of $TNF-{\alpha}$, IL-6, MCP-1, and inducible nitric oxide synthase mRNA in the lung compared with those in WT mice. Collectively, these data indicate that TLR2/4 DKO mice were more susceptible to K. pneumoniae infection than single TLR2 KO and TLR4 KO mice. These results suggest that TLR2 and TLR4 play cooperative roles in lung innate immune responses and bacterial dissemination, resulting in systemic inflammation during K. pneumoniae infection.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권6호
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• pp.2935-2940
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• 2016

Breast cancer is the most frequent type of cancer diagnosed among women worldwide and also in Thailand. Estrogen and estrogen receptors exert important roles in its genesis and progression. Several cytokines have been reported to be involved in the microenvironment that promotes distant metastasis via modulation of immune and inflammatory responses to tumor cells. Estrogen receptor genetic polymorphisms and several cytokines have been reported to be associated with breast cancer susceptibility and aggressiveness. To investigate roles of genetic polymorphisms in estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1) and interleukin 6 (IL6), breast cancer patients and control subjects were recruited from the Division of Head, Neck and Breast Surgery (Siriraj Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand). Polymorphisms in ESR1 (rs3798577) and IL6 (rs1800795 and rs1800797) were evaluated by real-time PCR in 391 breast cancer patients and 79 healthy controls. Associations between genetic polymorphisms and clinicopathological data were determined. There was no association between genetic polymorphisms and breast cancer susceptibility. However the ESR1 rs3798577 CT genotype was associated with presence of lymphovascular invasion (OR=2.07, 95%CI 1.20-3.56, p=0.009) when compared to the TT genotype. IL6 rs1800795 CC genotype was associated with presence of extranodal extension (OR= 2.30, 95%CI 1.23-4.31, p=0.009) when compared to the GG genotype. Survival analysis showed that IL6 rs1800797 AG or AA genotypes were associated with lower disease-free survival. These findings indicate that polymorphisms in ESR1 and IL6 contribute to aggressiveness of breast cancer and may be used to identify high risk patients.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제53권2호
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• pp.215-221
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• 2010

목 적 : IgA 신병증은 세계적으로 가장 흔한 사구체 질환으로 최근 들어 interleukin (IL)-17의 면역조절 반응에 있어서의 관련성이 밝혀지고 있다. 이 연구에서는 IL-17RA 유전자의 단일 염기다형성과 소아 IgA 신병증의 발생 및 진행과의 연관성을 알아보고자 하였다. 방 법 : 조직 검사를 통해 확인된 IgA 신병증 환아 156명과 건강한 정상 성인 245명을 대조군으로 하여 말초혈액을 채취하였다. PCR 방법으로 IL-17RA 유전자의 SNP (rs2895332, rs1468488, rs4819553)를 분석하였다. 환자군을 단백뇨(${\leq}4$ and >$4mg/m^2/hr$, ${\leq}40$ and >$40mg/m^2/hr$)와 병리학적 진행 여부에 따라서 두 그룹으로 나누어 IL-17RA SNP와의 연관성을 확인하였다. 결 과 : IgA 신병증 환자군과 정상 대조군에서 IL-17RA 유전자 rs2895332, rs1468488, rs4819553의 발현율은 통계적으로 유의한 차이가 없었다. 또한 IL-17RA 유전자 각각에 대하여, 병리학적 진행성 병변을 가진 군과 그렇지 못한 군 사이에 통계학적으로 유의한 차이가 없었다. 그러나 rs2895332 유전자의 경우, 단백뇨가 있는 군(단백뇨>$4mg/m^2/hr$)과 없는 군(단백뇨${\leq}4mg/m^2/hr$)에서는 두 군간에 통계적으로 유의한 차이를 보였다. 결 론 : IL-17RA 유전자 rs2895332의 단일염기다형성은 소아의 IgA 신병증에서 단백뇨의 발생과 통계학적으로 의미 있는 연관성이 있었다.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제44권4호
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• pp.593-602
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• 2020

Background: Heat stress orchestrates neurodegenerative disorders and results in the formation of reactive oxygen species that leads to cell death. Although the immunomodulatory effects of ginseng are well studied, the mechanism by which ginseng alleviates heat stress in the brain remains elusive. Methods: Rats were exposed to intermittent heat stress for 6 months, and brain samples were examined to elucidate survival and antiinflammatory effect after Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) treatment. Results: Intermittent long-term heat stress (ILTHS) upregulated the expression of cyclooxygenase 2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase, increasing infiltration of inflammatory cells (hematoxylin and eosin staining) and the level of proinflammatory cytokines [tumor necrosis factor α, interferon gamma (IFN-γ), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6], leading to cell death (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling assay) and elevated markers of oxidative stress damage (myeloperoxidase and malondialdehyde), resulting in the downregulation of antiapoptotic markers (Bcl-2 and Bcl-x_L) and expression of estrogen receptor beta and brain-derived neurotrophic factor, key factors in regulating neuronal cell survival. In contrast, KRG mitigated ILTHS-induced release of proinflammatory mediators, upregulated the mRNA level of the antiinflammatory cytokine IL-10, and increased myeloperoxidase and malondialdehyde levels. In addition, KRG significantly decreased the expression of the proapoptotic marker (Bax), did not affect caspase-3 expression, but increased the expression of antiapoptotic markers (Bcl-2 and Bcl-x_L). Furthermore, KRG significantly activated the expression of both estrogen receptor beta and brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Conclusion: ILTHS induced oxidative stress responses and inflammatory molecules, which can lead to impaired neurogenesis and ultimately neuronal death, whereas, KRG, being the antioxidant, inhibited neuronal damage and increased cell viability.