• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.32 no.3 s.58
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• pp.135-140
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• 2006

Nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) is a critical transcription factor for maximal expression of many of the cytokines that are involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases. In this study, we found that 12 plant extracts among 200 plants, namely, Forsythia koreana, Capsicum annuum L, Mentha arvenis, Duchesnea chrysantha, Morus alba, Saururus Chinenis (Lour) Baill, Pine needle, Zingiber mioga (Thunb.), Roscoe, Houttuynia, Prunus yedoenis, Sasa quelpaertenis, significantly inhibited LPS- induced NF-kappaB activation in a concentration-dependent manner. Additionally, 12 plant extracts were found to have antioxidant activities in DPPH assay Therefore, we have attempted to determine whether 12 herbal extracts could inhibit the expression of cytokines possessing NF-kappaB promoter in their promoter regions. Consistently 12 herbal extracts inhibited LPS-induced production of TNF alpha and interleukin-8 (IL-8). These results show that 12 herbal extracts suppresses the production of pro-inflammatory mediators through the inhibition of the NF-kappaB signaling pathway, we suggest that 12 herbal extracts can be used as a anti-inflammatory and soothing agent.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.1209-1215
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• 2003

This study was carried out to establish a quantitative analysis method of separating immuno-activating substance (EN-SP) from Acanthopanax senticosus (A. senticosus) by competitive direct ELISA. Mouse antiserum (anti-EN-SP) against EN-SP was generated by immunization (s.c.) of EN-SP purified from A. senticosus as an immunogen. The titer of anti-EN-SP was about 1 : 400, and the optimal dilution of EN-SP-HRP conjugate was 1 : 1,000. When the standard curve was constructed by ELISA, its sensitivity was about $0.2{\mu}g/mL$. The coefficient variation of intra- and inter-assay were $6.13{\sim}8.81%$ and $6.73{\sim}8.60%$, respectively. According to the standard curve, the concentration of EN-SP in various senticosus extracts was found to be only $59.85\;{\mu}g$ in 10mg of extract from the bark of A. senticosus. Similarly, the immunostimulating activity to produce $TNF-{\alpha}$ or IL-12 among the various extracts of Acanthopanax was shown to be correlated with the content of EN-SP. These results demonstrated that competitive ELISA was a convenient, fast, reproducible, and accurate method for the determination of EN-SP as an immunologically active standard substance in extract of A. senticosus.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.61-70
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• 2018

We developed a Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) kit for detecting IgG/IgM antibodies against Zika virus (ZIKV) using monoclonal antibodies to the envelope (E) and non-structural protein 1 (NS1) of ZIKV. These proteins were produced using baculovirus expression vector with Sf9 cells. Monoclonal antibodies J2G7 to NS1 and J5E1 to E protein were selected and conjugated with colloidal gold to produce the Zika IgG/IgM RDT kit (Zika RDT). Comparisons with ELISA, plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT), and PCR were done to investigate the analytical sensitivity of Zika RDT, which resulted in 100% identical results. Sensitivity and specificity of Zika RDT in a field test was determined using positive and negative samples from Brazil and Korea. The diagnostic accuracy of Zika RDT was fairly high; sensitivity and specificity for IgG was 99.0 and 99.3%, respectively, while for IgM it was 96.7 and 98.7%, respectively. Cross reaction with dengue virus was evaluated using anti-Dengue Mixed Titer Performance Panel (PVD201), in which the Zika RDT showed cross-reactions with DENV in 16.7% and 5.6% in IgG and IgM, respectively. Cross reactions were not observed with West Nile, yellow fever, and hepatitis C virus infected sera. Zika RDT kit is very simple to use, rapid to assay, and very sensitive, and highly specific. Therefore, it would serve as a choice of method for point-of-care diagnosis and large scale surveys of ZIKV infection under clinical or field conditions worldwide in endemic areas.

• Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.144-151
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• 2016

Background: Immunoregulatory elements have emerged as useful immunotherapeutic agents against cancer. In traditional medicine, Mori folium, the leaf of Morus alba L. (Moraceae), has been used for various medicinal purposes; however, the immunomodulatory effects have not been fully identified. We evaluated the immunoenhancing potential of water extract of Mori folium (WEMF) in murine RAW264.7 macrophages. Methods: RAW264.7 cells were treated with WEMF for 24 hours and cell viability was detected by an MTT method. Nitric oxide (NO) levels in the culture supernatants were assayed using Griess reagent. The productions of prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) and immune-related cytokines was measured using ELISA detection kits. The mRNA and protein expression levels of Inducible NO synthase, COX-2, and cytokines were assayed by reverse transcription-PCR and Western blotting, respectively. The effect of WEMF on phagocytic activity was measured using a Phagocytosis Assay Kit. Results: WEMF significantly stimulated the production of NO and $PGE_2$ as immune response parameters at noncytotoxic concentrations, which was associated with the increased expression of inducible NO synthase and COX-2. The release and expression of cytokines, such as $TNF-{\alpha}$, interleukin $(IL)-1{\beta}$, IL-6, and IL-10, were also significantly increased in response to treatment with WEMF. Moreover, WEMF promoted the macrophagic differentiation of RAW264.7 cells and the resulting phagocytosis activity. Conclusions: WEMF has the potential to modulate the immune function by regulating immunological parameters. Further studies are needed to identify the active compounds and to support the use of WEMF as an immune stimulant.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.309-314
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• 2005

We performed a basic experiment for the rapid, on-line, real-time measurement of hepatitis B surface antigen using a surface plasmon resonance biosensor. We immobilized anti­HBsAg (hepatitis B surface antigen) polyclonal antibody, as a ligand, to the dextran layer on a CM5 chip surface that had previously been activated by N-hydroxysuccinimide. A sample solution containing HBsAg was fed through a microfluidic channel, and the reflecting angle change due to the mass increase from the binding was detected. The binding characteristics between HBsAg and its polyclonal antibody followed the typical monolayer adsorption isotherm. When the entire immobilized antibody had interacted, no additional, non-specific binding occurred, suggesting the immunoreaction was very specific. The bound antigen per unit mass of the antibody was independent of the immobilized ligand density. No significant steric hindrance was observed at an immobilization density of approximately $17.6 ng/mm^2$. The relationship between the HBsAg concentration in the sample solution and the antigen bound to the ligand was linear up to ca. $40{\mu}g$/mL. This linearity was much higher than that of the ELISA method. It appeared the anti­gen-antibody binding increased as the immobilized ligand density increased. In summary, this study showed the potential of this SPR biosensor-based method as a rapid, simple and multi­sample on-line assay. Once properly validated, it may serve as a more efficient method for HBsAg quantification for replacing the ELISA.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.151-156
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• 2010

This survey was carried out to investigate the seroprevalence of antibodies to Neospora caninum in Korean indigenous cattle that was raised in central area province Gyeongnam, Korea. A total of 719 sera were tested for N. caninum antibodies using ELISA (Herdcheck anti-Neospora, IDEXX Laboratories Inc., Westbrook, Maine USA). Seroprevalence of individual and farm were 29.8%(214/719) and 53.2%(50/94). Regional seropositive rates of the samples were 61%(47/77), 23.3%(7/30), 13.8%(49/355), 37.6%(77/205), 65.4%(34/52) at Changwon, Jinhae, Gimhae, Miryang, Yangsan, respectively. It showed difference at the age and on the herd size of farms. A herd of cattle above the age of 5 was more infective than under 4 years. And in seroprevalence by herd size farms having under 30 heads was top(35.7%). Seropositive 214 herds of N. caninum antibidies were tested for brucellosis by test tube. Positive rate of double infection was 16.4%(35/214).

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.167-172
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• 2010

An immunochromatograhy (IC) based infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) detection kit, which employed two anti-IBDV VP2 monoclonal antibodies, was evaluated for rapid diagnosis of infectious bursal disease virus (IBD). The detection limit of the IC kit for IBDV was $10^{3.1}$ to $10^{3.9}$ $EID_{50}$/mL, indicating that the IC kit detected IBDV sensitively as same as double antigen capture ELISA but less than a RT-PCR assay. The IC kit did not detect other viral pathogens such as Newcastle disease virus, infectious bronchitis, avian influenza virus, and infectious larynotracheitis virus. When applied to tissue samples of experimental chickens died 3 or 4 days post infection after very virulent IBDV (strain Kr/D62) infection, the IC kit detected IBDV in all samples of the bursa of Fabricius, spleen, kidney, cecal tonsil and in 87.5%, 37.5% and 0% of liver, thymus and proventriculus samples. In particular, BF tissue samples showed stronger signal bands than other tissues. Positive signal was observed. All except for one thymus sample of samples having negative results by the IC kit showed the same result with DAS-ELISA but RT-PCR assay detected IBDV in some of IC kit negative samples of thymus and proventriculus. When swab samples from the bursa of Fabricius of dead chickens (n=231) on field farms were tested, the sensitivity and specificity of the IC assay relative to RT-PCR was 100% (109/109) and 97.5% (119/122), respectively and kappa value between both assay was 0.97. The kit can provide a useful aid for rapid detection of IBDV in chickens under field circumstances.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.477-480
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• 2015

A total number of 100 fecal samples were examined for the presence of Giardia intestinalis infection in dogs using a Giardia ELISA kit (SNAP$^{(R)}$ test, IDEXX Laboratories, Inc., Westbrook, ME). 49 males and 51 females were examined for a G. intestinalis infection in Daejeon and Chungnam area of South Korea. The overall positive rate of G. intestinalis infection was 12.00%. G. intestinalis infection resulted to be more prevalent in males (12.24%) than in females (11.76%), and in symptomatic dogs (18.18%) than in asymptomatic dogs (11.54%). There were no significant differences between the two groups. 19.60% being found in the < 2-year-old group, 4.08% in the over 2 year-old group. $X^2$ analysis revealed a significantly higher prevalence (p < 0.05) in the < 2-year-old group than in the other, and a significantly higher prevalence in dogs kept in a shared kennel (36.00%, p < 0.001). This study is the first survey of G. intestinalis infection prevalence in South Korea according to life style (particularly between dogs kept in a shared kennel and that of dogs kept separately) using an ELISA kit, and this study is expected to provide a useful reference for clinicians and breeders.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.320-328
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• 2016

Purpose: Human saliva, as a vital part of the immune defense system, contains a number of distinct proteins and peptides. Recently human common salivary protein 1 (CSP1) has been identified as an abundant salivary protein and may play a role in promoting the binding of cariogenic bacteria to salivary pellicles. However, nothing else is known regarding the role of CSP1 in periodontology. The aim of this study was to quantify and compare CSP1 levels between healthy subjects and periodontal patients. Methods: This controlled clinical study was conducted in periodontally healthy individuals and patients with chronic periodontitis Chonbuk National University Hospital, with Institutional Review Board approval. Whole saliva samples were collected from 36 healthy subjects and 33 chronic periodontitis patients and analyzed. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immune blotting were conducted to ensure that anti-CSP1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) binds to CSP1 in human saliva. A sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) system was house-fabricated using mAb-hCSP1#14 and mAb-hCSP1#4 as a capture and a detector mAb, respectively. The CSP1 concentrations in saliva from 36 healthy subjects and 33 periodontal patients were quantified using the CSP1 sandwich ELISA system, and the results were analyzed using the Student's t-test. Results: Immunoblot analysis using mAb-hCSP1 as a probe confirmed that CSP1 in human saliva existed as a single band with a molecular weight of approximately 27-kDa. The quantification of CSP1 concentrations by CSP1 ELISA showed that the median values (25th to 75th percentiles) of periodontal patients and healthy subjects were 9,474 ng/mL (range, 8,434.10,139 ng/mL) and 8,598 ng/mL (range, 7,421.9,877 ng/mL), respectively. The Student's t-test indicated the presence of a statistically significant difference between the 2 groups (P=0.024). Conclusions: The presence of a significant difference in CSP1 levels between healthy subjects and periodontal patients suggests that CSP1 may be a potential biomarker for the detection or screening of periodontitis patients.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 2006.04a
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• pp.139-149
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• 2006

Amyloid beta (A$\beta$) is believed one of the major pathogens of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and the reduction of A$\beta$ is considered a primary therapeutic target. Immunization with A$\beta$ can reduce A$\beta$ burden and pathological features in transgenic AD model mouse. This means anti-A$\beta$ autoantibodies may have a role in AD pathology. Recent findings suggest anti-A$\beta$ autoantibodies level decrease in AD patients. The early detection of AD is important for treatment of this disease. However, diagnosis on AD has only been possible through limited methods such as neuropsychological examination or MRI. To investigate whether it was possible to detect the presence and different levels of naturally occurring anti-A$\beta$ autoantibodies in the plasma of patients with AD and age-matched controls. An advanced ELISA was performed to detect levels of naturally occurring anti-A$\beta$ autoantibodies in the plasma. The level of anti-A$\beta$ auto-antibodies from patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease or stroke and from normal controls were compared to that of AD patients. Our results showed a significantly lower anti-A$\beta$ autoantibodies level in AD compared to those with other neurological diseases or control. The level of anti-A$\beta$ autoantibodies in the serum may be used to diagnose the presence of AD.