• Food Science and Industry
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.241-260
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• 2019

Prebiotics are defined as substrates that are selectively utilized by host microorganisms conferring various health benefits. Current prebiotic researches not only focus on non-digestible oligosaccharides, but also extend to polyphenols and peptides. However, the extended scope of prebiotic research pertains its original purposes: promotion of beneficial bacteria in host guts and production of valuable metabolites. Maintenance of optimal gut microflora plays a key role in host health care benefits including anti-cancer activity, immune response modulation, blood lipid level reduction, increased mineral absorption, and weight loss. With increasing probiotics markets, prebiotics have also received much attention in functional food markets. Hence, many global food companies tempt to develop new prebiotics applicable for preventing human diseases as well as modulating immune system. In this review, we discuss current status of prebiotics research, market progress, and future perspectives of prebiotics.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.396-412
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• 2022

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify the clinical features of post-acute COVID-19 syndrome and the efficacy and safety of Korean medicine treatment. Methods: This study was conducted on 15 patients with post-acute COVID-19 syndrome who visited the outpatient Allergy, Immune, and Respiratory System Department at Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital from January 10, 2021 to April 10, 2022. We retrospectively analyzed the charts of 15 patients and collected clinical characteristics, Korean medicine treatments, outcome variables (Numeral Rating Scale (NRS), modified Medical Research Council scale (mMRC), Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ), Quality of Life Visual Analog Scale (QOL-VAS), The Post-COVID-19 Functional Status (PCFS)), adverse events, etc. Results: Of the 15 patients, seven (46.7%) were men, and the average age of all patients was 49.7±13 years. The most common symptom was cough (n=9, 60%), and it was followed by dyspnea or increased respiratory effort, fatigue, insomnia, anosmia, etc. The herbal medicine was prescribed for all 15 patients, and Saengmaek-san (n=8, 53.5%) was the most prescribed. Additionally, acupuncture and cupping were performed in four patients (26.7%) each, and electroacupuncture was applied to one patient (6.7%). As a result of Korean medicine treatment, NRS, mMRC, LCQ, QOL-VAS, and PCFS showed improvement, and adverse events were mild. Conclusions: This study presented the clinical features of post-acute COVID-19 syndrome and suggested that Korean medicine treatment may be effective in alleviating related symptoms and enhancing quality of life.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.500-506
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• 2006

An experiment was conducted with twenty crossbred male calves (7-15 days old) divided into 4 different experimental groups on the basis of body weights to study the effect of vitamin E supplementation on the serum ${\alpha}$-tocopherol concentration and immune response of the calves. All the calves were fed on milk and calf starter up to 13 weeks and afterwards, they were fed on concentrate mixture and oat hay up to 32 weeks of age. In addition, the calves in groups I, II, III and IV were supplemented with 0, 125, 250 and 500 IU feed grade DL-${\alpha}$-tocopheryl acetate, respectively. Blood samples were collected at 0 day and subsequently at 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8 months of age to monitor the serum ${\alpha}$-tocopherol concentration in crossbred calves. After 24 weeks of experimental feeding, 4 animals from each group were intramuscularly inoculated with single dose (3 ml) of Haemorrhagic septiceaemia (Pasteurella multocida P52 strain) oil adjuvant vaccine. The cumulative group mean serum ${\alpha}$-tocopherol concentration (${\mu}g/100ml$) was 88.12, 210.11, 235.21 and 294.02 in-groups I, II, III and IV, respectively and differed significantly (p<0.001) among the four groups. Lymphocyte stimulation indices (LSI) did not differ among the groups significantly. The pooled mean ELISA antibody titer against Pasteurella multocida (P52 strain) was 788.02, 926.85, 1,214.00 and 1,109.51 for group I, II, III and IV, respectively, which indicated higher antibody titer in groups supplemented with vitamin E as compared to the control group. It may be concluded that vitamin E supplementation increased the ${\alpha}$-tocopherol concentration in serum and dietary supplementation of vitamin E at higher level has a humoral immune enhancing effect against killed bacterial antigen.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.163-168
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the immune response to serotype 19A in children aged 12-23 months after immunization of the 19F containing 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7). Methods: Blood samples from a total of 45 subjects (age 12-23 months) were included in the study. Subjects were categorized according to immunization status into three groups as follows: 18 subjects with 3 primary doses and 1 booster dose of PCV7 (booster group), 21 subjects with 3 primary doses before 12 months of age (primary group), and 6 subjects with no vaccination history of PCV7 (control group). An ELISA and opsonophagocytic killing assay (OPKA) was done to evaluate the immune responses against serotypes 19F and 19A. Results: According to the ELISA, all subjects had antibody titers ${\geq}0.35{\mu}g/mL$ for serotypes 19F and 19A in the booster and primary group and 83.0% and 66.7% in the control group, respectively. According to the OPKA, subjects with opsonic activity (${\geq}20$) against serotypes 19F and 19A were 100% and 61.1% of the subjects in the booster group and 66.7% and 19.0% in the primary group, respectively. No subjects in the control group had opsonic antibodies against both serotypes. Conclusion: In conclusion, in children 12-23 months age who were previously vaccinated with PCV7, a cross-reactive immune response is elicited against serotype 19A after a primary series of 3 doses in a small proportion of subjects, and this response is amplified after booster vaccination.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.217-226
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• 2006

Malignant gliomas are the most common type of primary brain tumor and are in great need of novel therapeutic approaches. Advances in treatment have been very modest, significant improvement in survival has been lacking for many decades, and prognosis remains dismal. Despite "gross total" surgical resections and currently available radio-chemotherapy, malignant gliomas inevitably recur due to reservoirs of notoriously invasive tumor cells that infiltrate adjacent and non-adjacent areas of normal brain parenchyma. In principle, the immune system is uniquely qualified to recognize and target these infiltrative pockets of tumors cells, which have generally eluded conventional treatment approaches, In the span of the last 10 years, our understanding of the cancer-immune system relationship has increased exponentially; and yet we are only beginning to tease apart the intricacies of the central nervous system and immune cell interactions. This article reviews the complex associations of the immune system with brain tumors. We provide an overview of currently available treatment options for malignant gliomas, existing gaps in our knowledge of brain tumor immunology, and strategies that might be exploited for improved design of "custom immunotherapeutics." We will also examine major new immunotherapy approaches that are being actively investigated to treat patients with malignant glioma, and identify some current and future research priorities in this area.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.191-199
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• 2010

Acanthopanax Koreanum stem (AK) has been used in Korea as a tonic and sedative as well as a drug with ginseng like activities. The purpose of our present study was to investigate the effects of AK extract (AKE) and Eleutheroside E, major component of AKE on an exacerbated immune function through utilization of protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) diet by using forced swimming test (FST). The immobility time were significantly decreased in the AKE or Eleutheroside E-administrated group compared with the control group on the FST (P < 0.05). The level of blood parameters were not changed significantly. PEM-induced weight loss of mice was reduced by oral administration of 500 mg/kg AKE. AKE oral administration improved the nutritional status such as the food efficiency ratio and the adrenal gland weight. AKE treatment significantly increased the production of interferon (IFN)-$\gamma$ compared with unstimulated splenocytes but not interleukin (IL)-4. Eleutheroside E also significantly increased the IFN-$\gamma$ production but not IL-2 and IL-4 in T cell line, MOLT-4 cells. These results suggest that AKE and Eleutheroside E may influence to immune-enhancing through increasing the physical endurance capacity and immune cell activation.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.156-163
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• 2014

Interleukin (IL) 17 is produced by T-helper (Th) 17 with a vigorous effect on cells of the immune system playing important roles in pathogenesis of immune-mediated diseases, including autoimmune disorders and cancers. Therefore, the aim of current study was to determine the serum levels of IL-6, IL-17, and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-${\beta}$) in Iranian bladder cancer patients, and to correlate them with disease status. Blood samples were collected from 40 bladder cancer patients and 38 healthy individuals with no history of malignancies or autoimmune disorders. The serum levels of IL-6, IL-17, and TGF-${\beta}$ were measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results showed that the levels of IL-17 (p<0.0001) and TGF-${\beta}$ (p<0.0001) were significantly lower in the patients compared to the controls. No significant differences in the level of serum IL-6 (p=0.16) was observed between the patients and controls. In addition, demographic characteristics between control and patients groups were not significantly different. As most of the cases studied in this investigation were in stage I and II, it is concluded that reduced Th17-related cytokines can be used as indicators for following the course and clinical stages of bladder carcinoma progress and immune response to cancer.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.25-33
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• 1991

The immune staus is known to be decreased in malignant disease and radiation therapy (RT), used as a therapeutic tool, further decrease this-attenuated immune status. We measured the number of peripheral lymphocytes, its subsets and lymphoblast transformation for PPD, PHA, monoclonal antibodies including anti-CD3 and anti-CD2 before and after RT in 19 patients with squamous cell lung cancer to search the fine mechanism behind the RT-induced attenuation of lymphoblast transformtion for mitogens and antigen. The results were as follows; 1) The number of lymphocytes and its subsets decreased significantly after RT, but the percentages of lymhocyte subsets did not change aftr RT except interleukin-2 receptor positive T lymphocytes. 2) The function of lymphoctes, measured by lymphoblast tranformation for PHA and PPD, decrased after RT and the compositions of PBMC used for lymphoblast transformtion were not different before and after RT. 3) The mitosis of lymphocytes to anti-CD2 or anti-CD3 decreased significantly after RT. And IL-2 plus anti-CD3 increased the mitosis than that of anti-CD3 only after RT, but before RT there was no difference. In conclusion, we suggested the fine mechanism behind the RT-induced attenuation of immune response might be the dysfunction of lymphocytes in terms of impaired synthesis of IL-2 rather than the decrease of circulating lymphocyte numbers.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.303-314
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• 1992

Experiments were performed on mice to investigate the effect of methionine diets (MET) on the immunotoxicity of ethanol. ICR female mice were divided into 5 groups, Met (Basal (B)+0.19% methionine(M), B+1.71% M and B+5.13%W) and ethanol(4%) were administered ad libitum for 21 days. The mice were evaluated for changes in immune status as measured by antibody titer, Arthus reaction, delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH), rosette forming cell(RFC) and plaque forming cell (PFC) to sheep red blood cells (S-RBC). To investigate the change of the non-specific immune response, the number of leukocytes in peripheral blood and phagocyte activity were measured. The results were summarized as follows: (1) The weight ratios of spleen and thymus to body weight were significantly increased by the B+0.19% M, B+0.57% M and B+1.71% M groups in comparison with control group(B), but B+5.13% M group was significantly decreased. (2) Humoral immune responses were significantly increased by the B+0.19% M and B+0.57% M groups in comparison with control group, but B+5.13% M group was significantly decreased. (3) Cellular immune responses were significantly decreased by the B+1.71% M and B+5.13% M groups in comparison with control group. (4) Phagocyte activities were significantly increased by the B+0.19% M, B+0.57% M and B+1.71% M groups in comparison with control groups, but B+5.13% M group was significantly decreased. (5) The number of circulating leukocyte was significantly increased in the B+0.19% M and B+0.57% M groups in comparison with control group, but B+5.13% M group was significantly decreased.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.192-198
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• 2018

Background: Chronic inflammation can lower the seizure threshold and have influence on epileptogenesis. The components of red ginseng (RG) have anti-inflammatory effects. The abundance of peripherally derived immune cells in resected epileptic tissue suggests that the immune system is a potential target for anti-epileptogenic therapies. The present study used continuous electroencephalography (EEG) to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of RG in intrahippocampal kainic acid (IHKA) animal model of temporal lobe epilepsy. Methods: Prolonged status epilepticus (SE) was induced in 7-week-old C57BL/6J mice via stereotaxic injection of kainic acid (KA, 150 nL; 1 mg/mL) into the right CA3/dorsal hippocampus. The animals were implanted electrodes and monitored for spontaneous seizures. Following the IHKA injections, one group received treatments of RG (250 mg/kg/day) for 4 weeks (RG group, n=7) while another group received valproic acid (VPA, 30 mg/kg/day) (VPA group, n=7). Laboratory findings and pathological results were assessed at D29 and continuous (24 h/week) EEG monitoring was used to evaluate high-voltage sharp waves on D7, D14, D21, and D28. Results: At D29, there were no differences between the groups in liver function test but RG group had higher blood urea nitrogen levels. Immunohistochemistry analyses revealed that RG reduced the infiltration of immune cells into the brain and EEG analyses showed that it had anticonvulsant effects. Conclusion: Repeated treatments with RG after IHKA-induced SE decreased immune cell infiltration into the brain and resulted in a marked decrease in electrographic seizures. RG had anticonvulsant effects that were similar to those of VPA without serious side effects.