• Title/Summary/Keyword: Immune balance

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Human Milk Oligosaccharides as a Missing Piece in Combating Nutritional Issues during Exclusive Breastfeeding

  • Sudarma, Verawati;Hegar, Badriul;Hidayat, Adi;Agustina, Rina
    • Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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    • v.24 no.6
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    • pp.501-509
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    • 2021
  • Extensive studies have shown that breast milk is the best source of nutrition for infants, especially during the first six months, because it fulfills almost all of their nutritional needs. Among the many functional building blocks in breast milk, human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) have been receiving more attention recently. Furthermore, it is the third most common group of compounds in human milk, and studies have demonstrated the health benefits it provides for infants, including improved nutritional status. HMOs were previously known as the 'bifidus factor' due to their 'bifidogenic' or prebiotic effects, which enabled the nourishment of the gastrointestinal microbiota. Healthy gastrointestinal microbiota are intestinal health substrates that increase nutrient absorption and reduce the incidence of diarrhea. In addition, HMOs, directly and indirectly, protect infants against infections and strengthen their immune system, leading to a positive energy balance and promoting normal growth. Non-modifiable factors, such as genetics, and modifiable factors (e.g., maternal health, diet, nutritional status, environment) can influence the HMO profile. This review provides an overview of the current understanding of how HMOs can contribute to the prevention and treatment of nutritional issues during exclusive breastfeeding.

The hepatoprotective effects of silkworm: Insights into molecular mechanisms and implications

  • Young-Min Han;Da-Young Lee;Moon-Young Song;Seung-Won Lee;Eun-Hee Kim
    • International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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    • v.46 no.2
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    • pp.25-33
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    • 2023
  • The liver, a multifunctional organ, plays a vital role in maintaining overall health and well-being by regulating metabolism, detoxification, nutrient storage, hormone balance, and immune function. Liver diseases, such as hepatitis, cirrhosis, fatty liver disease, and liver cancer, have significant clinical implications and remain a global health concern. This article reviews the therapeutic potential of silkworm larvae (Bombyx mori) and explores their underlying molecular mechanisms in protecting against liver diseases. Silkworm larvae are rich in proteins, vitamins, minerals, and n-3 fatty acids, making them a promising candidate for therapeutic applications. The anti-inflammatory mechanisms of silkworm larvae involve modulating the production of cytokine such as TNF-α and interleukins, inflammatory enzymes including cyclooxygenase-2 and macrophage polarization, thereby attenuating liver inflammation. Silkworm larvae also exhibit anti-oxidative effects by scavenging free radicals, reducing intracellular reactive oxygen species and enhancing the liver's antioxidant defense system. Moreover, silkworms have been reported to decrease the serum alcohol concentration and lipid accumulation. Understanding the therapeutic properties of silkworm larvae contributes to the development of innovative strategies for liver injury prevention and treatment. Further research is warranted to elucidate the precise signaling pathways involved in the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects of silkworm larvae, paving the way for potential therapeutic interventions in liver diseases.

Modulation of DNA methylation by one-carbon metabolism: a milestone for healthy aging

  • Sang-Woon Choi ;Simonetta Friso
    • Nutrition Research and Practice
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    • v.17 no.4
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    • pp.597-615
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    • 2023
  • Healthy aging can be defined as an extended lifespan and health span. Nutrition has been regarded as an important factor in healthy aging, because nutrients, bioactive food components, and diets have demonstrated beneficial effects on aging hallmarks such as oxidative stress, mitochondrial function, apoptosis and autophagy, genomic stability, and immune function. Nutrition also plays a role in epigenetic regulation of gene expression, and DNA methylation is the most extensively investigated epigenetic phenomenon in aging. Interestingly, age-associated DNA methylation can be modulated by one-carbon metabolism or inhibition of DNA methyltransferases. One-carbon metabolism ultimately controls the balance between the universal methyl donor S-adenosylmethionine and the methyltransferase inhibitor S-adenosylhomocysteine. Water-soluble B-vitamins such as folate, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 serve as coenzymes for multiple steps in one-carbon metabolism, whereas methionine, choline, betaine, and serine act as methyl donors. Thus, these one-carbon nutrients can modify age-associated DNA methylation and subsequently alter the age-associated physiologic and pathologic processes. We cannot elude aging per se but we may at least change age-associated DNA methylation, which could mitigate age-associated diseases and disorders.

An Application Effect of Rhythmic Movement Program for the Health Promotion in the Elderly (노인의 건강증진을 위한 율동적 운동프로그램의 적용효과)

  • 이숙자
    • Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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    • v.30 no.3
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    • pp.776-790
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    • 2000
  • Every year the number of the elderly increases in Korea thanks to the improvemen of social and economical levels and the development of medicine. However, many problems such as insufficent care and the isolation of the elderly have been commonplace. This trend exists not only because of increased lifespan but also the changing social structure of the nuclear family. Accordingly, inspite of the development of medicine, geriatric diseases including circulatory diseases are increasing in proportion of elderly population, as well as the severity. Therefore, it is important to emphasize that health care programs provide the best possible health care and functional capacities in terms of healthy elderly lifestyles. Especially, the phenomena of aging and geriatric diseases taking place with the elderly naturally are affected by lifestyle and the drastic changes in exercise patterns. This study aims to improve geriatric health by introducing a rhythmic movement program for the elderly to estabilish a health-promoting self-care system and by developing quality of life, perceived health status, their physical and physiological functions and emotional state. The theoretical framework used in this dissertation is derived from the Health-Promoting Self-Care System Model (Simmons, 1990), which integrates the Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory (Orem, 1985), the interaction model of Client Health Behavior (Cox, 1982) and the Health Promotion Model (Pender, 1987). As a quasi-experimental design, the nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design is utilized for this study. The subjects of this study consist of 64 people, over 65 years old who live in 2 nursing homes for the aged located in S city , Kyong-gi province and volunteered for this study from July, 12, 1999 to September, 17, 1999. They are divided into two groups:33 in the experimental group and 31 in the control group. The experimental group particpated in the Rhythmic Movement Program at the nursing home, which was comprised of 45 minutes a session, 5 sessions a week during 9 weeks. In order to measure the results of the Rhythmic Movement Program, aspects of perceived health status, balance, flexibility, grip strength, leg strength, heart rate, blood pressure, depression, anxiety and the quality of life were measured before and after participating in the Rhythimic Movement Program for the experimental group after 9 weeks, as well as the control group. The collected data were processed by SPSS PC+ and analyzed by the X2 test, t-test, ANCOVA and the Pearson Correlation Coefficient. The results of this study are as follows: 1. The perceived health status conditions in the experimental group show statistically significant improvement when compared to the control group (F=17.51, p=.000). 2. The physical and physiological functions, that is, balance (F=17.51, p=.000), flexibility (F=8.01, p=.006), grip strength (F=3.21, p=.018) and leg strength (F=25.78, p=.000) in the experimental group are higher than the control group. The vital signs, that is, the number of heart rate (F=.022, p=.884), systolic pressure (F=1.73 p=.193), and diastolic pressure (F=2.74, p=.103) in the experimental group compared to the control group decreased, but doesn't show statistically significant differences. Immune responses (F=5.13, p=.003) showed statistically significant increases in the experimental group when compared to the control group. 3. The emotional state are improved, that is, degree of depression (F=11.56, p=.001) and degree of anxiety (F=9.14, p=.004) in the experimental group showed statistically significant decreases. 4. The quality of life in the experimental group (F=3.03, p=.037) showed statistically significant differences compared to the control group. 5. The observations of the relationships among the perceived health status, emotional state , the quality of life, the relationships between the perceived health status, the degree of depression (r=-.653, p=.000) and the degree of anxiety (r=-.786, p=.000) were in contrary propotions, while the relationships between the perceived health status and the quality of life (r=.234, p=.008) were in direct propotion. In conclusion, the Rhythmic Movement Program used in this study for geriatric nursing care is simple and safe for application to the elderly and shows significant effects by implementing 5 sessions a week for 9 weeks. The Rhythmic Movement Program improves the quality of life, maintains as well as improves the physical and physiological fuctions and emotional state, therefore this program is strongly recommended for positive applications for independant geriatric nursing health care.

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Effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus on innate immunity (선천성 면역에 대한 Lactobacillus acidophilus의 효과)

  • Kang, Shin-Seok;Byeon, Hyeon-Seop;Kim, Jeong-Tae;Lee, Ran;Kang, So-Jeong;Jung, Ho-Sung;Kang, Sung-Ho;Lee, Jae-Dong;Kim, Dong-Hee;Kang, Shin-Kwon
    • Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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    • v.34 no.3
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    • pp.235-243
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    • 2011
  • Probiotics have many effects such as antihypertensive, prevention of cancer, antioxidation, reduction of dermatitis symptoms, improvement of mineral absorption, reduction of allergic symptoms, and decrease of cholesterol, However, the main role of probiotics is that they balance intestinal microbials proportion. L. acidophilus is one of probiotics and microflora in intestine. It has an acidification activity, aroma production, texture formation and probiotics properties. We studied on the roles of L. acidophilus in mice. In this study, body weights of mice were decreased when administration of L. acidophilus ($1{\times}10^{10}$ CFU) and swimming ability has been raised than a normal group after feeding on L. acidophilus ($1{\times}10^{10}$ CFU). After taking L. acidophilus ($1{\times}10^{10}$ CFU), total white cells were increased than a normal group; hemoglobin and thrombocytes were increased. The level of cholesterol and triglyceride were decreased in blood analysis. We knew L. acidophilus is related to innate immune system. We found out the secretion of cationic peptide was increased in the Lysoplate assays as a result of L. acidophilus ($1{\times}10^{10}$ CFU) administration. Appearance rate of lysozyme was also increased than the normal group on an immunohistochemistry stain. We confirmed L. acidophilus contributes to host health through innate immune system stimulation. L. acidophilus more than $1{\times}10^{10}$ CFU are thought to be beneficial for the host health and prevention of intestinal diseases in field condition.

산란계 사료중 미역과 뱅코마이신이 산란계의 생산성에 미치는 영향

  • Choe, Do-Yeol;Im, Jin-Taek;Park, In-Gyeong;Choe, Jun-Yeong;Lee, Hye-Jeong;Lee, Beom-Gyu;Lee, Ho-Yeon;Park, Jae-U;Go, Tae-Song
    • Proceedings of the Korea Society of Poultry Science Conference
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    • 2005.11a
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    • pp.74-75
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    • 2005
  • In order to evaluate dietary brown seaweed and vancomycin on the performance, layers(Isa brown) were fed on basal diet and diets containing 2.0% of brown seaweed or 10ppm vancomycin. Brown seaweed diet significantly increased(p<0.01) nitrogen balance in layer, while excretion of uric acid nitrogen and metabolizable energy utilization were not different among diets. Layer consumed more the brown seaweed diet(p<0.05). Egg production were significantly different by diets but reduced(p<0.0001) with the experimental period passed. Layer fed brown seaweed diet gave thicker shell eggs, higher Haugh unit and higher egg white CuZnSOD activity compared with those in basal diet. Also, Brown seaweed diet increased MnSOD activity in erythrocyte cytosol and peroxidase in plasma, but decreased peroxide level in plasma, and increased proliferation of PBMC stimulated with PHA-P The result indicated that brown seaweed 2.0% diet in layer improved egg quality and performance due to increased protein synthesis which were related to regulation of antioxidant system and immune cell function in blood.

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Indigo Naturalis in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: mechanisms of action and insights from clinical trials

  • Hyeonjin Kim;Soohyun Jeong;Sung Wook Kim;Hyung-Jin Kim;Dae Yong Kim;Tae Han Yook;Gabsik Yang
    • Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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    • v.27 no.2
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    • pp.59-69
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    • 2024
  • This study investigates the therapeutic potential of Indigo Naturalis (IN) in treating a Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). The objective is to comprehensively examine the effects and pharmacological mechanisms of IN on IBD, assessing its potential as an novel treatment for IBD. Analysis of 11 selected papers is conducted to understand the effects of IN, focusing on compounds like indirubin, isatin, indigo, and tryptanthrin. This study evaluates their impact on Disease Activity Index (DAI) score, colon length, mucosal damage, and macrophage infiltration in Dextran Sulfate Sodium (DSS)-induced colitis mice. Additionally, It investigate into the anti-inflammatory mechanisms, including Aryl hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR) pathway activation, Nuclear Factor kappa B (NF-κB)/nod-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3)/Interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β) inhibition, and modulation of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (MYD88)/NF-κB and Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) pathways. Immunomodulatory effects on T helper 17 (Th17)/regulatory T cell (Treg cell) balance and Glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK3-β) expression are also explored. Furthermore, the study addresses the role of IN in restoring intestinal microbiota diversity, reducing pathogenic bacteria, and increasing beneficial bacteria. The findings reveal that IN, particularly indirubin and indigo, demonstrates significant improvements in DAI score, colon length, mucosal damage, and macrophage infiltration in DSS-induced colitis mice. The anti-inflammatory effects are attributed to the activation of the AhR pathway, inhibition of inflammatory pathways, and modulation of immune responses. These results exhibit the potential of IN in IBD treatment. Notably, the restoration of intestinal microbiota diversity and balance further supports its efficacy. IN emerges as a promising and effective treatment for IBD, demonstrating anti-inflammatory effects and positive outcomes in preclinical studies. However, potential side effects necessitate further investigation for safe therapeutic development. The study underscores the need for future research to explore a broader range of active ingredients in IN to enhance therapeutic efficacy and safety.

Effect of Cellular Zinc on the Regulation of C2-ceramide Induced Apoptosis in Mammary Epithelial and Macrophage Cell Lines

  • Han, S.E.;Lee, H.G.;Yun, C.H.;Hong, Z.S.;Kim, S.H.;Kang, S.K.;Kim, S.H.;Cho, J.S.;Ha, S.H.;Choi, YunJaie
    • Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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    • v.18 no.12
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    • pp.1741-1745
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    • 2005
  • Zinc is a trace element that is associated with a stimulation of immune function and regulation of ion balance for livestock production. In this study, the effect of zinc as inhibitor to apoptosis-induced cells was examined in vitro using mammary epithelial cell line, HC11 and macrophage cell line, NCTC3749. Cell viability, measured by MTT assay, indicated that 10 g/ml of zinc had a negative impact on cellular activity and 50 ng/ml was chosen for further testing. Apoptosis was induced in cells treated with C2-ceramide in serum-free media. DNA fragmentation and gene expression of acidic sphingomyelinase (a gene responsible for the progress of apoptosis) were distinctively low in zinc treated cells compared with those in non-treated controls. In conclusion, zinc is involved in the regulation of cell proliferation and apoptosis in mammary epithelial cells and macrophages.

Oxidative Stress, Chromatin Remodeling and Gene Transcription in Inflammation and Chronic Lung Diseases

  • Rahman, Irfan
    • BMB Reports
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    • v.36 no.1
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    • pp.95-109
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    • 2003
  • Inflammatory lung diseases are characterized by chronic inflammation and oxidant/antioxidant imbalance. The sources of the increased oxidative stress in patients with chronic inflammatory lung diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) derive from the increased burden of inhaled oxidants, and from the increased amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by several inflammatory, immune and various structural cells of the airways. Increased levels of ROS produced in the airways is reflected by increased markers of oxidative stress in the airspaces, sputum, breath, lungs and blood in patients with lung diseases. ROS, either directly or via the formation of lipid peroxidation products such as 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal may play a role in enhancing the inflammation through the activation of stress kinases (JNK, MAPK, p38) and redox sensitive transcription factors such as NF-${\kappa}B$ and AP-1. Recent evidences have indicated that oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory mediators can alter nuclear histone acetylation/deacetylation allowing access for transcription factor DNA binding leading to enhanced pro-inflammatory gene expression in various lung cells. Understanding of the mechanisms of redox signaling, NF-${\kappa}B$/AP-1 regulation, the balance between histone acetylation and deacetylation and the release and expression of pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators may lead to the development of novel therapies based on the pharmacological manipulation of antioxidants in lung inflammation and injury. Antioxidants that have effective wide spectrum activity and good bioavailability, thiols or molecules which have dual antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, may be potential therapeutic agents which not only protect against the direct injurious effects of oxidants, but may fundamentally alter the underlying inflammatory processes which play an important role in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory lung diseases.

The Effect of Bojungykgitang-Chunbang on Activity of CD4+ T cell

  • Lee Tae Hyong;Kang Hee;Myung Eu Gene;Shim Bum Sang;Choi Seung Hoon;Kim Sung Hun;Ahn Kyoo Seok
    • Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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    • v.18 no.2
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    • pp.580-585
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    • 2004
  • BJYGC is often clinically used as a treatment of allergic rhinitis. This study was aimed to find out the effect BJYGC would have on the helper T cell, and how it can promote the subsets of helper T cells to regain their balance that they lost due to immunological diseases. Splenocytes were prepared from BALB/c mice was cultured without stimulation in the presence of BJYGC for 48 hr. The viability of CD4 T cells from Balb/c mouse were measured at various concentrations of BJYGC using the MTS assay. It was somewhat increased up to concentration of 400 ㎍/ml, but did not show any significant difference. Proliferation was measured using the MTS assay, CD4 Th cells were stimulated with anti-CD3/28 in the presence of BJYGC for 48 hr. As evidence for rapid T cell activation, CD25 expression by flow cytometry was evaluated at 10, 50, 100 and 200 ㎍/㎖ of BJYGC. Th cell differentiation experiments were performed to examine whether BJYGC can affect the Th polarization process. CD4 T cells were activated in culture under neutral, Th1-polarized or Th2-polarized conditions in the presence of BJYGC at 10, 100 and 200 ㎍/㎖. Cytokine production was measured by ELISA. This experiment proved that BJYGC could inhibit the secretion of both IL-4 and IFN-γ in neutral condition and polarized condition, too. Considering that BJYGC shows an excellent effect on treating allergies, the author can conclude that its pharmacological action may be associated with decreased IL-4 and, it may also regulate IFN-γ depending the host's need. Also, it was discovered that Th1 cell was pathologic in chronic inflammatory tissue specific diseases, such as insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, multiple sclerosis, RA, and uveitis. We are counting on the BJYGC to be able to control the tendency of Th1 cell predominancy in an immune reaction.