• BMB Reports
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• v.51 no.8
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• pp.418-423
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• 2018

Emergency granulopoiesis is a very important strategy to supply efficient neutrophil number in response to infection. However, molecular mechanism involved in this process remains unclear. Here, we found that administration of WKYMVm, an immune modulating peptide, to septic mice strongly increased neutrophil number through augmented emergency granulopoiesis. WKYMVm-induced emergency granulopoiesis was blocked not only by a formyl peptide receptor 2 (FPR2) antagonist (WRW4), but also by FPR2 deficiency. As progenitors of neutrophils, $Lin^-c-kit^+Sca-1^-$ cells expressed FPR2. WKYMVm-induced emergency granulopoiesis was also blocked by a phospholipase C inhibitor (U-73122). These results suggest that WKYMVm can stimulate emergency granulopoiesis via FPR2 and phospholipase C enzymatic activity.

• RED RIBBON
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• s.72
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• pp.9-11
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• 2006

후천성 면역 결핍 증후군(AIDS, Aquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome)과 사람 면역결핍 바이러스 (HIV, Human Immunodeficiency Virus)관련 질환은 1981년 처음 AIDS가 보고된 이래 전 세계적으로 인류의 건강을 위협하고 있는 공중보건학적 문제이다. 그동안 HIV/AIDS 관련 질환에 대한 치료들은 주로 감염 경로 차단 및 관련된 내과적 질환의 치료에 초점이 맞추어져 왔다. 그러나 AIDS 환자 본인뿐만 아니라 가족, 치료진들은 흔히 HIV 감염으로 인한 심리적인 어려움에서부터 HIV 전파 위험을 높이는 물질 오남용 문제, 우울증, 치매 같은 전형적인 정신과 질환 및 자살에 이르기 까지 다양한 종류의 정신건강 상의 문제들에 자주 직면한다. 이와 같은 신경정신과적 문제들은 치료 결과나 예후, 삶의 질 등에 영향을 미칠 수 있기 때문에 환자의 가족들은 AIDS로 인한 정신과적 질환이나 현상들에 대해 잘 이해하고 적절하게 대처할 필요가 있다.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.753-759
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• 2011

The HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) causes AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). The process of infection and mutation by HIV can be described by a 3rd order state equation. For this HIV model that includes the dynamics of the mutant virus, we present a parameter estimation scheme using two state variables sporadically measured, out of the three, by employing a genetic algorithm. It is assumed that these non-uniformly sampled measurements are subject to random noises. The effectiveness of the proposed parameter estimation is demonstrated by simulations. In addition, the estimated parameters are used to analyze the equilibrium points of the HIV model, and the results are shown to be consistent with those previously obtained.

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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• 2009.05a
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• pp.135-137
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• 2009

Mathematical models for describing the Human Immunodeficiency Virus(HIV) infection can be devised to better understand how the HIV causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome(AIDS). The HIV models can then be used to find clues to curing AIDS from a control theoretical point of view. Some models take Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes(CTL) response to HIV infection into account, and others consider mutants against the drugs. However, to the best of our knowledge, there has been no model developed, which describes CTL response and mutant HIV together. Hence we propose a unified model to consider both of these. On the basis of the resulting model, we also present a Model Predictive Control(MPC) scheme to find an optimal treatment strategy. The optimization is performed under the assumption that the Structured Treatment Interruption(STI) policy is employed.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.19 no.9
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• pp.37.1-37.5
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• 2016

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the causative agent of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Anti-HIV agents targeting various steps in HIV life cycle have been developed; however, so far, no effective drugs have been found. We show here that a peptide isolated from Spirulina maxima (SM-peptide) inhibits HIV-1 infection in a human T cell line MT4. SM-peptide inhibited $HIV-1_{IIIB}$-induced cell lysis with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration ($IC_{50}$) of 0.691 mM, while its 50 % cytotoxic concentration ($CC_{50}$) was greater than 1.457 mM. Furthermore, the SM-peptide inhibited the HIV-1 reverse transcriptase activity and p24 antigen production. This suggests that SM-peptide is a novel candidate peptide, which may be developed as a therapeutic agent for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.451-459
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• 2024

Apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) is an upstream signaling molecule in oxidative stress-induced responses. Because oxidative stress is involved in asthma pathogenesis, ASK1 gene deficiency was investigated in animal models of allergic asthma. However, there is no study to investigate whether ASK1 inhibitors could be applied for asthma to date. Selonsertib, a potent and selective ASK1 inhibitor, was applied to BALB/c mice of an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic asthma model. Selonsertib suppressed antigen-induced degranulation of RBL-2H3 mast cells in a concentration-dependent manner. The administration of selonsertib both before OVA sensitization and OVA challenge significantly reduced airway hyperresponsiveness, and suppressed eosinophil numbers and inflammatory cytokine levels in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Histopathologic examination elucidated less inflammatory responses and reduced mucin-producing cells around the peribronchial regions of the lungs. Selonsertib also suppressed the IgE levels in serum and the protein levels of IL-13 in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. These results suggest that selonsertib may ameliorate allergic asthma by suppressing immune responses and be applicable to allergic asthma.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.8-17
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• 2017

Globally, efforts are being made to develop and strengthen a palliative care policy to support a comprehensive healthcare system. Korea has implemented a hospice and palliative care (HPC) policy as part of a cancer policy under the 10 year plan to conquer cancer and a comprehensive measure for national cancer management. A legal ground for the HPC policy was laid by the Cancer Control Act passed in 2003. Currently in the process is legislation of a law on the decision for life-sustaining treatment for HPC and terminally-ill patients. The relevant law has expanded the policy-affected disease group from terminal cancer to cancer, human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chronic liver disease/liver cirrhosis. Since 2015, the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme reimburses for HPC with a combination of the daily fixed sum and the fee for service systems. By the provision type, the HPC is classified into hospitalization, consultation, and home-based treatment. Also in place is the system that designates, evaluates and supports facilities specializing in HPC, and such facilities are funded by the NHI fund and government subsidy. Also needed along with the legal system are consensus reached by people affected by the policy and more realistic fee levels for HPC. The public and private domains should also cooperate to set HPC standards, train professional caregivers, control quality and establish an evaluation system. A stable funding system should be prepared by utilizing the long-term care insurance fund and hospice care fund.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.43.1-43.11
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• 2020

Capicua (CIC) is a transcriptional repressor that regulates several developmental processes. CIC deficiency results in lymphoproliferative autoimmunity accompanied by expansion of CD44^hiCD62L^lo effector/memory and follicular Th cell populations. Deletion of Cic alleles in hematopoietic stem cells (Vav1-Cre-mediated knockout of Cic) causes more severe autoimmunity than that caused by the knockout of Cic in CD4⁺CD8⁺ double positive thymocytes (Cd4-Cre-mediated knockout of Cic). In this study, we compared splenic CD4⁺ T cell activation and proliferation between whole immune cell-specific Cic-null (Cic^f/f;Vav1-Cre) and T cell-specific Cic-null (Cic^f/f;Cd4-Cre) mice. Hyperactivation and hyperproliferation of CD4⁺ T cells were more apparent in Cic^f/f;Vav1-Cre mice than in Cic^f/f;Cd4-Cre mice. Cic^f/f;Vav1-Cre CD4⁺ T cells more rapidly proliferated and secreted larger amounts of IL-2 upon TCR stimulation than did Cic^f/f;Cd4-Cre CD4⁺ T cells, while the TCR stimulation-induced activation of the TCR signaling cascade and calcium flux were comparable between them. Mixed wild-type and Cic^f/f;Vav1-Cre bone marrow chimeras also exhibited more apparent hyperactivation and hyperproliferation of Cic-deficient CD4⁺ T cells than did mixed wild-type and Cic^f/f;Cd4-Cre bone marrow chimeras. Taken together, our data demonstrate that CIC deficiency at the beginning of T cell development endows peripheral CD4⁺ T cells with enhanced T cell activation and proliferative capability.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.116-119
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• 2007

Patients with primary immunodeficiencies often have symptoms of their disease for months or years before diagnosis and treatment. This is partly because these disorders are relatively uncommon and the infections typical of immunodeficienciey, for example otitis, sinusitis, and pneumonia, are common. We report a case of agammaglobulinemia in an 8-year-old boy with recurrent and severe infection. He was first seen in our hospital for bacterial meningitis in 2006. His immune status revealed panhypogammaglobulinemia and deficiency in mature B lymphocyte. His elder brother also showed deficiency in mature B lymphocyte but mild hypogammaglobulinemia. Some X-linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA) cases may remain undiagnosed because they only show mild hypogammaglobulinemia and they lack repeated infections in childhood.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.60 no.8
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• pp.248-253
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• 2017

Purpose: Vitamin D plays a key role in immune function. Vitamin D deficiency may play a role in the pathogenesis of infections, and low levels of circulating vitamin D are strongly associated with infectious diseases. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of low vitamin D levels in cord blood on neonatal sepsis in preterm infants. Methods: One hundred seventeen premature infants with gestational age of <37 weeks were enrolled. In the present study, severe vitamin D deficiency (group 1) was defined as a 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration <5 ng/mL; vitamin D insufficiency (group 2), 25(OH)D concentration ${\geq}5ng/mL$ and <15 ng/mL; and vitamin D sufficiency (group 3), 25(OH)D concentration ${\geq}15ng/mL$. Results: Sixty-three percent of the infants had deficient levels of cord blood vitamin D (group 1), 24% had insufficient levels (group 2), and 13% were found to have sufficient levels (group 3). The rate of neonatal sepsis was higher in group 2 than in groups 1 and 3. Conclusion: There was no significant relationship between the cord blood vitamin D levels and the risk of neonatal sepsis in premature infants.