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

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.11
• /
• pp.4781-4786
• /
• 2015

Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) is used primarily as an adaptogen herb and also for its immune stimulant properties in Western herbal medicine. Another closely related species used in East Asian medicine systems i.e. Kampo, TCM (Manchuria, Korea, Japan and Ainu of Hokkaido) and also called Siberian ginseng (Acanthopanax senticosus) also displays immune-stimulant and anti-cancer properties. These may affect tumour growth and also provide an anti-fatigue effect for cancer patients, in particular for those suffering from lung cancer. There is some evidence that a carbohydrate in Siberian ginseng may possess not only immune stimulatory but also anti-tumour effects and also display other various anti-cancer properties. Our study aimed to determine the inhibitory and also proliferative effects of a methanol plant extract of Siberan ginseng (E. senticosus) on various cancer and normal cell lines including: A-549 (small cell lung cancer), XWLC-05 (Yunnan lung cancer cell line), CNE (human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line), HCT-116 (human colon cancer) and Beas-2b (human lung epithelial). These cell lines were treated with an extract from E. senticosus that was evaporated and reconstituted in DMSO. Treatment of A-549 (small cell lung cancer) cells with E. senticosus methanolic extract showed a concentration-dependent inhibitory trend from $12.5-50{\mu}g/mL$, and then a plateau, whereas at 12.5 and $25{\mu}g/mL$, there is a slight growth suppression in QBC-939 cells, but then a steady suppression from 50, 100 and $200{\mu}g/mL$. Further, in XWLC-05 (Yunnan lung cancer cell line), E. senticosus methanolic extract displayed an inhibitory effect which plateaued with increasing dosage. Next, in CNE (human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line) there was a dose dependent proliferative response, whereas in Beas-2 (human lung epithelial cell line), an inhibitory effect. Finally in colon cancer cell line (HCT-116) we observed an initially weak inhibitory effect and then plateau.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.42 no.1
• /
• pp.26-33
• /
• 2009

This experiment was conducted to examine the utilization of added dietary selenium (Se) as an immune stimulant in juvenile olive flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus. Fish averaging $4.0{\pm}0.1\;g$ ($mean{\pm}SD$) were fed one of seven semi-purified diets containing 0.56, 1.07, 2.86, 4.56, 43.15, 90.71, or 161.74 mg of Se/kg ($Se_{0.56}$, $Se_{1.07}$, $Se_{2.86}$, $Se_{4.56}$, $Se_{43.2}$, $Se_{90.7}$ and $Se_{161.7}$, respectively) for 12 weeks, respectively. At the end of the feeding trial, the fish fed diets containing more than 43.2 mg of Se/kg showed above 90% mortality. There were no significant differences in weight gain, feed efficiency, specific growth rate, protein efficiency ratio, or hematological characteristics among the fish fed the $Se_{0.56}$, $Se_{l.07}$, $Se_{2.86}$, and $Se_{4.56}$ diets. Se concentrations of the gill, kidney, muscle and liver tissues occurred in dose-dependent manners. Alternative complement pathway activation and the chemiluminescene responses of the fish fed the $Se_{1.07}$ diet were significantly higher than those of the fish fed the other diets (P<0.05). These results indicate that the optimum dietary supplementation level of Selenium as selenoyeast could be 1.07 mg of Se/kg based on the non-specific immune responses of juvenile oilve flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.33 no.3
• /
• pp.161-164
• /
• 2009

Ginseng is one of the most popular herbs throughout the world. Ginsenosides, the active constituent of ginseng, have been suggested to have diverse effects on cardiovascular, immune, mood and endocrine systems as well as cognitive performance. Many studies have revealed the beneficial effect of ginseng on cognition in normal human subjects and in animals. Recently, a few studies showing effects of ginseng on the patients with Alzheimer's disease have been reported. However, the underlying mechanism is not clear at this stage and it is still obscure whether ginseng is cognitive stimulant or disease modifying agent. More detailed studies exploring the relationship between clinical efficacy and pathophysiology are required.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.23 no.5
• /
• pp.682-688
• /
• 2013

We investigated a physiological function by fermenting a medicinal mushroom, (Cudrania tricuspidata fruit). A fermentation using lactic acid bacteria and the extracts isolated from 70% ethanol fractionation was included in cultured mouse spleen cells for cytokine secretion. As a result, total polyphenol content improved by 47% by organic acid fermentation. This was regarded as immune activity in fermented C. tricuspidata fruits, as the levels of interleukin (IL)-2 and IL-4 secretion increased. In addition, when the extracts were treated with a stimulant lipopolysaccharide, the secretion of helper T (Th) 1 cytokines IL-2, IL-12, and tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ was suppressed, while the secretion of Th2 cytokines IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, and IL-10 significantly increased. Therefore, this study suggests that fermentative C. tricuspidata fruit extracts can contribute to the suppression of cellular immune reactions induced by the expression of Th1 cells and activation of the expression of Th2 cells inducing humoral immune reactions associated with the antibody generation by B lymphocytes.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.53 no.2
• /
• pp.191-202
• /
• 2020

We evaluated the effects of dietary supplementation of phytosterol on the growth, feed utilization, immunity, digestibility, wound healing ability and disease resistance of olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus. We conducted two consecutive feeding trials at different growth stages of the fish: EXP-1 (68.9 g) and EXP-2 (16.5 g). The experimental diets were supplemented with graded levels of phytosterol (1% ecdysteroid extracted from Achyranthis radix) at 0, 0.025, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.4% (designated as Con, PHY0.025, PHY0.05, PHY0.1, PHY0.2 and PHY0.4, respectively). Dietary phytosterol did not significantly affect growth and cholesterol concentration. Feed utilization was higher in fish fed phytosterol-supplemented diets than in fish fed the control diet. Dietary phytosterol increased innate immunity and digestibility of protein and dry matter. Wound healing ability was also increased by the phytosterol supplementation. The survival against Edwardsiella tarda challenge was higher in fish fed low-phytosterol diets than in fish fed the control diet. The optimum dietary level of phytosterol seems to be approximately 0.05%. The results in this study indicate that the phytosterol could be used as a functional supplement in diets to improve feed utilization, immunity, digestibility and wound healing ability of olive flounder.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.45 no.6
• /
• pp.368-379
• /
• 2012

Background: Bioprostheses for cardiovascular surgery have limitations in their use following as calicification. ${\alpha}$-galactosidase epitope is known as a stimulant of immune response and then shows a progressing calcification. The objective of this study was to evaluate histologic characteristics and mechanical properties of decellularization and treated with ${\alpha}$-galactosidase. Materials and Methods: Bovine pericardial tissues were allocated into three groups: fixation only with glutaraldehyde, decellularization with sodium dodesyl sulfate and decellularization plus treatment with ${\alpha}$-galactosidase. We confirmed immunohistological characteristics and mechanical properties as fatigue test, permeability test, compliance test, tensile strength (strain) test and thermal stability test. Results: Decellularization and elimination of ${\alpha}$-gal were confirmed through immunohistologic findings. Decellularization had decreased mechanical properties compared to fixation only group in permeability (before fatigue test p=0.02, after fatigue test p=0.034), compliance (after fatigue test p=0.041), and tensile strength test (p=0.00). The group of decellularization plus treatment with ${\alpha}$-galactosidase had less desirable mechanical properties than the group of decellularization in concerns of permeability (before fatigue test p=0.043) and strain test (p=0.001). Conclusion: Favorable decellularization and elimination of ${\alpha}$-gal were obtained in this study through immunohistologic findings. However, those treatment including decellularization and elimination of ${\alpha}$-gal implied the decreased mechanical properties in specific ways. We need more study to complete appropriate bioprosthesis with decellularization and elimination of ${\alpha}$-gal including favorable mechanical properties too.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.55 no.1
• /
• pp.1-7
• /
• 2015

Ginseng has been widely used in Korea as a natural medicine due to its saponin contents. Although the total amount of ginseng stem and leaf saponins (GSLS) is 4~5 times higher than that of saponin in the root, the root is mainly used. This is due to two reasons: nervous system-stimulant activity of GSLS and pesticide residues in GSLS. In this study, residual agricultural pesticides were removed from GSLS using two types of bacterial treatments. Two GSLS treatment groups of chickens (GSLS-1 and GSLS-2) were established. The chickens were fed 0.4% GSLS-1 or GSLS-2 mixed with crop. We then evaluated the effects of GSLS on bodyweight and several immune parameters. At the end of the experiments, chickens fed GSLS-1 and red ginseng saponin had significantly higher growth rates (16.6% and 8.0%, respectively) compared to the vaccine control group treated with Noblis Salenvac-T. The group fed GSLS-1 also had the highest IgG titer that was significantly different at the end of experiments compared to the other groups. These findings imply that GSLS-1 is a good candidate feed additive for the chicken industry.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.24 no.5
• /
• pp.567-572
• /
• 2014

Extracts of Platycodon grandiflorum have been reported to show anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-metastatic, and hepato-protective effects. This study was designed to evaluate T-cell activation and M1/M2 differential macrophage activation by extracts of P. grandiflorum or P. grandiflorum containing various medicinal herbs. Using real-time RT-PCR, we analyzed expression levels of c-fos, and CD40L (T-cell activation markers) in splenocytes and iNOS, Ym1, and ARG1 in RAW 246.7 cells after treatment of CC (hot water extract of P. grandiflorum), MAEK (hot water extract of P. grandiflorum [82%] and six different plants), and HWAL (hot water extract of P. grandiflorum [7%] and eight different plants. The results showed that MAEK significantly elevated the expression of T-cell activation markers of splenocytes, with the c-fos gene activated more than 10-fold and the CD40L gene activated more than 6-fold. Although CD40L was significantly increased by CC and HWAL, the increase was only about 2-fold. In addition, CC and HWAL did not significantly activate the expression of the c-fos gene. On the other hand, CC elevated the M1 activation marker iNOS, and HWAL elevated the M2 activation marker Ym1 and ARG1 gene expression. In conclusion, MAEK could be used as an immune stimulant because of its ability to activate T cells (elicited c-fos and CD40L gene expression), whereas HWAL could serve as an anti-inflammatory agent because of its differential activation of M2 macrophages.

• Journal of Aquaculture
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.39-45
• /
• 2004

Three experiments were conducted to determine utilization of Song-Gang(equation omitted) stone as the dietary additive for growth and immune stimulant in juvenile olive flounder. In the feeding trial, four diets were formulated to contain 0, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0% Song-Gang(equation omitted) stone per kg diet (SGS$_{0}$ , SGS$_{0.5}$, SGS$_{1.0}$ , SGS$_{2.0}$ ). Fish averaging 5.0$\pm$0.04 g (mean$\pm$SD) were fed one of four experimental diets in triplicate groups for 8 weeks. There were no significant differences in weight gain, feed efficiency, protein efficiency ratio, hematosomatic index, condition factor and survival among fish fed all the diets. In chanlenge test, fish were infected by intraperitoneal injection of 0.1 $m\ell$ bacterial suspension with Edwardsielia tarda per fish after the feeding trial. Fish fed SGS$_{0.5}$ diet have a significantly higher cumulative survival rate than did fish fed the other diets (P<0.05). In the anti-mold test, Asprrgiilus niger, Penicillium pinophiltfm, Chaeromium globosum were inoculated with Song-Gang(equation omitted) stone using ASTM G-21 method. The amount of Α. niger, Ρ. pinuphiium. C. globosum didn't increase in Song-Gang(equation omitted) stone for 4 weeks for the test period. Therefore, these results indicate that 0.5% Song-Gang(equation omitted) stone per kg diet could increase immune resistance in juvenile olive flounder and Song-Gang(equation omitted) stone could be used as the anti-mold additive in fish feed.