• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.268-280
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• 2011

Background: Dengue virus, which belongs to the Flavivirus genus of the Flaviviridae family, causes fatal dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS) with infection risk of 2.5 billion people worldwide. However, approved vaccines are still not available. Here, we explored the immune responses induced by alternating prime-boost vaccination using DNA vaccine, adenovirus, and vaccinia virus expressing E protein of dengue virus type 2 (DenV2). Methods: Following immunization with DNA vaccine (pDE), adenovirus (rAd-E), and/or vaccinia virus (VV-E) expressing E protein, E protein-specific IgG and its isotypes were determined by conventional ELISA. Intracellular CD154 and cytokine staining was used for enumerating CD4+ T cells specific for E protein. E protein-specific CD8+ T cell responses were evaluated by in vivo CTL killing activity and intracellular IFN-${\gamma}$ staining. Results: Among three constructs, VV-E induced the most potent IgG responses, Th1-type cytokine production by stimulated CD4+ T cells, and the CD8+ T cell response. Furthermore, when the three constructs were used for alternating prime-boost vaccination, the results revealed a different pattern of CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses. i) Priming with VV-E induced higher E-specific IgG level but it was decreased rapidly. ii) Strong CD8+ T cell responses specific for E protein were induced when VV-E was used for the priming step, and such CD8+ T cell responses were significantly boosted with pDE. iii) Priming with rAd-E induced stronger CD4+ T cell responses which subsequently boosted with pDE to a greater extent than VV-E and rAd-E. Conclusion: These results indicate that priming with live viral vector vaccines could induce different patterns of E protein-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses which were significantly enhanced by booster vaccination with the DNA vaccine. Therefore, our observation will provide valuable information for the establishment of optimal prime-boost vaccination against DenV.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.136-144
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• 2018

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Bacillus Calmette-$Gu\acute{e}rin$ (BCG) vaccine is the only TB vaccine currently available, but it is not sufficiently effective in preventing active pulmonary TB or adult infection. With the purpose of developing an improved vaccine against TB that can overcome the limitations of the current BCG vaccine, we investigated whether adjuvant formulations containing de-O-acylated lipooligosaccharide (dLOS) are capable of enhancing the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of TB subunit vaccines. The results revealed that the dLOS/dimethyl dioctadecyl ammonium bromide (DDA) adjuvant formulation significantly increased both humoral and Th1-type cellular responses to TB subunit vaccine that are composed of three antigens, Ag85A, ESAT-6, and HspX. The adjuvanted TB vaccine also effectively induced the Th1-type response in a BCG-primed mouse model, suggesting a potential as a booster vaccine. Finally, the dLOS/DDA-adjuvanted TB vaccine showed protective efficacy against M. tuberculosis infection in vitro and in vivo. These data indicate that the dLOS/DDA adjuvant enhances the Th1-type immunity and protective efficacy of the TB subunit vaccine, suggesting that it would be a promising adjuvant candidate for the development of a booster vaccine.

• BMB Reports
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.461-467
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• 1999

Recombinant Mycobacterium smegmatis expressing ovalbumin was used to immunize C57BL/6(H-$2^b$) mice, and the humoral immunity against recombinant ovalbumin was analyzed. Antibodies were purified by denatured ovalbumin-conjugated affinity chromatography. The epitopes of the antibodies were screened with a random peptide library displayed on the tip of fUSE5 filamentous phage pIII minor coat proteins. Two peptides, IRLADR and SPGAEV, were selected predominantly by the recognition of purified antibodies using biopanning methods. The composition of the peptide sequence with the primary structure of OVA revealed that the peptide sequence analogizes to INEAGR, part of the $^{323}ISQAVHAAHAEINEAGR^{339}$ sequence previously reported as the antigenic determinant for murine Band also Th cell epitopes (I-$A^d$ binding). Also, the structures of these mimotopes obtained from restrained molecular dynamic computations resulted in the formation of a $\beta$-turn proven to be a secondary structure of the parent peptide within the ovalbumin molecule, enabling us to confirm the structural similarity. This study demonstrates that immunization with recombinant M. smegmatis can generate neutralizing antibodies identical with those induced by the administration of natural antigenic proteins and supports the potential use of mycobacteria as vaccine delivery vehicles.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.330-335
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• 1997

Aspergillus Infection is a major.cause of mortality in individuals with depressed cell-mediated immunity. Despite therapy with intravenous amphotericin B and oral antifungal agents, high mortality has been reported among heart transplant recipients. We experienced two cases of pulmonary aspergillosis among 15 heart transplantation cases. Both cases were similiar in terms of age, time of diagnosis, and medication. Percutaneous needle aspiration biopsy revealed Aspergillus fumigatus in both cases. The thirst case showed multiple aspergilloma on both lung fields and were treated by IV Amphotericin B and oral itraconazole. After completion of treatment, the lesion completely disappeared and he has been followed up for more than one year in his good condition. The second case showed a single nodule on his right lower lung field and were treated by both medication and surgery. The patient recovered well and had been doing well until 4th postoperative month when he developed humoral rejection and expired.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.8
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• pp.1161-1164
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• 2012

Cordycepin was purified from a mushroom, Cordyceps militaris, and its effect on Th1 and Th2 cytokines was examined. The level of cytokine induction in mouse splenocytes was estimated after co-inoculation of purified cordycepin and LPS. When $5{\mu}g/ml$ of purified cordycepin was exposed to mouse splenocytes for 72 h, the level of a Th1 cytokine IL-12 increased by 2.9-fold. The addition of the purified cordycepin to splenocytes also increased the level of Th2 cytokines, IL-4 and IL-10, by 1.9- and 1.8-fold, respectively. Therefore, cordycepin increases the cytokine levels and may contribute to the up-regulation of cellular and humoral immunity.

• THE JOURNAL OF KOREAN ORIENTAL ONCOLOGY
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.47-65
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• 2000

In order to investigate antitumor and immune response effect by Hyangsapyungwisan after Sarcoma-180 cells and methotrexate were treatred each other, the extract of Hyangsapyungwisan was orally administered to ICR mice for 14 days. To evaluate the effects of the Hyangsapyungwisan, 50% inhibition concentration($IC_{50}$), mean survival days, tumor weight for antitumor effects, hemagglutinin titer, hemolysin titer, rosette forming cells, natural killer cell activity and productivity of interleukin-2 for immune responses measured in ICR mice. The results were summarized as follows: 1. Mean survival time in Hyangsapyungwisan-treated group was slightly prolonged, as compared with control group(13.46%). 2. On the MTT assay, cell viability was significantly inhibited by $5{\mu}g/well,\;2.5{\mu}g/well,\;1.25{\mu}g/well,\;and\;0.625{\mu}g/well$ of Hyangsapyung-wisan concentration inhibited cell viability significantly. $IC_{50}$ for cell viability was $11.59{\mu}g/well$. 3. Tumor weight in Hyangsapyungwisan treated group was depressed, as compared with the control group(p<0.05). 4. Hemagglutinin titer in Hyangsapyungwisan-treated group was slightly increased with no significance, as compared with the control group. 5. Hemolysin titer in Hyangsapyungwisan-treated group was silightly increased, as compared with the control group(p<0.05). 6. Rosette forming cells in Hyangsapyungwisan-treated group was silightly increased, as compared with the control group(p<0.05). 7. Naural killer cell activity in Hyangsapyungwisan-treated group was significantly increased(p<0.05). 8. Production of interleukin-2 was significantly increased(p<0.05). According to the above results, Hyangsapygwisan had prominent antitumor effects, and enhance both cellular and humoral immunity in mice.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.8
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• pp.1164-1169
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• 2001

A five-week trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of organic chromium from different sources on growth performance, immune response and serum parameters of weaned pigs. One hundred and eighty Tianjin white pigs weaned at $35{\pm}1$ days of age, were allotted to three treatments with six replicates and10 pigs per pen. Pigs were fed corn-soybean-whey-fishmeal basal diets with either no supplemental Cr, $200{\mu}g/kg$ Cr as chromium picolinate (CrPi), or $200{\mu}g/kg$ Cr as chromium yeast (Cr-yeast). To assess humoral immune response, all pigs were immunized with swine fever virus on day 21 and two pigs from each pen were immunized with pure albumin on day 14. Cell-mediated immunity was measured by determining the double skinfold thickness (DST) of two pigs from each pen before and 24h after stimulation with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) on day 28. The results indicated that: (1) diets with Cr-yeast increased average daily gain (ADG, p<0.05) and tended to increase average daily feed intake (ADFI, p<0.10). Diets with CrPi did not increase ADG and ADFI (p>0.05). (2) Dietary CrPi or Cr-yeast supplementation did not affect blood urea nitrogen, glucose, or cholesterol (p>0.05), but blood urea nitrogen in CrPi and Cr-yeast supplemented groups and blood glucose in the Cr-yeast supplemented group were significantly influenced by sampling days (p<0.05). (3) Serum proteins (TP, ALB, and GLB) were influenced by sampling days (p<0.05), but not by dietary Cr treatment (p>0.10). (4) There were no significant differences among treatments in the titers of albumin antibody and swine fever virus antibody (p>0.05) or DST before and after PHA stimulation (p>0.05), indicating that organic chromium has no significant effect on the immune function of weaning pigs. Therefore, these results agree with other research that the effects of supplemental Cr are variable in weanling pigs.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.219-224
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• 2000

Dieary effects of sea tangle on immune functions were investigated in diabetic mice. Four groups of ICR mice weighing 33.36$\pm$1.01 g were fed either an AIN-76 diet only (control), or with additional sea tangle powder, sea tangle water extract, and alginate at the level of 13.6%, 4%, and 1%, respectively by weight. Cellulose was omitted in sea tangle powder and alginate diets. After 10 days of feeding respective experimental diets, all mice were made diabetic by five consecutive intramuscular injections of streptozotocin (40mg/kg body weight per day) and fed the diets for four more weeks. Plasma IgG concentrations but not those of IgM were significantly higher in mice fed sea tangle powder, extract or alginate than those on the control diet. Plasma TNF$\alpha$ levels were, however, lower in those fed sea tangle power or water extract than control and alginate fed groups. TNF$\alpha$ releases from macro phages isolated from four groups and cultured with 5 $\mu\textrm{g}$/mL LPS for 24 hors showed a similar tendency to the results of plasma concentrations in the respective groups, but IL-1$\beta$ releases were not different among four groups. Lymphocyte proliferation in response to LPS (10$\mu\textrm{g}$/mL) measured using splenocytes cultured for 3 days was highest in the alginate fed group (594$\pm$38%) and those of sea tangle powder (536$\pm$47%) and extract (547$\pm$34%) fed groups tended to be higher than the control (523$\pm$30%). It is concluded that sea tangle contains immunomodulatory components besides alginate that could enhance humoral immunity of itself. The immunomodulatory effects of sea tangle constituents is regarded as beneficial for diabetic subjects.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.556-563
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• 2018

Objective: Spirulina has been recognized formerly as a filamentous spiral-shaped blue- green algae but more recently as a genus of photosynthetic bacteria (Arthrospira). This microorganism is considered as a rich source of essential nutrients for human and animals. The present study was conducted to determine potential application of Spirulina for heat- exposed broilers. Methods: Two hundred and fifty Cobb 500 chicks with male to female in equal ratio with average initial weight of 615.6 g at 17 days of age were divided into 5 treatments with 5 replicates of 10 chicks. Treatment groups were as follows: positive and negative controls with 0% Spirulina supplement and three Spirulina receiving groups with 5 g/kg (0.5%), 10 g/kg (1%), and 20 g/kg (2%) supplementation. Spirulina receiving groups as well as positive control were exposed to high ambient temperature at $36^{\circ}C$ for 6 h/d from 38 to 44 days of age. Biochemical variables were measured in serum samples at 35, 38, 42, and 45 days of broiler chickens age. Results: The results showed that supplementation of the diet with Spirulina decreased concentration of stress hormone and some serum lipid parameters while enhanced humoral immunity response and elevated antioxidant status whereas it didn't meaningfully affect performance characteristics. Nevertheless, feed conversion ratio was improved numerically but not statistically in broilers fed with 1% Spirulina under high ambient temperature. Conclusion: Overall, the present study suggests that alleviation of adverse impacts due to high ambient temperature at biochemical level including impaired enzymatic antioxidant system, elevated stress hormone and lipid profile can be approached in broiler chickens through supplementation of the diet with Spirulina platensis.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.524-531
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• 2005

Two experiments were conducted to standardize in ovo injection of amino acids (AA) and to evaluate the effect of in ovo injection of limiting AA(s) on pre and post hatch growth performance, immune response and development of digestive organs. Combinations of essential and non-essential amino acids (Lys+Arg, Lys+Met+Cys, Thr+Gly+Ser, Ile+Leu+Val and Gly+Pro) were injected into 50 eggs in each treatment group at 14 d of embryonic age. Standardization of injection site, needle length and embryonic age revealed that when AA were injected in to the broad end of the egg with a 11 mm needle and at the narrow end with a 24 mm needle both at the 7$^{th}$ and 14$^{th}$ d of incubation there was poor hatchability. However, better hatchability was recorded when the AA were injected in the narrow end of the egg with a 11 mm needle and in the broad end with a 24 mm needle on the 14$^{th}$ d of incubation. The chick to egg weight ratio was higher (p<0.018) when AA were injected on the 14$^{th}$ d of incubation. When a combination of amino acids were injected a 63.6 or 63.2 g difference in body weight of bird at 21 d was recorded between uninjected control and Ile+Leu+Val or Gly+Pro group, respectively. Higher feed intake (p<0.047) was recorded in the AA injected groups and feed conversion ratio (FCR) was numerically better in Gly+Pro, Lys+Met+Cys AA injected groups than in the uninjected control. Significantly higher immune response to cell mediated (p<0.033) and humoral (p<0.002) immunity was observed in in ovo amino acid injected birds, especially in Lys+Met+Cys, Thr+Gly+Ser or Ile+leu+Val groups. The digestive organ weights at 21 d did not differ between specific AA injected groups and the uninjected control. In ovo injected amino acids may act as immunomodulators and their role in gastrointestinal development needs further research.