• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
• /
• v.13 no.5
• /
• pp.213-218
• /
• 2005

Phellinus linteus (PL), one of the immune-regulatory substances, is recognized to play the role in the metabolic process on inflammation and immunity. It has been traditionally used in the oriental medicine to treat inflammatory related disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of water extracts of PL on the mesenteric lymph node lymphocytes immune function in the ICR male mice. Control mice received vehicle only. The PL treated mice were administered the respective extract by oral gavages for 4 weeks. IgE concentrations in serum and MLN lymphocytes were significantly lower in PL treated mice than in control mice. PL increased the proportion of $CD4^+\;and\;CD8^+$ T cells in MLN lymphocytes. PL significantly decreased Th2 cytokine concentrations and mRNA expression levels in cytokine secretions. Therefore, water extracts of PL modulate inflammatory parameters through regulation of immunoglobulin production resulting from decreased Th2 cytokine secretion and mRNA expression levels and reduce pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion and mRNA expression in MLN lymphocytes.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.37 no.3
• /
• pp.314-319
• /
• 2004

Flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) Immunoglobulins (Igs) were purified from the serum of mouse IgG-immunized flounder by using affinity chromatography. Under denaturing conditions in SDS-PAGE, the flounder Igs appeared to be composed of 2 heavy (H) chains (72 and 77 kDa) and two light (L) chains (26 and 28 kDa). Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were produced by the fusion of myeloma cells (SP2/0) with Balb/c mouse spleen cells that were previously sensitized against affinity-purified flounder Igs. In a Western blot analysis, the produced MAbs, FIM511, FIM519, and FIM562 recognized both the 72 and 77 kDa H chains, 26 kDa, and 28 kDa L chain, respectively. Mouse antiserum against flounder Igs reacted more strongly with the L chain of 28 kDa than with 26 kDa, suggesting that the 28 kDa molecule is more immunogenic than the 26 kDa L chain molecule. In a FACS analysis, the ratios of the Ig+ cell population in the flounder head kidney and spleen cells were 49% and 24%, respectively. Unexpectedly, however, the ratios of the Ig+ B-like cell population in the flounder were not significantly augmented, even after the immunization of an immunogenic antigen. This suggests that the humoral immune response in fish could be considerably different from that in mammals. The produced MAbs in this study would be useful in characterizing flounder Ig+ B-like cells and in developing flounder Ig detecting an immunoassay system.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.32 no.2
• /
• pp.149-158
• /
• 2016

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with a complex etiology that encompasses immunologic responses. AD is frequently associated with elevated immunoglobulin (Ig) E levels, and common environmental factors contribute to its pathogenesis. Several recent studies have documented the role of specific lactic acid bacteria in the treatment and prevention of AD in humans and mice. In this study, the efficacy of Duolac ATP, a probiotic preparation, was determined in a mouse model with AD-like skin lesions. Alterations in the cytokine levels and histological staining suggested the alleviation of AD. The in vivo test showed that T helper (Th)2 cytokines, IgE, interleukin (IL)-4, and IL-5, were significantly downregulated, whereas Th1 cytokines, IL-12p40 and interferon (IFN)-${\gamma}$, were upregulated in all groups of mice treated with Duolac ATP compared to that observed in the group of mice treated with 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (DNCB) alone. Moreover, the scratch score decreased in all mice treated with Duolac ATP. Staining of the dorsal area of the mice in each group with hematoxylin and eosin and toluidine blue further confirmed the alleviation of AD in mice orally treated with Duolac ATP. These results suggest that Duolac ATP inhibits the development of AD-like skin lesions in NC/Nga mice by suppressing the Th2 cell response and increasing the Th1 cell response. Thus, Duolac ATP is beneficial and effective for the treatment of AD-like skin lesions.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.32 no.2
• /
• pp.109-114
• /
• 2016

Allergic skin inflammation such as atopic dermatitis is characterized by skin barrier dysfunction, edema, and infiltration with various inflammatory cells. The anti-inflammatory effects of Apo-9'-fucoxanthinone, isolated from Sargassum muticum, have been described in many diseases, but the mechanism by which it modulates the immune system is poorly understood. In this study, the ability of Apo-9'-fucoxanthinone to suppress allergic reactions was investigated using a mouse model of atopic dermatitis. The Apo-9'-fucoxanthinone-treated group showed significantly decreased immunoglobulin E in serum. Also, Apo-9'-fucoxanthinone treatment resulted in a smaller lymph node size with reduced the thickness and length compared to the induction group. In addition, Apo-9'-fucoxanthinone inhibited the expression of interleukin-4, interferon-gamma and tumor necrosis factor-alpha by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and ionomycin-stimulated lymphocytes. These results suggest that Apo-9'-fucoxanthinone may be a useful therapeutic strategy for treating chronic inflammatory diseases.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.265-269
• /
• 1983

A comparison was made of a new serological method, thin layer immunoassay (TIA), and an established method, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), in the detection and quantiacation of antibodies in clonorchiasis. Saline extract of Iyophilized Clonorchis sinensis adult worm was used as antigen, and TIA by the method of Elwing et at. (1976) and ELISA by Voller et at. (1974) were performed. Using sera from known clonorchiasis cases,100% of the sera tested were Positive by TIA and 88.35 by ELISA. TIA produced false positive results in 14 out of 36 cases, which were 10 amoebiasis cases, 16 paragonimiasis cases and 10 healthy controls. ELISA. however, produced a small number of false positives, 7 out of 55 cases. There was correlation between Immunoglobulin G level in sera and ELISA value (correlation coefficient, 0.69), whereas no correlation between Immunoglobulin G level and TIA result. The Performance of TIA and ELISA was not correlated in the results using homologous antigen.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.63 no.7
• /
• pp.239-250
• /
• 2020

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is spreading globally. Although its etiologic agent is discovered as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), there are many unsolved issues in COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. The causes of different clinical phenotypes and incubation periods among individuals, species specificity, and cytokine storm with lymphopenia as well as the mechanism of damage to organ cells are unknown. It has been suggested that in viral pneumonia, virus itself is not a direct cause of acute lung injury; rather, aberrant immune reactions of the host to the insults from viral infection are responsible. According to its epidemiological and clinical characteristics, SARS-CoV-2 may be a virus with low virulence in nature that has adapted to the human species. Current immunological concepts have limited ability to explain such unsolved issues, and a presumed immunopathogenesis of COVID-19 is presented under the protein-homeostasis-system hypothesis. Every disease, including COVID-19, has etiological substances controlled by the host immune system according to size and biochemical properties. Patients with severe pneumonia caused by SARS-CoV-2 show more severe hypercytokinemia with corresponding lymphocytopenia than patients with mild pneumonia; thus, early immunomodulator treatment, including corticosteroids, has been considered. However, current guidelines recommend their use only for patients with advanced pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome. Since the immunopathogenesis of pneumonia may be the same for all patients regardless of age or severity and the critical immune-mediated lung injury may begin in the early stage of the disease, early immunomodulator treatment, including corticosteroids and intravenous immunoglobulin, can help reduce morbidity and possibly mortality rates of older patients with underlying conditions.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.61-68
• /
• 2017

Purpose: To investigate differences in clinical features, blood/urinary findings, and prognosis in different age groups of patients with Henoch-$Sch{\ddot{o}}nlein$ purpura (HSP). Methods: A total of 469 patients with HSP were analyzed retrospectively from June 2003 to February 2016. We classified patients into child or adult groups based on their age. Results: The adult group had more patients with anemia (child vs. adult; 7.5% vs. 16.4%), and higher immunoglobulin A (IgA) (30.0% vs. 50.0%) levels, C-reactive protein (34.2% vs. 54.0%) and uric acid (3.1% vs. 12.1%) levels than the child group. The child group was highly positive for Mycoplasma pneumoniae immunoglobulin M (IgM) (34.4%). More patients in the child group presented with high levels of antistreptolysin O (24.7% vs. 2.9%) and high C4 (11.5% vs. 4.2%). Low C3 (1.1% vs. 10.2%) levels, and renal involvement with gross hematuria (8.6% vs. 21.5 %), nonnephrotic proteinuria (1.1% vs. 11.2%), and nephrotic syndrome (1.1% vs. 6.0%) were common in the adult group. Adults also had poorer renal outcomes [persistent hematuria/proteinuria (10.5% vs. 32.8%), and chronic kidney disease (0% vs. 11.2%)] than the child group. Risk factors for renal involvement such as older age and higher level of uric acid were only found in the child group. The risk factors for poor renal outcome were nephrotic syndrome in the child group and gross hematuria in the adult group. Conclusion: In this study, child and adult groups presented with different clinical manifestations of HSP. We found that risk factors for renal involvement included age and high uric acid level in the child group. Moreover, nephrotic syndrome in the child group and gross hematuria in the adult group increased the risk of poor renal outcome.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.47 no.4
• /
• pp.509-514
• /
• 2019

We investigated the beneficial effects of Ecklonia cava by-product (ECB), a residual product obtained after polyphenol extraction from Ecklonia cava, on normal rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into the following three groups: Control group (NC), received basal diet; ECB 0.1 group, received basal diet supplemented with 0.1% ECB for 21 days; ECB 0.5 group, received basal diet supplemented with 0.5% ECB for 21 days. The productivity, serum immunoglobulin level, expression levels of muscle-related genes, and cecal microflora were measured in all the treatment groups to evaluate the potential use of ECB as a feed additive. The ECB 0.1 group exhibited enhanced expression of Myod, Myog, and Igf1 genes, which increased the body weight of rats. Additionally, treatment with ECB increased the cecal Lactobacillus spp. counts and the serum immunoglobulin G levels in rats. Thus, ECB can effectively increase body weight and can be a potential feed additive for improving growth.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.31 no.4
• /
• pp.361-370
• /
• 1988

To investigate the interaction between whey and soybean protein, thermal changes of component proteins were analyzed by column chromatography and gel electrophoresis. In the Sephadex G-200 chromatography of the mixture treated at above $80^{\circ}C$, the amount of low molecular weight proteins and high molecular aggregates were increased. This implicated that dissociation of 1ls globulin into subunits and the formation of soluble aggregates between these subunits and whey proteins that contain thiol and disulfide groups. These interaction between soy proteins and ${\beta}-lactoglobulin$, ${\alpha}-lactalbumin$, and proteose-peptone 3 were confirmed by gel electrophoresis. Bovine serum albumin, Immunoglobulin-G(H), Lactoferrin, 1ls-subunits(basic and acidic), and subunit of 7s globulin were also considered to interact each other depending on the condition of the salt solutions.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.491-495
• /
• 2016

Background: Small B-cell non-Hodgkins lymphoma (NHL) is difficult to be distinguished from non-neoplastic reactive processes using conventional haematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining due to different interpretations among pathologists with diagnosis based on morphologic features. Ancillary examinations such as immunohistochemical (IHC) staining are essential. However, negative or doubtful results are still sometimes obtained due to unsatisfactory tissue processing or IHC technique. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as a molecular diagnostic technique is very sensitive and specific. Clonality detection of heavy chain immunoglobulin (IgH) gene rearrangement has been widely used to establish diagnosis of B-cell NHL. Aims: To elaborate interobserver variation in small B-cell NHL diagnosis based on morphologic features only and to confirm sensitivity and specificity of the PCR technique as an ancillary method. Materials and Methods: A toptal of 28 samples of small B cell NHL and suspicious lymphoma were interpreted by 3 pathologists in Sardjito General Hospital based on their morphology only. The reliability of assessment and the coefficient of interobserver agreement were calculated by Fleiss kappa statistics. Interpretation results were confirmed with IHC staining (CD20, CD3, Bcl2). PCR was performed to analyze the clonality of IgH gene rearrangement. Results: Interobserver agreement in morphologic evalution of small B cell NHL and chronic lymphadenitis revealed kappa coefficient 0.69 included in the substantial agreement category. The cases were divided into 3 groups based on morphology and IHC results; lymphoma, reactive process and undetermined group. PCR analysis showed 90% sensitivity and 60% specificity. Conclusions: The present study revealed a substantial agreement among pathologists in small B-cell NHL diagnosis. For difficult cases, PCR is useful as complementary method to morphologic and IHC examinations to establish definitive diagnosis.