• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.560-567
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• 2008

An efficient method to produce water-soluble polysaccharides from Lentinus lepideus is described. The productivity of both endopolysaccharides (PPS) and exopolysaccharides (EPS) was compared under various culture conditions. The effect of treating their own PPS and EPS on immune cytokine production was also studied in relation to culture factors. High yield production of EPS required a moderate culture temperature $(25^{\circ}C)$ as well as long culture period (16-20 days). In contrast, PPS production required a high culture temperature $(30^{\circ}C)$ and short culture period (8 days). Most of the carbon sources did not affect polysaccharides and mycelial production except for sucrose. Immune cytokine levels in the EPS treatment varied among carbon sources or culture periods. PPS did not appear to affect much on the production of cytokines, regardless of the culturing factors, except for the culture period. These results suggest that the optimal culture conditions for L. lepideus vary according to culture purposes, and different culture conditions should be used for different targets including mycelial biomass, EPS, and PPS. Whereas the immunomodulating activitiy of EPS appeared to be affected by culture conditions in L. lepideus, that of PPS did not.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 2006.11a
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• pp.103-115
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• 2006

$\beta$-Glucan is a glucose polymer that has linkage of $\beta$-(1,3), -(1,4) and -(1,6). As exclusively found in fungal and bacterial cell wall, not in animal, $\beta$-glucans are recognized by innate immune system. Dendritic cells (DC) or macrophages possesses pattern recognition molecule (PRM) for binding $\beta$-glucan as pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP). Recently $\beta$-glucan receptor was cloned from DC and named as dectin-l which belongs to type II C-type lectin family. Human dectin-1 is consisted of 7 exons and 6 introns. The polypeptide of dectin-1 has 247 amino acids and has cytoplasmic, transmembrane, stalk and carbohydrate recognition domains. Dectin-1 could recognize variety of beta-1,3 and/or beta-1,6 glucan linkages, but not alpha-glucans. In our macrophage cell line culture system, dectin-1 mRNA was detected in RA W264.7 cells by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Dectin-1 was also detected in the murine organs of spleen, thymus, lung and intestines. Treatment of RA W264.7 cells with $\beta$-glucans of Ganoderma lucidum (GLG) resulted in increased expression of IL-6 and TNF-$\alpha$ in the presence of LPS. However, GLG alone did not increase IL-6 nor TNF-$\alpha$. These results suggest that receptor dectin-1 cooperate with CD14 to activate signal transduction that is very critical in immunoresponse.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.211-218
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• 2010

Acanthopanax koreanum Nakai (Araliaceae) is a medicinal plant indigenous to Korea. The root and stem barks of Acanthopanax species have been used as a tonic and sedative as well as in the treatment of rheumatism and diabetes. In our study, three lignans, eleutheroside E (EE), tortoside A (TA), and syringaresinol (SY), were isolated from the stem and root of A. koreanum in an effort to study the immunomodulating effect. We treated natural killer cells and dendritic cells with lignans (EE, TA, or SY), and analyzed their cytokine (IL-12 and IFN-${\gamma}$) secretion. EE, TA, or SY markedly enhanced IL-12 secretion in mouse lymphoid (DC1) and myeloid type (DC2.4) dendritic cells after 48 hr of treatment. There were no significant differences in the cytokine stimulatory effects between EE, TA, or SY. Moreover, treatment of EE, TA, or SY significantly induced IFN-${\gamma}$ secretion by human NK cells (NK92MI) confirmed by ELISA assay. This study suggests that lignans from A. koreanum modulate cytokines, and that such modulation may provide the mechanism of action for many of their therapeutic effects.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.115-124
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• 2002

Background: The chemical characteristics of the exo-secretion from Phellinus linteus (referred to as exo-secretion) including the compositions of amino acids and monosaccharides were investigated. In addition, cytotoxicity of the exo-secretion on 5 tumor cell lines derived from human cancers and its antitumor activity against ascitic sarcoma-180 cells were examined. Methods: The antitumor activity of exo-secretion from Phellinus linteus was determined by measuring parameters including tumor weight, life span of mice, chemotatic activity of leukocytes, counts of immune cells, and activity of cytokines. Results: The exo-secretion from Phellinus linteus showed no direct cytotoxicity to the five tumor cell lines tested, but it had a strong antitumor activity against sarcoma-180 cells in ICR mice as measured by tumor weight and life span of mice. The exo-secretion stimulated the chemotaxis of leukocytes and production of immune cells and cytokines. Conclusion: These results suggest that the exo-secretion from Phellinus linteus do not act as a direct cytotoxic substance to cancer cells but as an immunomodulator.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.123-128
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• 2013

Purpose: The aim of study was to investigate the racial or ethnic differences in FDA-approved medications. Methods: Data on racial-based differences of drugs in PDR (Physician's Desk Reference) were analyzed by searching with keywords, "ETHNIC" and "RACE". Results: There were descriptions related to "ETHNIC" in product directions of 53 cases and "RACE" in 266 cases in 2010 PDR. After excluding 30 cases of duplicates, 289 cases were shown of which 28 cases were verified to demonstrate racial or ethnic differences. Drug category showing the higher racial or ethnic differences was cardiovascular drugs (7), followed by alimentary tract and metabolism drugs (6), nervous system drugs (5), and antineoplastic and immunomodulating agents (3). Pharmacokinetic differences between race and ethnicity were observed most frequently; differences in AUC or Cmax showed in 15 drugs and clearance differences in 7 drugs. Conclusions: This study identified the racial differences in medication usage in PDR. Therefore, the results can contribute to safe use of medication in real clinical settings in regards to the racial or ethnic differences.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2008

Di-D-fructose-2,6':6,2'-dianhydride (DFA-IV) is a disaccharide consisting of two fructose residues that are prepared from levan by levan fructotransferase. Levan is a homopolysaccharide composed of D-fructofuranosyl residues joined by $\beta$-(2,6) and $\beta$-(2,1) linkages. We compared the immunomodulatory effects of levan with DFA-IV. Tumoricidal activity, phagocytosis and nitric oxide (NO) production were examined in levan- and DFA-IV-treated RAW264.7 cells. The NO production, tumoricidal and phagocytic activities were significantly increased in both treated cells. The results indicate that levan has significantly greater effects on tumoricidal activity than DFA-IV at low concentrations (1 ${\mu}g/mL$) and its effect on NO production shows a similar pattern. These results suggest that tumoricidal activity induced by both samples is mediated by NO production.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.61-69
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• 2009

Objectives : This experiment was conducted to evaluate the inhibitory effects against lung metastasis and promotion of splenocytes by water-soluble components from five mushrooms extracts (WEFM): Garnoderma frondosa, Corious versicolor, Codyceps militaris, Hericium erinaceus and Lentinula edodes. Methods : Colon 26-L5 carcinoma cells were injected through the tail vein to induce lung metastatic cancer. Changes in weight of lung were observed and cytokine level was analyzed to evaluate immunological changes. Results : Oral administration of WEFM resulted in a significant inhibition of lung metastasis after intravenous injection of colon 26-L5 cells in a dose-dependent manner. There was also a significant increase in T cell and B cell mitogenic stimuli and production of IFN-g by splenocytes stimulated with Con A compared to untreated controls. Conclusion : WEFM may have anti-tumor activities via Th1-type dominant immune responses.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.17
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• pp.217-218
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• 2001

In a series of our screening for immunomodulating substances, we isolated prodigiosin from the culture broth qf Serratia marcescens B-1231. This compound inhibited the T cell-mediated immune responses such as concanavalin A-induced proliferation, mixed lymphocyte response, local graft versus host reaction and T-dependent antibody response at nontoxic concentrations. However. prodigiosin did not effect B cell-mediated immune functions such as lipopolysaccharide-induced proliferation and -activated polyclonal antibody production at the same concentrations. Prodigiosin did not cause death in vitro to lymphocytes at effective concentrations (＜100 nM) and also did not show toxicity in vivo to lymphoid organs at effective dos-ages (10 and 30 mg/kg). The pharmacological potencies were comparable to the activities of well-known T-cell specific immunosuppressants such as cyclosporin A. In our continuing study, mechanism of action of PDG is investigated with respect to the effect of PDG on IL-2/IL-2R pathway and transcription factor.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.9
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• pp.735-740
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• 2006

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) quickly attenuate or are killed during the freeze-drying process and storage. The effect of some natural polysaccharides, which are known as potent antitumor and immunomodulating substances, on the viability of the LAB, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium breve, on freeze-drying and storage were investigated. Among the polysaccharides tested, red ginseng polysaccharide (RGP) and chitosan significantly inhibited the cell death of the LAB during freeze-drying, and fucoidan and RGP most potently protected the cell death of the LAB during storage. The stabilities of the LAB on the addition of RGP and fucoidan were comparable to that of skimmed milk. However, white ginseng polysaccharide (WGP) did not promote storage stability. When 5% skimmed milk/5% RGP treated LAB were freeze-dried and stored, their viabilities were found to be significantly higher those treated with 5% or 10% RGP. The stabilizing effect of 5% RGP/5% skimmed milk during LAB freeze-drying and storage stability was comparable to that of treatment with 10% skimmed milk. Based on these findings, we believe that RGP beneficially improves the stability of LAB during the freeze-dry process and storage.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.183-193
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• 2020

Recently, as a natural substance has been emphasized interest in research to enhance the immune function. Green lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is a popular vegetable used fresh and it contains various phytochemicals and antioxidant compounds, and has been reported to have various physiological activities such as antibacterial, antioxidant, antitumor and anti-mutagenic. However, only a few studies have investigated on the mechanism of action of immune-enhancing activity of lettuce. Therefore, in this study, the immunomodulatory activities and potential mechanism of action of Green lettuce extracts (GLE) were evaluated in the murine macrophage cell line RAW264.7. GLE significantly increased NO levels by RAW264.7 cells, as well as expressions of immunomodulators such as iNOS, COX-2, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12, TNF-α and MCP-1. Although GLE activated ERK1/2, p38, JNK and NF-κB, GLE-mediated expressions of immunomodulators was dependent on p38, JNK and NF-κB. In addition, TLR4 inhibition blocked GLE-mediated expressions of immunomodulators and activation of p38, JNK and NF-κB. Taken together, these results demonstrated that TLR4-MAPK/NF-κB signalling pathways participated in GLE-induced macrophage activation and GLE could be developed as a potential immunomodulating functional food.