• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.7045-7056
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• 2013

Since the first report of RNA interference (RNAi) less than a decade ago, this type of molecular intervention has been introduced to repress gene expression in vitro and also for in vivo studies in mammals. Understanding the mechanisms of action of synthetic small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) underlies use as therapeutic agents in the areas of cancer and viral infection. Recent studies have also promoted different theories about cell-specific targeting of siRNAs. Design and delivery strategies for successful treatment of human diseases are becomingmore established and relationships between miRNA and RNAi pathways have been revealed as virus-host cell interactions. Although both are well conserved in plants, invertebrates and mammals, there is also variabilityand a more complete understanding of differences will be needed for optimal application. RNA interference (RNAi) is rapid, cheap and selective in complex biological systems and has created new insight sin fields of cancer research, genetic disorders, virology and drug design. Our knowledge about the role of miRNAs and siRNAs pathways in virus-host cell interactions in virus infected cells is incomplete. There are different viral diseases but few antiviral drugs are available. For example, acyclovir for herpes viruses, alpha-interferon for hepatitis C and B viruses and anti-retroviral for HIV are accessible. Also cancer is obviously an important target for siRNA-based therapies, but the main problem in cancer therapy is targeting metastatic cells which spread from the original tumor. There are also other possible reservations and problems that might delay or even hinder siRNA-based therapies for the treatment of certain conditions; however, this remains the most promising approach for a wide range of diseases. Clearly, more studies must be done to allow efficient delivery and better understanding of unwanted side effects of siRNA-based therapies. In this review miRNA and RNAi biology, experimental design, anti-viral and anti-cancer effects are discussed.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.1071-1077
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• 2017

A rise in the occurrence of allergic diseases is attributed to the dysregulated balance of type 1/type 2 immunity, where type 2 T-helper (Th2) cells predominate over type 1 T-helper (Th1) cells, leading to an abnormally increased production of IgE in response to unharmful antigens. Kimchi, a traditional Korean fermented food, is a rich source of beneficial lactic acid bacteria. In this study, we investigated the ability of Enterococcus faecium FC-K derived from kimchi to induce type I immunity in the presence of Th2 polarizing conditions in vitro and in vivo. Stimulation of mouse peritoneal macrophages with E. faecium FC-K induced the production of tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-12. Under the in vitro Th2 conditions in which splenic T cells were activated in the presence of IL-4, E. faecium FC-K enhanced the ability of T cells to produce interferon $(IFN)-{\gamma}$. Using the ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergy model, male BALB/c mice receiving E. faecium FC-K reduced the serum level of total IgE, but not that of OVA-specific IgE. Furthermore, the population of activated splenic B cells during OVA immunization was decreased in E. faecium FC-K-treated mice, accounting for a reduction of total IgE in the serum. Restimulating splenocytes from OVA-immunized mice with OVA ex vivo resulted in an increased production of $IFN-{\gamma}$, with no effect on IL-4, in E. faecium FC-K-treated mice. These observations provide the evidence that E. faecium FC-K can be a beneficial probiotic strain that can modulate the Th2-mediated pathologic response.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.3961-3968
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• 2015

Background: Variants of human papillomavirus (HPV) show more oncogenicity than do prototypes. The HPV16 Asian variant (HPV16As) plays a major role in cervical cancer of Asian populations. Some amino acid changes in the E6 protein of HPV16 variants affect E6 functions such as p53 interaction and host immune surveillance. This study aimed to investigate activities of HPV16As E6 protein on modulation of expression of miRNA-21 as well as interferon regulatory factors (IRFs) 1, 3, 7 and c-fos. Materials and Methods: Vectors expressing E6 protein of HPV16As (E6D25E) or HPV16 prototype (E6Pro) were constructed and transfected into C33A cells. HCK1T cells expressing E6D25E or E6Pro were established by transducing retrovirus-containing E6D25E or 16E6Pro. The E6AP-binding activity of E6 and proliferation of the transfected C33A cells were determined. MiR-21 and mRNA of interesting genes were detected in the transfected C33A cells and/or the HCK1T cells, with or without treatment by culture medium from HeLa cells (HeLa-CM). Results: E6D25E showed binding activity with E6AP similar to that of E6Pro. Interestingly, E6D25E showed a higher activity of miR-21 induction than did E6Pro in C33A cells expressing E6 protein. This result was similar to the HCK1T cells expressing E6 protein, with HeLa-CM treatment. The miR-21 up-regulation significantly corresponded to its target expression. Different levels of expression of IRFs were also observed in the HCK1T cells expressing E6 protein. Interestingly, when treated with HeLa-CM, IRFs 1, 3 and 7 as well as c-fos were significantly suppressed in the HCK1T cells expressing E6D25E, whereas those in the HCK1T cells expressing E6Pro were induced. A similar situation was seen for IFN-${\alpha}$ and IFN-${\beta}$. Conclusions: E6D25E of the HPV16As variant differed from the E6 prototype in its activities on epigenetic modulation and immune surveillance and this might be a key factor for the important role of this variant in cervical cancer progression.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.45 no.8
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• pp.1099-1106
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• 2016

The objective of this study was to evaluate the immunomodulatory activity of crude polysaccharide separated from Cudrania tricuspidata leaf. C. tricuspidata polysaccharide (CTP) was extracted by ethanol precipitation. Immunomodulation activity was tested in macrophage cells (RAW 264.7 and bone-marrow derived macrophage) and splenocytes. CTP treatment significantly increased cell proliferation up to $250{\mu}g/mL$ in both RAW 264.7 and bone-marrow derived macrophages. In this concentration range (below $250{\mu}g/mL$), nitric oxide and cytokine [tumor necrosis factor $(TNF)-{\alpha}$ and interleukin (IL)-6] production also significantly increased. Similarly, splenocyte proliferation dosedependently increased except for the $1,000{\mu}g/mL$ treated group. Regarding cytokine production activity in splenocytes, CTP treatment significantly increased production of Th 1 type cytokines [interferon $(IFN)-{\gamma}$] production but not Th 2 type cytokines (IL-4). Therefore, the results indicate that CTP may have a potential effect on immunomodulatory activity in various immune cells, and this is useful for development of immune enhancing adjuvant materials as a natural ingredient.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.81 no.1
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• pp.80-87
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• 2018

Background: Asthma is a disease of chronic airway inflammation with heterogeneous features. Neutrophilic asthma is corticosteroid-insensitive asthma related to absence or suppression of $T_H2$ process and increased $T_H1$ and/or $T_H17$ process. Macrolides are immunomodulatory drug that reduce airway inflammation, but their role in asthma is not fully known. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of macrolides in neutrophilic asthma and compare their effects with those of corticosteroids. Methods: C57BL/6 female mice were sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA) and lipopolysaccharides (LPS). Clarithromycin (CAM) and/or dexamethasone (DXM) were administered at days 14, 15, 21, 22, and 23. At day 24, the mice were sacrificed. Results: Airway resistance in the OVA+LPS exposed mice was elevated but was more attenuated after treatment with CAM+DXM compared with the monotherapy group (p<0.05 and p<0.01). In bronchoalveolar lavage fluid study, total cells and neutrophil counts in OVA+LPS mice were elevated but decreased after CAM+DXM treatment. In hematoxylin and eosin stain, the CAM+DXM-treated group showed less inflammation additively than the monotherapy group. There was less total protein, interleukin 17 (IL-17), interferon ${\gamma}$, and tumor necrosis factor ${\alpha}$ in the CAM+DXM group than in the monotherapy group (p<0.001, p<0.05, and p<0.001). More histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) activity was recovered in the DXM and CAM+DXM challenged groups than in the control group (p<0.05). Conclusion: Decreased IL-17 and recovered relative HDAC2 activity correlated with airway resistance and inflammation in a neutrophilic asthma mouse model. This result suggests macrolides as a potential corticosteroid-sparing agent in neutrophilic asthma.

• Mycobiology
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.297-311
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• 2017

Saprolegniasis is one of the most devastating oomycete diseases in freshwater fish which is caused by species in the genus Saprolegnia including Saprolegnia parasitica. In this study, we isolated the strain of S. parasitica from diseased rainbow trout in Korea. Morphological and molecular based identification confirmed that isolated oomycete belongs to the member of S. parasitica, supported by its typical features including cotton-like mycelium, zoospores and phylogenetic analysis with internal transcribed spacer region. Pathogenicity of isolated S. parasitica was developed in embryo, juvenile, and adult zebrafish as a disease model. Host-pathogen interaction in adult zebrafish was investigated at transcriptional level. Upon infection with S. parasitica, pathogen/antigen recognition and signaling (TLR2, TLR4b, TLR5b, NOD1, and major histocompatibility complex class I), pro/anti-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin $[IL]-1{\beta}$, tumor necrosis factor ${\alpha}$, IL-6, IL-8, interferon ${\gamma}$, IL-12, and IL-10), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP9 and MMP13), cell surface molecules ($CD8^+$ and $CD4^+$) and antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase) related genes were differentially modulated at 3- and 12-hr post infection. As an anti-Saprolegnia agent, plant based lawsone was applied to investigate on the susceptibility of S. parasitica showing the minimum inhibitory concentration and percentage inhibition of radial growth as $200{\mu}g/mL$ and 31.8%, respectively. Moreover, natural lawsone changed the membrane permeability of S. parasitica mycelium and caused irreversible damage and disintegration to the cellular membranes of S. parasitica. Transcriptional responses of the genes of S. parasitica mycelium exposed to lawsone were altered, indicating that lawsone could be a potential anti-S. parasitica agent for controlling S. parasitica infection.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.66-73
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• 2014

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) play an important role in impairing the function of T cells. We characterized MDSCs in two chronic hepatitis C (CHC) cohorts: a cross-sectional group that included 61 treatment-naive patients with CHC, 14 rapid virologic response (RVR) cases and 22 early virologic response (EVR) cases; and a longitudinal group of 13 cases of RVR and 10 cases of EVR after pegylated-interferon-${\alpha}$/ribavirin treatment for genotype 1b HCV infection. Liver samples from 32 CHC patients and six healthy controls were subjected to immunohistochemical analysis. MDSCs frequency in treatment-naive CHC was significantly higher than in RVR, EVR, or healthy subjects and was positively correlated with HCV RNA. Patients infected with HCV genotype 2a had a significantly higher frequency of MDSCs than those infected with genotype 1b. Decreased T cell receptor (TCR) ${\zeta}$ expression on $CD8^+$ T cells was significantly associated with an increased frequency of MDSCs in treatment-naive CHC patients and was restored by L-arginine treatment in vitro. Increased numbers of liver arginase-$1^+$ cells were closely associated with the histological activity index in CHC. The TCR ${\zeta}$ chain was significantly downregulated on hepatic $CD8^+$ T cells in CHC. During antiviral follow up, MDSCs frequency in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was directly correlated with the HCV RNA load in the plasma and inversely correlated with TCR ${\zeta}$ chain expression in $CD8^+$ T cells in both RVR and EVR cases. Notably, the RVR group had a higher frequency of MDSCs at baseline than the EVR group. Collectively, this study provides evidence that MDSCs might be associated with HCV persistence and downregulation of CD8 ${\zeta}$ chain expression.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.445-451
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• 2016

This study demonstrated the immunological effects of methanol extracts from Doenjang added with wild plants (Pteridium aquilinum and Aster scaber) on bone-marrow derived macrophages and mouse splenocytes. Doenjang (DJ) and wild plant added Doenjang (WPDJ) extracts were treated to bone-marrow derived macrophages (BMDM) and splenocytes, and cell proliferation and cytokine production were measured. Cell proliferation of BMDM and splenocytes was more highly elevated in the WPDJ-treated group compared to the DJ-treated group. Cytokine [tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-$1{\beta}$, IL-10, and IL-12] production in BMDM also significantly increased in the WPDJ-treated group. Similarly, in the case of cytokine production in splenocytes, WPDJ treatment highly increased production of Th 1 type cytokines [interferon (IFN)-${\gamma}$ and IL-2] but did not affect production of Th 2 type cytokines (IL-4). These results suggest that wild plants could improve the immunomodulatory activity of Doenjang and may be effective for the development Doenjang.

• Journal of Korean Medical Science
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• v.33 no.52
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• pp.336.1-336.12
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• 2018

Background: We aimed to investigate mucosal immunity related to forkhead box P3 ($FOXP3^+$) regulatory T (Treg) cells, T helper 17 (Th17) cells and cytokines in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Methods: Mucosal tissues from terminal ileum and colon and serum samples were collected from twelve children with IBD and seven control children. Immunohistochemical staining was done using anti-human FOXP3 and anti-$ROR{\gamma}t$ antibodies. Serum levels of cytokines were analyzed using a multiplex assay covering interleukin $(IL)-1{\beta}$, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17A/F, IL-21, IL-22, IL-23, IL-25, IL-31, IL-33, interferon $(IFN)-{\gamma}$, soluble CD40L, and tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$. Results: $FOXP3^+$ Treg cells in the lamina propria (LP) of terminal ileum of patients with Crohn's disease were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than those in the healthy controls. $ROR{\gamma}t^+$ T cells of terminal ileum tended to be higher in Crohn's disease than those in the control. In the multiplex assay, serum concentrations (pg/mL) of IL-4 ($9.6{\pm}1.5$ vs. $12.7{\pm}3.0$), IL-21 ($14.9{\pm}1.5$ vs. $26.4{\pm}9.1$), IL-33 ($14.3{\pm}0.9$ vs. $19.1{\pm}5.3$), and $IFN-{\gamma}$ ($15.2{\pm}5.9$ vs. $50.2{\pm}42.4$) were significantly lower in Crohn's disease than those in the control group. However, serum concentration of IL-6 ($119.1{\pm}79.6$ vs. $52.9{\pm}39.1$) was higher in Crohn's disease than that in the control. Serum concentrations of IL-17A ($64.2{\pm}17.2$ vs. $28.3{\pm}10.0$) and IL-22 ($37.5{\pm}8.8$ vs. $27.2{\pm}3.7$) were significantly higher in ulcerative colitis than those in Crohn's disease. Conclusion: Mucosal immunity analysis showed increased $FOXP3^+$ T reg cells in the LP with Crohn's disease while Th17 cell polarizing and signature cytokines were decreased in the serum samples of Crohn's disease but increased in ulcerative colitis.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.377-384
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• 2019

Background: Inflammation is widespread in the clinical pathology and closely associated to the progress of many diseases. Triterpenoid saponins as a key group of active ingredients in Panax notoginseng (Burk.) F.H. Chen were demonstrated to show antiinflammatory effects. However, the chemical structures of saponins in the leaves and stems of Panax notoginseng (PNLS) are still not fully clear. Herein, the isolation, purification and further evaluation of the antiinflammatory activity of dammarane-type triterpenoid saponins from PNLS were conducted. Methods: Silica gel and reversed-phase C8 column chromatography were used. Furthermore, preparative HPLC was used as a final purification technique to obtain minor saponins with high purities. MS, NMR experiments, and chemical methods were used in the structural identifications. The antiinflammatory activities of the isolated saponins were assessed by measuring the nitric oxide production in RAW 264.7 cells stimulated by lipopolysaccharides. Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to measure the gene expressions of inflammation-related gene. Results: Eight new minor dammarane-type triterpene oligoglycosides, namely notoginsenosides LK1-LK8 (1-8) were obtained from PNLS, along with seven known ones. Among the isolated saponins, gypenoside IX significantly suppressed the nitric oxide production and inflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$, interleukin 10, interferon-inducible protein 10 and $interleukin-1{\beta}$. Conclusion: The eight saponins may enrich and expand the chemical library of saponins in Panax genus. Moreover, it is reported for the first time that gypenoside IX showed moderate antiinflammatory activity.