• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제48권1호
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• pp.77-88
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• 2024

Background: Lung inflammation occurs in many lung diseases, but has limited effective therapeutics. Ginseng and its derivatives have anti-inflammatory effects, but their unstable physicochemical and metabolic properties hinder their application in the treatment. Panaxadiol (PD) is a stable saponin among ginsenosides. Inhalation administration may solve these issues, and the specific mechanism of action needs to be studied. Methods: A mouse model of lung inflammation induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), an in vitro macrophage inflammation model, and a coculture model of epithelial cells and macrophages were used to study the effects and mechanisms of inhalation delivery of PD. Pathology and molecular assessments were used to evaluate efficacy. Transcriptome sequencing was used to screen the mechanism and target. Finally, the efficacy and mechanism were verified in a human BALF cell model. Results: Inhaled PD reduced LPS-induced lung inflammation in mice in a dose-dependent manner, including inflammatory cell infiltration, lung tissue pathology, and inflammatory factor expression. Meanwhile, the dose of inhalation was much lower than that of intragastric administration under the same therapeutic effect, which may be related to its higher bioavailability and superior pharmacokinetic parameters. Using transcriptome analysis and verification by a coculture model of macrophage and epithelial cells, we found that PD may act by inhibiting TNFA/TNFAR and IL7/IL7R signaling to reduce macrophage inflammatory factor-induced epithelial apoptosis and promote proliferation. Conclusion: PD inhalation alleviates lung inflammation and pathology by inhibiting TNFA/TNFAR and IL7/IL7R signaling between macrophages and epithelial cells. PD may be a novel drug for the clinical treatment of lung inflammation.

• BMB Reports
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• 제36권1호
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• pp.95-109
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• 2003

Inflammatory lung diseases are characterized by chronic inflammation and oxidant/antioxidant imbalance. The sources of the increased oxidative stress in patients with chronic inflammatory lung diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) derive from the increased burden of inhaled oxidants, and from the increased amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by several inflammatory, immune and various structural cells of the airways. Increased levels of ROS produced in the airways is reflected by increased markers of oxidative stress in the airspaces, sputum, breath, lungs and blood in patients with lung diseases. ROS, either directly or via the formation of lipid peroxidation products such as 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal may play a role in enhancing the inflammation through the activation of stress kinases (JNK, MAPK, p38) and redox sensitive transcription factors such as NF-${\kappa}B$ and AP-1. Recent evidences have indicated that oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory mediators can alter nuclear histone acetylation/deacetylation allowing access for transcription factor DNA binding leading to enhanced pro-inflammatory gene expression in various lung cells. Understanding of the mechanisms of redox signaling, NF-${\kappa}B$/AP-1 regulation, the balance between histone acetylation and deacetylation and the release and expression of pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators may lead to the development of novel therapies based on the pharmacological manipulation of antioxidants in lung inflammation and injury. Antioxidants that have effective wide spectrum activity and good bioavailability, thiols or molecules which have dual antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, may be potential therapeutic agents which not only protect against the direct injurious effects of oxidants, but may fundamentally alter the underlying inflammatory processes which play an important role in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory lung diseases.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• 제3권4호
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• pp.306-313
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• 2007

The welding fume has been implicated as a causal agent in respiratory disease such as pneumoconiosis. The molecular mechanism by which welding fume induces toxicity in the lung is still unknown, but studies have focused on histological structure and indirect approach measuring the pulmonary damage markers. In the present study, gene expression profiles were analyzed in the lung of rats exposed by manual metal-arc stainless-steel (MMA-SS) welding fume for 30 days using Affymetrix GeneChip$^{(R)}$. Totally, 379 genes were identified as being either up- or down-regulated over 2-fold changes (P<0.01) in the lung of low- or high-dose group and were analyzed by using hierarchical clustering. We focused on genes involved in immune/inflammation responses were differentially regulated during lung injury induced by welding fume exposure. The information of these deregulated genes may contribute in elucidation of the inflammation mechanism during lung injury such as lung fibrosis.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제38권1호
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• pp.16-21
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• 2024

Haepyoijin-tang and its main components have been used for phlegm, cough and dyspnea. Using a respiratory inflammation model, we intend to reveal the anti-inflammatory effect and pharmacological mechanism of Haepyoijin-tang. We induced the respiratory inflammation model by Aspergillus oryzae protease and ovalbumin administration. Female Balb/c mice (8 weeks old) were classified into four groups as follows: saline control group, aspergillus oryzae protease and ovalbumin induced respiratory inflammation group (vehicle), inflammation with Haepyoijin-tang (200 mg/kg) administration group, inflammation with dexamethasone (5 mg/kg) administration group (n=7). To identify the anti-inflammatory effects of Haepyoijin-tang water extracts, we measured the inflammatory cell number in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and total live lung cell number. In addition, we checked eosinophil ratio and number in BALF. And Interleukin (IL)-5 level was also measured in lung cell culture supernatant. To confirm the mechanism of anti-inflammatory effects, we analyzed the activated helper T cell (CD4⁺CD25⁺ cell) and Th2 cell (CD4⁺GATA3⁺ cell) ratio and number in lung by using flow cytometry. Finally, we attempted to confirm the immune mechanism by measuring the ratio and number of regulatory T cells (CD4⁺Foxp3⁺ cell). Haepyoijin-tang extracts treatment diminished inflammatory cell, especially, eosinophil number in BALF and total live lung cell number. Moreover, IL-5 level was reduced in Haepyoijin-tang treated group. Surprisingly, Haepyoijin-tang extracts administration not only decreased the activated helper T cell but also Th2 cell population in lung. Additionally, regulatory T cell population was increased in Haepyoijin-tang administration group. Our findings proved that Haepyoijin-tang extract have anti-inflammatory efficacy by suppressing Th2 cell activation and promoting regulatory T cell population.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제25권4호
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• pp.217-224
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• 2009

Inhaled inorganic dusts such as coal can cause inflammation and fibrosis in the lung called pneumoconiosis. Chronic inflammatory process in the lung is associated with various cytokines and reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation. Expression of some cytokines mediates inflammation and leads to tissue damage or fibrosis. The aim of the present study was to compare the levels of blood cytokines interleukin (IL)-$1\beta$, IL-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-$\alpha$ and monocyte chemoatlractant protein (MCP)-1 among 124 subjects (control 38 and pneumoconiosis patient 86) with category of chest x-ray according to International Labor Organization (ILO) classification. The levels of serum IL-8 (p= 0.003), TNF-$\alpha$ (p=0.026), and MCP-1 (p=0.010) of pneumoconiosis patients were higher than those of subjects with the control. The level of serum IL-8 in the severe group with the small opacity (ILO category II or III) was higher than that of the control (p=0.035). There was significant correlation between the profusion of radiological findings with small opacity and serum levels of IL-$1\beta$(rho=0.218, p<0.05), IL-8 (rho=0.224, p<0.05), TNF-$\alpha$ (rho=0.306, p<0.01), and MCP-1 (rho=0.213, p<0.01). The serum levels of IL-6 and IL-8, however, did not show significant difference between pneumoconiosis patients and the control. There was no significant correlation between serum levels of measured cytokines and other associated variables such as lung function, age, BMI, and exposure period of dusts. Future studies will be required to investigate the cytokine profile that is present in pneumoconiosis patient using lung specific specimens such as bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), exhaled breath condensate, and lung tissue.

• 대한방사선기술학회지:방사선기술과학
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• 제29권4호
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• pp.249-255
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• 2006

목 적: 양전자방출단층검사(Fluorine-18 2-Deoxy-D-Glucose positron emission tomography : $^{18}F-FDG$ PET)는 가시적 영상분석과 반정량적 섭취계수 분석 방법을 사용하여 폐의 염증성 질환과 폐암을 구별 및 진단하는 데 유용하다. 일반적으로 표준화섭취계수(Standardized Uptake Value : SUV)가 폐 질환의 진단에 사용되지만, 이는 폐 조직에 있어서 반정량적, 정량적 분석을 통한 동적인 정보를 포함하지 않는다. 그러므로, 본 연구는 $^{18}F-FDG$ PET 검사에서 폐 질환의 동적 섭취 분석이 보다 정확한 대상질환의 진단을 유용하게 할 수 있을 것이라는 가정하에 시간-방사능 곡선(Time-Activity Curve: TAC), 표준화섭취계수-동적곡선(Standardized Uptake Value-Dynamic Curve : SUV-DC), 패트락 분석법(Patlak analysis : Glucose Metabolic Rate(MRGlu))을 토대로 얻은 분석방법을 이용하여 진단적 유용성을 평가하였다. 대상 및 방법: 폐 질환을 가진 17명의 환자를 대상을 하여, 각각 60분간 Dynamic $^{18}F-FDG$ PET검사를 시행하였다. 획득한 정보를 통하여 폐질환의 형태를 따라 관심영역(Region of Interest: ROI)를 그린 후, 반정량적 분석인 TAC, SUV-DC와 정량적 분석인 Patlak analysis를 각각의 군에 따라 분석하여 비교 분석하였다. 결 과: Dynamic $^{18}F-FDG$ PET을 통한 분석결과, TAC 형태는 초기 혈류상에서 폐의 염증성 질환과 폐암의 구분이 어려웠으나, 시간이 지날수록 폐암의 곡선이 염증성 질환의 경우보다 확연히 증가하였다. SUV-DC의 경우는 TAC 형태와 거의 유사한 형태를 가졌다. Patlak analysis 분석결과, 대동맥 영역에서는 폐의 염증성 질환이 폐암보다 높은 혈액 방사능을 보였으나 시간이 지남에 따라 염증성 질환의 혈액 방사능이 극히 낮아졌다. 반면, 병변 조직에서는 폐암이 가장 높은 섭취를 보였으며 폐의 염증성 질환은 중간 정도에 머물렀다. 결 론: TAC와 SUV-DC 분석에서 폐암과 폐의 염증성 질환은 각각 고유한 그래프 형태를 띠었으며 Patlak analysis에서 역시 주목할 만한 차이를 보였다. 따라서 이러한 분석법을 토대로 좀더 깊이 있는 연구가 진행된다면 비침습적으로 폐의 질환을 구별하는 데 보다 적절하고 유용한 진단적 정보를 얻을 수 있을 것이다.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제23권5호
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• pp.42.1-42.21
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• 2023

When the lungs are infected with bacteria, alveolar macrophages (AMs) are recruited to the site and play a crucial role in protecting the host by reducing excessive lung inflammation. However, the regulatory mechanisms that trigger the recruitment of AMs to lung alveoli during an infection are still not fully understood. In this study, we identified a critical role for NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) in the recruitment of AMs during Staphylococcus aureus lung infection. We found that NOX4 knockout (KO) mice showed decreased recruitment of AMs and increased lung neutrophils and injury in response to S. aureus infection compared to wildtype (WT) mice. Interestingly, the burden of S. aureus in the lungs was not different between NOX4 KO and WT mice. Furthermore, we observed that depletion of AMs in WT mice during S. aureus infection increased the number of neutrophils and lung injury to a similar level as that observed in NOX4 KO mice. Additionally, we found that expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM1) in NOX4 KO mice-derived lung endothelial cells was lower than that in WT mice-derived endothelial cells. Therefore, we conclude that NOX4 plays a crucial role in inducing the recruitment of AMs by controlling ICAM1 expression in lung endothelial cells, which is responsible for resolving lung inflammation during acute S. aureus infection.

• 대한한의학회지
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• 제38권2호
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• pp.78-84
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• 2017

A 73-year-old non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patient admitted due to cough, sputum, and dyspnea, aggravated a week ago. She was diagnosed as pneumonia based on the assessment of inflammation markers, chest X-ray and sputum culture. Computed tomography (CT) scan was conducted to exclude malignant tumor metastasis. At the initiation of treatment, considering underlying disease and inflammation marker level, herbal medicine and antibiotics were concurrently used and antibiotics had been discontinued after 10days. Using the monotherapy of herbal medicine in the next 6 days, chest X-ray showed remarkably decreased infiltration in right middle lung and right lower lung. This case represented additional improvement of chest X-ray when treated only with herb medicine after termination of antibiotic therapy and demonstrated the possibility of applying herbal medicine in patients with limited use of antibiotics.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제15권3호
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• pp.142-149
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• 2015

Lung fibrosis is a life-threatening disease caused by overt or insidious inflammatory responses. However, the mechanism of tissue injury-induced inflammation and subsequent fibrogenesis remains unclear. Recently, we and other groups reported that Th17 responses play a role in amplification of the inflammatory phase in a murine model induced by bleomycin (BLM). Osteopontin (OPN) is a cytokine and extracellular-matrix-associated signaling molecule. However, whether tissue injury causes inflammation and consequent fibrosis through OPN should be determined. In this study, we observed that BLM-induced lung inflammation and subsequent fibrosis was ameliorated in OPNdeficient mice. OPN was expressed ubiquitously in the lung parenchymal and bone-marrow-derived components and OPN from both components contributed to pathogenesis following BLM intratracheal instillation. Th17 differentiation of $CD4^+$ ${\alpha}{\beta}$ T cells and IL-17-producing ${\gamma}{\delta}$ T cells was significantly reduced in OPN-deficient mice compared to WT mice. In addition, Th1 differentiation of $CD4^+$ ${\alpha}{\beta}$ T cells and the percentage of IFN-$\gamma$-producing ${\gamma}{\delta}$ T cells increased. T helper cell differentiation in vitro revealed that OPN was preferentially upregulated in $CD4^+$ T cells under Th17 differentiation conditions. OPN expressed in both parenchymal and bone marrow cell components and contributed to BLM-induced lung inflammation and fibrosis by affecting the ratio of pathogenic IL-17/protective IFN-$\gamma$ T cells.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제11권3호
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• pp.169-174
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• 2011

Background: NADPH oxidase (NOX) modulates cell proliferation, differentiation and immune response through generation of reactive oxygen species. Particularly, NOX2 is recently reported to be important for regulating Treg cell differentiation of CD4+ T cells. Methods: We employed ovalbumin-induced airway inflammation in wild-type and NOX2-deficient mice and analyzed tissue histopathology and cytokine profiles. Results: We investigated whether NOX2-deficiency affects T cell-mediated airway inflammation. Ovalbumin injection which activates T cell-mediated allergic response increased airway inflammation in wild-type mice, as evidenced by increased immune cell infiltration, allergic cytokine expression, and goblet cell hyperplasia in the lung. Interestingly, NOX2 knockout (KO) mice were more susceptible to allergen-induced lung inflammation compared to wild-type mice. Immune cells including neutrophils, lymphocytes, macrophages, and eosinophils were drastically infiltrated into the lung of NOX2 KO mice and mucus secretion was substantially increased in deficiency of NOX2. Furthermore, inflammatory allergic cytokines and eotaxin were significantly elevated in NOX2 KO mice, in accordance with enhanced generation of inflammatory cytokines interleukin-17 and interferon-${\gamma}$ by CD4+ T cells. Conclusion: These results indicate that NOX2 deficiency favorably produces inflammatory cytokines by T cells and thus increases the susceptibility to severe airway inflammation.