• 한국식품영양학회지
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.204-209
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• 2008

The present study examined the ex vivo effect of Job's tear on immune function. Seven to eight week old mice(Balb/c) were fed a chow diet ad libitum two different concentrations (50 and 500 mg/kg BW) of water extract of Job's tear were orally administ every other day for two weeks. The results indicated that macrophage activation had occurred in the mice receiving 50 mg/kg B. W. of Job's tear water extract. Overall, using a mouse model, this study demonstrated that Job's tear extract may enhance immune function by regulating the $IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6, $TNF-{\alpha}$ and IL-10 cytokine production capacity of activated macrophages in mice. This study may suggest that supplementation of Job's tear water extracts may enhance the immune function by regulating the enhancing the cytokine production by activated macrophage ex vivo.

• BMB Reports
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• 제46권4호
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• pp.213-218
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• 2013

Members of the colony stimulating factor cytokine family play important roles in macrophage activation and recruitment to inflammatory lesions. Among them, granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is known to be associated with immune response to mycobacterial infection. However, the mechanism through which Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) affects the expression of GM-CSF is poorly understood. Using PMA-differentiated THP-1 cells, we found that MTB infection increased GM-CSF mRNA expression in a dose-dependent manner. Induction of GM-CSF mRNA expression peaked 6 h after infection, declining gradually thereafter and returning to its basal levels at 72 h. Secretion of GM-CSF protein was also elevated by MTB infection. The increase in mRNA expression and protein secretion of GM-CSF caused by MTB was inhibited in cells treated with inhibitors of p38 MAPK, mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK-1), and PI3-K. These results suggest that up-regulation of GM-CSF by MTB is mediated via the PI3-K/MEK1/p38 MAPK-associated signaling pathway.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• 제20권3호
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• pp.225-233
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• 1997

A murine leukemia x LM fibroblast hybrid cell line with immune augmenting properties stimulated resistance to Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) in mouse peritoneal macrophages, and in immune deficient beige mice (C57BL/6/bgj/bgj). The proliferation of MAC in mouse peritoneal macrophages was inhibited by medium conditioned by the growth of the hybrid cells (hybrid cell-CM). Under similar circumstances, media conditioned by the growth of LM cells (LM cell-CM), a mouse fibroblast cell line used as one parent in forming the hybrid cell, was exhibited no inhibitory effect. Treatment of mouse peritoneal macrophages with hybrid cell-CM, but not with LM cell-CM, stimulated the expression of each of four previously described macrophage activation antigens, suggesting that the hybrid cells formed immunomodulators in addition to those formed by LM cells. Furthermore, the morphology of the macrophages following treatment with hybrid cell-CM was clearly distinguishable from that following exposure of the cells to LM cell-CM. The therapeutic effects of hybrid cells on the progression of MAC-infection were indicated by the prolonged survival of MAC-infected immune-deficient beige mice. One hundred percent of treated animals survived more than 60 days, while untreated animals died in approximately 22 days.

• 대한한방내과학회지
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• 제18권2호
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• pp.27-39
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• 1997

The purpose of this research was to investigate effects of Bambusae Caulis in Liquamen(BCL) on T-lymphocytes and peritoneal macrophages in mice. The apoptosis and subpopulation of T-lymphocytes were tested using a flow cytometer. The phagocytic activity of mouse peritoneal macrophage was tested using a luminometer. Nitric oxide production was tested using a Griess reagents. BCL induced T-lymphocytes apoptosis. BCL increased $T_H$ cells population and decreased $T_C$ cells population of T-lymphocyte, but did not affect splenocytes subpopulation. BCL increased nitric oxide production and phagocytic activity of peritoneal macrophage in mice. These results suggest that BCL regulates the immune system in consequence of an increase in helper T cell population and macrophages activation.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• 제22권3호
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• pp.267-273
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• 1999

In this study we examined the potential for the synergistic augmentation of the antitumor activity of inflammatory mouse peritoneal macrophages by stimulation with protein A combined with $IFN-\gamma$. The moderate augmentative effect induced by preincubation with protein A was demonstrated to be concentration-dependent, whereas IFN-, had a very low activating effect. Following preincubation with both protein A and $IFN-\gamma$, a marked enhancement of macrophage activity was noted. In addition, based on the utilization of neutralizing antibody to TNF-$\alpha$ or the inhibition of NO Production, TNF-$\alpha$ and NO were proven to be involved as mediators during the activation of tumoricidal macrophages by protein A in combination with $IFN-\gamma$. We also demonstrated that supernatants from macrophages treated with protein A plus $IFN-\gamma$ contained both TNF-$\alpha$ and NO at markedly increased levels. Thus, tumor cell lysis in the combined system was mediated via TNF-$\alpha$ or NO. These results demonstrate the synergistic effects on mouse pertioneal macrophage function of protein A in combination with $IFN-\gamma$ and suggest that combinations of such agents may serve as the basis for future in vivo immunotherapy.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제17권3호
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• pp.276-281
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• 2009

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are considered as probiotics with immunostimulatory property. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanism of its immunostimulating potency on macrophages using combined preparation of LAB (cpLAB). cpLAB is able to strongly stimulate nitric oxide (NO) production as well as inducible NO synthase (iNOS) expression from macrophage-like RAW264.7 cells. The cpLAB-induced NO release seemed to be mediated by extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) but not p38 and C-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), since U0126, an ERK inhibitor, clearly suppressed NO production. cpLAB significantly diminished the binding of toll like receptor (TLR)-2 antibody up to 25%, implying that cpLAB-mediated activation of macrophages may be required for the functional activation of TLR-2, but not TLR-4. Therefore, our data suggest that cpLAB may directly allow macrophages to immunostimulating potency via activation of TLR-2 and ERK.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.295-300
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• 2014

The actin cytoskeleton plays an important role in macrophage-mediated inflammatory responses by modulating the activation of Src and subsequently inducing nuclear factor (NF)-${\kappa}B$ translocation. In spite of its critical functions, few papers have examined how the actin cytoskeleton can be regulated by the activation of toll-like receptor (TLR). Therefore, in this study, we further characterized the biological value of the actin cytoskeleton in the functional activation of macrophages using an actin cytoskeleton disruptor, cytochalasin B (Cyto B), and explored the actin cytoskeleton's involvement in morphological changes, cellular attachment, and signaling events. Cyto B strongly suppressed the TLR4-mediated mRNA expression of inflammatory genes such as cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$, and inducible nitric oxide (iNOS), without altering cell viability. This compound also strongly suppressed the morphological changes induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a TLR4 ligand. Cyto B also remarkably suppressed NO production under non-adherent conditions but not in an adherent environment. Cyto B did not block the co-localization between surface glycoprotein myeloid differentiation protein-2 (MD2), a LPS signaling glycoprotein, and the actin cytoskeleton under LPS conditions. Interestingly, Cyto B and PP2, a Src inhibitor, enhanced the phagocytic uptake of fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-dextran. Finally, it was found that Cyto B blocked the phosphorylation of vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) at 1 min and the phosphorylation of heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) at 5 min. Therefore, our data suggest that the actin cytoskeleton may be one of the key components involved in the control of TLR4-mediated inflammatory responses in macrophages.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제23권3호
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• pp.162-168
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• 2017

Cordyceps bassiana has long been used as an oriental medicine and reported to possess diverse biological activities. The fruiting bodies of Cordyceps bassiana was extracted with ethanol and then further fractionated with n-hexane, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and water. The butanol fraction from Cordyceps bassiana (CBBF) exhibited the most effective in anti-inflammatory activity in RAW 264.7 macrophages and the roles of CBBF on the anti-inflammation cascade in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells were studied. To investigate the mechanism by which CBBF inhibits NO, iNOS and COX-2, the activation of $I{\kappa}B$ and MAPKs in LPS-activated macrophage were examined. Our present results demonstrated that CBBF inhibits NO production and iNOS expression in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells, and these effects were mediated through the inhibition of $I{\kappa}B-{\alpha}$, JNK and p38 phosphorylation. Also, CBBF suppressed activation of MAPKs including p38 and SAPK/JNK. Furthermore, CBBF significantly suppressed LPS-induced intracellular ROS generation. Its inhibition on iNOS expression, together with its antioxidant activity, may support its anti-inflammatory activity. Thus Cordyceps bassiana can be used as a useful medicinal food or drug for further studies.

• 약학회지
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• 제55권5호
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• pp.404-410
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• 2011

This study was to elucidate the anti-inflammatory activities of a methanol extract derived from the fermented bark of Dioscoreae batatas on LPS-induced activation in macrophages. It was fermented with Lactobacillus fermentum and L. plantarum and then analyzed to identify the contents of methanol extract and diosgenin. The fermented product showed 3-fold increase in the extraction yield by methanol, and 1.8-fold increase in diosgenin contents, compared to that from the dried bark of D. batatas. Although the methanol extract from the unfermented D. batatas inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced production of nitric oxide (NO) and TNF-${\alpha}$ in J774 A.1 cells, the methanol extract from the fermented product revealed significantly the enhanced the inhibitory activities on LPS-induced production of NO and TNF-${\alpha}$. Taken together, our results indicate that fermentation of bark of D. batatas elevates the functional activity inhibiting macrophage activation through the increase of the content of anti-inflammatory compounds. Thus, its methanol extract may be useful as a functional material for the therapy of inflammatory diseases.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제27권3호
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• pp.115-119
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• 2003

There has been continuing interest in the development of synthetic and natural compounds that modify the immune response particularly for the treatment of AIDS and cancer. During the past fifty years, numerous scientific studies have been published on ginseng. Modem human studies have investigated preventive effect of ginseng on several kinds of cancer, its long term immunological effect on HIV patients, its effect on cell mediated immune functions in healthy volunteers. Similarly non clinical studies on animal model system have studied the chemopreventive action of ginseng on cancer and immunological properties of ginseng. The precise mechanism of action of ginseng, however, not clearly understood. Considering its wide-ranging therapeutic effects, this study is being undertaken to elucidate the general mode of action of ginseng, especially to test our hypothesis that its biological action may be mediated by the immune system.