• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.43-53
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• 2022

Objectives : Paeonia lactiflora Pallas (PLP) have been reported to have pharmacological effects such as anti-inflammatory and analgesic. However, it is not yet known whether PLP extract has anti-inflammatory effect on HaCaT cells, human keratinocyte. Methods : To confirm the anti-inflammatory effect of PLP on keratinocyte, TNF-𝛼/IFN-𝛾-stimulated HaCaT cells were used. HaCaT cells were pre-treated with PLP for 1h before stimulation with TNF-𝛼/IFN-𝛾. Then HaCaT cells were stimulated with TNF-𝛼/IFN-𝛾 for 24 h, the cells and media were harvested to measure the inflammatory cytokines levels. Granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), interleukin 1 beta (IL-1𝛽), and TNF-𝛼 were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the mRNA expression of thymus and activation-regulated chemokines (TARC), IL-6, and IL-8 were measured by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). We also investigated the inhibitory mechanism of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPKs) including ERK, JNK, and p38 and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-𝜅B) by PLP using western blot. Results : PLP did not show cytotoxicity in HaCaT cells. In TNF-𝛼/IFN-𝛾-stimulated HaCaT cells, PLP significantly inhibited the expression of GM-CSF, MCP-1 IL-1𝛽, TNF-𝛼, TARC and IL-6. PLP inhibited the phosphorylation of ERK and translocation of NF-𝜅B into the nucleus. Conclusions : These results indicate that PLP could ameliorate the TNF-𝛼/IFN-𝛾-stimulated inflammatory response through inhibition of MAPK and NF-kB signal pathway. This suggests that PLP could be used beneficial agent to improve skin inflammation.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.452-459
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• 2002

Neutrophil apoptosis is a constitutive process that can be enhanced or delayed by various stimuli. In this study, effect of brefeldin A (BFA), which affects biological process of secretion, on constitutive and delayed apoptosis of neutrophils was investigated. Neutrophil apoptosis was determined after culturing for 20 hr in vitro by morphological changes, annexin V staining and DNA electrophoresis. BFA increased the constitutive apoptotic rate of neutrophils in dose-dependent manner. The delay of apoptosis induced by granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor and lipopolysaccharide was also blocked by 10 $\mu$M of BFA. However, this effect of BFA was less marked when neutrophils were treated with dexamethasone, interleukin-8, or dibutyryl-cAMP. Moreover, the delay of neutrophil apoptosis induced by rottlerin, a specific inhibitor of protein kinase C-$\delta$ was significantly abrogated by BFA. Although BFA-induced apoptosis was not blocked by the caspase-3 inhibitor, zDEVD-fmk, expression levels of myeloid cell leukemia-1 (Mcl-1) were down-regulated by BFA. These results suggest that derangement of vesicular protein transport may be involved in the apoptosis of neutrophils, and that the action of BFA on apoptosis is dependent on changes in the expression of Mcl-1.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.11
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• pp.1282-1288
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• 2016

Artemisia, a plant widely used as traditional herbal medicine in many countries, has drawn attention of the researchers. And its extracts or compounds are known to have an efficacy of antioxidant, anti-diabete, anti-cancer, anti-inflammation and neuroprotection. Sumaeyaksuk is a variant of the Artemisia argyi and major constituents are eupatilin and jaceosidin. This study was performed to investigate the effects of the sumaeyaksuk aqueous extract on inflammatory response induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in human hepatoma HepG2 cells. To examine the potential hepatoprotective properties of sumaeyaksuk extract, cell viability, as well as nitric oxide (NO), reactive oxygen species (ROS), macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF), interleukin-8 (IL-8) levels, alanine transaminase (ALT), and aspartate transaminase (AST) activities, were measured. Cytotoxic activity of extracts on HepG2 cells was measured by MTT assay. Sumaeyaksuk extract did not induce cytotoxicity at concentrations of $0{\sim}400{\mu}g/mL$. NO and ROS levels significantly decreased with increasing concentration of the extract. The secretion levels of M-CSF and IL-8 were suppressed by sumaeyaksuk extract in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, ALT (75.4%) and AST (61.6%) levels significantly decreased in sumaeyaksuk extract-treated cells at $400{\mu}g/mL$. These results suggested that the sumaeyaksuk extract attenuates the LPS-induced hepatotoxicity resulting from regulation of inflammatory factors and could potentially be used as a hepatitis therapeutic agent.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.126-131
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• 2005

Objective : The choice of tumor antigen for dendritic cell[DC]-loading has still been an unresolved problem in the DC-based vaccine strategies against malignant gliomas that has not been found well-characterized tumor specific antigens. In this study, we compare tumor-specific T cell response induced by glioma apoptotic body[GAB]-pulsed DCs to response induced by glioma cell lysate-pulsed ones quantitatively. Methods : DCs generated in the presence of granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor and interleukin[IL]-4 from peripheral blood mononuclear cells[PBMCs] of HLA-A2 positive healthy donors were cultured. Each GABs and glioma cell lysate generated from HLA-A2 positive T98G glioblastoma cells were co-incubated with DCs. $CD8^+$ T lymphocytes isolated from PBMCs of same donors were cultured in media containing IL-2 and either stimulated by GAB- or lysate-pulsed DCs three times at a weekly interval. The interferon[IFN]-${\gamma}$ concentrations of each cell culture supernate were measured by enzyme immunoassay technique. Cytolytic activity of the generated cytotoxic $CD8^+$ T cells either stimulated with GAB- or lysate-pulsed DCs was determined by a standard 4-h $^{51}Cr$-release assay. Results : IFN-${\gamma}$ production and cytolytic activity of effector T cells stimulated by GAB-pulsed DCs were significantly higher than those of T cells stimulated by lysate-pulsed ones. Conclusion : These results indicate the choice of antigen is a critical determinant in the induction of antitumor immunity against malignant glioma. Antigen preparations from GABs represent a promising alternative to glioma cell lysate in DC-based glioma vaccine strategies.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.505-511
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• 2007

Poly(lactide-co-glycolide)(PLGA) and hyaluronic acid (HA) has been widely used as biocompatible scaffold materials to regenerate tissue. In this present study, we fabricated microporous PLGA and HA loaded PLGA scaffolds by a emusion freeze-drying method. In order to confirm that the release profile of cytokine or water-soluble drugs, we manufactured the granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor(GM-CSF) loaded PLGA and HA-PLGA scaffold. All scaffolds were characterized using scanning electron microscope(SEM), mercury porosimeter and wettability measurement. Cell proliferation and viability were assessed by a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium-bromide (MTT) test. The porosity of HA-PLGA scaffold was greater than 95% with the total pore area of $261\;m^2/g$. The HA-FLGA scaffold exhibited well interconnected pores to allow greater cell adhesion and prolixferation. It was proven by higher cell viability in the HA-PLGA scaffold than PLGA alone. This may be due to the enhanced natural properties and higher water retention capacity of HA.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.83-90
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• 2002

Objective : The purpose of the current series of experiments were to assess the effect of GM-CSF, as a medium supplement, on the development of mouse embryos and the expression of LIF and IL-1? mRNA. Materials and Methods: Mouse 2-cell embryos were collected from the oviducts of 6 weeks old ICR mice at 48 hours after hCG injection. Embryos were cultured in P-1 medium supplemented with mouse GM-CSF (0, 1, 5, 10 ng/ml). The embryo development to blastocysts and hatching blastocysts was assessed and the cell number in blastocyst was also examined. Using RT-PCR, the expressions of LIF and IL-1? mRNA in blastocyst were evaluated in the GM-CSF supplemented group and control group. Results: In mouse, the addition of GM-CSF increased the percentage of blastocysts (65.5%, 68.6%, 73.0% and 76.1% for control and 1, 5 and 10 ng/ml, respectively), and increased the proportion of hatching blastocysts (35.2%, 36.4%, 43.2% and 53.0% for control and 1, 5 and 10 ng/ml, respectively). The mean cell numbers in blastocyst were significantly increased in GM-CSF supplemented groups compared to control group. LIF and IL-1? expression in blastocyst were significantly higher in GM-CSF supplemented group than in control group. Conclusion: The results of experiment by mouse embryos showed beneficial effects of GM-CSF as a medium supplement. Furthermore, the addition of GM-CSF significantly increased the expression of LIF and IL-1? in mouse embryos. These results suggest that GM-CSF might be a important molecule in embryo implantation.

• BMB Reports
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.696-702
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• 2006

Recently three proteins, playing central roles in the bidirectional transport of urate in renal proximal tubules, were identified: two members of the organic anion transporter (OAT) family, OAT1 and OAT3, and a protein that designated renal urate-anion exchanger (URAT1). Antibodies against these transporters are very important for investigating their expressions and functions. With the cytokine gene as a molecular adjuvant, genetic immunization-based antibody production offers several advantages including high specificity and high recognition to the native protein compared with current methods. We fused high antigenicity fragments of the three transporters to the plasmids pBQAP-TT containing T-cell epitopes and flanking regions from tetanus toxin, respectively. Gene gun immunization with these recombinant plasmids and two other adjuvant plasmids, which express granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor and FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 ligand, induced high level immunoglobulin G antibodies, respectively. The native corresponding proteins of URAT1, OAT1 and OAT3, in human kidney can be recognized by their specific antibodies, respectively, with Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry. Besides, URAT1 expression in Xenopus oocytes can also be recognized by its corresponding antibody with immuno-fluorescence. The successful production of the antibodies has provided an important tool for the study of UA transporters.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.7 s.87
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• pp.948-955
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• 2007

Neutrophils play a key role as a first line of defense and are known to acquire the characteristics of dendritic cells (DCs) under the appropriate conditions. The spontaneous apoptosis of neutrophils was delayed by treatment with 4-(2-aminoethyl) benzensulfonylfluoride (AEBSF), a serine protease inhibitor. AEBSF inhibited both caspase-3 and serine protease activities, whereas ZVAD-fmk, a pancaspase inhibitor, inhibited only caspase-3 activity. The life span of neutrophils was prolonged up to 5 days by AEBSF in the presence or absence of granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor(CM-CSF). DC surface markers, such as CD80, CD83, and MHC class ll were not expressed on neutrophils treated with AEBSF alone. CM-CSF failed to prolong the survival time of neutrophils up to3 days but increased the expression levels of DC markers on neutrophils in the presence of AEBSF. Expression levels of DC markers were the highest on neutrophils treated with CM-CSF and AEBSF for 3 days. AEBSF and CM-CSF-treated neutrophils stimulated proliferation of T cells in the presence of a superantigen, Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) but produced $interferon-{\gamma}$ ($IFN{\gamma}$) in the absence of SEB. These results suggest that the inhibition of serine protease activity prolonged the life span of human neutrophils and combined treatment of neukophils with CM-CSF and serine protease inhibitor induced differentiation of neutrophils into DC-like cells.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.12
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• pp.1789-1794
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• 2011

Dendritic cells (DCs) are professional antigen-presenting cells playing key roles in immune sentinels as initiators of T-cell responses against microbial pathogens and tumors. Sarijang, a folk sauce containing extracts of Rhynchosia nulubilis, Ulmus davidiana roots, Allium sativum, and Rhus Verniaiflura bark, has been used as a nonspecific immunostimulant for cancer patients. However, little is known about its immunomodulating effects or their mechanisms. In this study, we investigated whether sarijang induces phenotypic and functional maturation of DCs. For this study, murine bone marrow-derived myeloid DCs were cultured in the presence of interleukin-4 (IL-4) and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and the generated immature DCs were stimulated with sarijang or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Our data indicated that sarijang significantly enhanced the expression of co-stimulatory molecules (CD80 and CD86) as well as major histocompatibility complex (MHC) II, as did LPS. The results provide new insight into the immunopharmacology of sarijang and suggest a novel approach to the manipulation of DC for therapeutic application.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.30-36
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• 2006

Neutrophils are short-lived leukocytes that play a vital role in immune responses to bacteria, yeast, and fungi. This study was performed to investigate the effect of 4-O-methyl-ascochlorin (MAC), an anti-tumor, antibiotic, and anti-fungal prenyl-phenol compound on the spontaneous apoptosis of human neutrophils. MAC time- and dose-dependently accelerated the spontaneous apoptosis of human neutrophils. The effect of MAC on neutrophil apoptosis was blocked by pre-treatment of the neutrophils with specific inhibitors of pancaspase (zVAD-fmk), caspase-8 (zIETD-fmk), or caspase-3 (zDEVD-fmk). The cleavage of procaspase-8 and procaspase-3 was increased by MAC. Mitochondrial permeability, which was measured by the retention of $DiOC_6(3)$, was dose-de-pendently increased by MAC but the change of mitochondrial permeability was not blocked by pretreatment of neutrophils with zIETD-fmk. These results suggest that MAC induces neutrophil apoptosis by caspase-8-dependent but mitochondria-independent manner.