• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.270-276
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• 2007

Silybin is known to be a major active flavonoid component isolated from Silybum marianum, a hepatoprotective medicinal plant. In this study, we examined the immunomodulatory role of silybin on T cell and macrophage-mediated immune responses. To do this, the proliferation of splenic lymphocytes and CD8+ CTLL-2 cells under mitogenic stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), concanavalin (Con) A and interleukin (IL)-2 and the production of $TNF-{\alpha}$ and NO from LPS- and $IFN-{\gamma}$-activated macrophages was evaluated under silybin treatment. The mitogenic proliferation of splenic lymphocytes induced by LPS and Con A was strongly diminished by silybin in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, the proliferation of CD8+ CTLL-2 cells was also negatively modulated by the compound. In contrast, silybin did not strongly suppress the proliferation of normal splenocytes and T cell line Sup-T1 cells, indicating that the inhibitory effect of silybin may be due to blocking only mitogenic responses of splenic lymphocytes. In addition, silybin inhibited $TNF-{\alpha}$ production in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Effect of silybin however was distinct, according to NO-inducing stimuli. Thus, silybin only blocked NO production induced by $IFN-{\gamma}$ but not LPS and the inhibition was increased when PMA was co-treated with $IFN-{\gamma}$. Unlike NO inhibition, however, this compound protected the cytotoxic damage of RAW264.7 cells induced by both LPS and $IFN-{\gamma}$. Therefore, our data suggest that silybin may participate in host immune responses mediated by T cells and macrophages via regulating mitogenic proliferation, and the production of $TNF-{\alpha}$ and NO, depending on cellular stimuli.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.35 no.4 s.139
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• pp.330-337
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• 2004

Based on the traditional application of Carthamus tinctorious L. (CF) as a component of Korean medicinal decoctions, in the present study, we investigated in vitro an immunomodulatory activity of water extract of CF(WECF). Water extract of CF significantly increased the in vitro proliferative responses of spleen cells (SPC). However, addition of WECF during anti-CD3 activation resulted in a significant decrease in SPC proliferation. Flow cytometric analysis showed that WECF addition chanced T and B cell frequencies in anti-CD3-activated spleen cell populations. Using purified cells, it was revealed that WECF is mitogenic to B cells but rather inhibitory to T cell Proliferation. Upon anti-CD3 stimulation, high concentration (1 mg/ml) of WECF significantly inhibited T cell proliferation until day 2 of stimulation. At day 3, anti-CD3-activated cells exposed to WECF recovered their proliferation to the level comparable to control. Although B cell proliferation was also inhibited in proliferation at day 1, it recovered sooner and then was rather augmented by WECF at day 3. These data indicate that WECF down-regulates lymphocyte proliferation at early phase of activation but T cells are more vulnerable than B cells to WECF, However, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells did not differ in WECF-mediated immunotoxicity. Data of propidium iodide (PI) staining showed that WECF accelerates activated T cell, but not B cell, apoptosis and WECF concurrently inhibited cytokine production of activated T cells. Taken together, WECF exhibits B cell mitogenic activity and differential toxicity more pronounced to T cells, suggesting a possible in vivo application of WECF for specific control of T cells without alteration of B cell activity.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.877-883
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• 2006

The immunostimulatory activities of Lactobacillus plantarum, the major microorganism in kimchi fermentations were investigated. Five strains of L. plantarum exhibited weak immunopotentiating activity, but L. plantarum PS-21 showed as strong a mitogenic activity as Bifidobacterium adolescentis M101-4, a known positive strain. It is of interest that, L. plantarum PS-21 stimulated proliferation of Peyer's patch cells, one of the most important tissues in the gut-associated lymphoreticular system. Cell' wall fractions from L. plantarum PS-21 also showed strong mitogenic activity compared with the soluble cytoplasmic fraction. A peptidoglycan fraction (PG) extracted from the cell wall of L. plantarum PS-21 was identified as an active mitogenic component when used in murine lymph node and spleen cell test systems. PG showed dose-dependent mitogenic activity and significantly enhanced antibody production in lymph node cells when studied in vitro. The lysosomal enzyme activity of murine peritoneal macrophages was increased when analyzed following injection of PG to the host animal. Furthermore, PG enhanced the production of cytokines such ($TNF-{\alpha}$ and IL-6) in the in vitro culture of RAW 264.7 macrophage cells.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.806-813
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• 1994

These experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of Cervi cornu extract on lymphocyte blastogenesis in spleen, thymus, lymph node, born marrow cells of Balb/c mouse, haemagglutination reaction against sheep red blood cell (SRBC), plaque forming cell (PFC) assay against SRBC and IL-2 production. Lymphocyte blastogenesis was determined by $[^3H]-thymidine$ incorporation. According to the lymphcoyte blastogenesis test on the immune cell. Ceriv cornu extrat was showed a potent mitogenic activity on the spleen and lymph node cells, but had mild mitogenic activity on the thymus and born marrow cells. Mitogenic active component of Crevi cornu extract was identified to be materials where molecular weights are higher than 5,000 by membrane filteration method. Cervi cornu extrat was shown to increase mitogenic effect on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated spleen cells significantly, but decrease mitogenic effect on the Con A stimulated spleen cell at the concentration 0.3%, 1% and 3%. Ceriv cornu extract didn't show to be haemagglutination reaction and showed to inhibit the Con A-induced haemagglutination reaction against SREC. Result of SRBC-PEC test. Ceriv cornu extract significantly increase the number of PEC at the concentration of 0.1% and 1%. When IL-2 or IL-4 production was determined by proliferation of CTLL-2 cells. Ceriv cornu extract was not shown to stimulate the production of IL-2. From the above results, it is shown that Ceriv cornu extract increased antibody production by B cells, but nor IL-2 production by helper T cells.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.296-301
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• 1998

To investigate the effects of ginsenosides from Panax ginseng on mitogenic responses in macrophages and splenocytes from murine, we examined the effects of representative protopanaxadiol and protopanaxatriol ginsenosides ($Rb_1,\;Rb_2,\;Re\;and\;Rg_1$) on tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-(${\alpha}$) production in murine macrophage cell line (RAW264.7 cells) stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and T cell proliferation in splenocytes stimulated by concanavalin A (Con A). Among the ginsenosides tested, protopanaxadiol ginsenosides ($Rb_1\;and\;Rb_2$) significantly inhibited TNF-${\alpha}$ production in a dose-dependent manner. However, protoppanaxatriol ginsenosides (Re and $Rg_1$) showed little inhibitory activity. The molar concentrations of $Rb_1\;and\;Rb_2$ producing 50% inhibition ($IC_{50}$) of TNF-${\alpha}$ production were $55.8{\mu}g/ml\;(48.0{\mu}M)\;and\;31.8{\mu}g/ml (27.9{\mu}M)$, respectively. As a positive control, prednisolone also exhibited inhibitory activity with an $IC_{50}$ value of $21.7{\mu}M$. In T cell proliferation, $Rg_1$, was not effective but $Rb_1$ and Re or $Rb_2$ significantly increased or inhibited at high concentration, 75 and $100{\mu}g/ml$. In contrast, prednisolone showed potent inhibitory activity with an $IC_{50}$ value of 6.1nM. These results suggest that ginsenosides may take part in the mitogen-induced signaling pathway for TNF-${\alpha}$ production and T cell proliferation from macrophages and splenocytes.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.208-213
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• 1999

The effects of five lupane-triterpenoids from leaves of two Acanthopanax spp., chiisanogenin, chisanoside and $22{\alpha}-hydroxychiisanogenin$, acakoreoside A and acantrifoside A on the mitogen-induced proliferation were investigated in vitro. T cell proliferation (TCP) to concanavalin A (Con A) and the B cell proliferation (BCP) to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were increased by chiisanogenin. TCP to Con A was significantly increased by chiisanoside and acankoreoside A, but not affected by chiisanogenin, $22{\alpha}-hydroxychiisanogenin$ and acantrifoside A, BCP to LPS was significantly increased by acankoreoside A and acantrifoside A, and slightly increased by chiisanoside, chiisanogenin and $22{\alpha}-hydroxychiisanogenin$.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.618-628
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• 1999

Background: Cell growth is a balance between cell proliferation and cell death. Insulin-like growth factor-I(IGF-I), which binds IGF-I receptor(IGF-IR), mediates cellular proliferation as a potent mitogen. IGF binding protein-3(IGFBP-3) as a circulating major IGFBP can inhibit or enhance the effects of IGF-I on cellular growth by binding IGFs. Methods: We investigated the expressions of mRNA of IGF-I and IGF-IR by northern blot and phosphorylation of IGF-IR with the treatment of IGF-I by western blot in 3T3 fibroblast cells. The cellular proliferations of 3T3 cells with the treatments of IGF-I were evaluated using $^3H$-thymidine incorporation and MTT assay. Also to observe the effect of IGFBP-3 on cellular proliferation, 3T3 cells were treated with anti-IGFBP-3 and ${\alpha}IR_3$(monoclonal antibody to IGF-IR) alone or in combination. Results: Our results demonstrated that 3T3 cells showed mRNA expressions of IGF-I and IGF-IR and the IGF-I increased phosphorylation of IGF-IR. The treatments of 3T3 cells with IGF-I increased cellular proliferation in 5 % and 1 % seruma-containing media, not in serum-free media. The addition of anti-IGFBP-3 to neutralize IGFBP-3 showed 2-fold increase of cellular proliferation, and also co-incubation of anti-IGFBP-3 and ${\alpha}IR_3$ together showed similar increase of cellular proliferation in 3T3 cells. Interestingly, when the cells were pretreated with ${\alpha}IR_3$ for 4 hr, prior to the simultaneous addition of ${\alpha}IR_3$ and anti-IGFBP-3, anti-IGFBP-3-mediated cellular proliferation was decreased to control level. All of these results suggest that free IGF-I released from IGF-I/IGFBP-3 complex would be involved in the cellular proliferation. Conclusion: IGF-I is a mitogen through the activation of IGF-IR in 3T3 cells, and IGFBP-3 could be a potent inhibitor for IGF-I action by binding IGF-I.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.94-99
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• 2004

Background: We previously reported that ginsan, a polysaccharide extracted from Panax ginseng had an immunostimulatory activity such as mitogenic activity, activation of macrophages and killer cells, and production of a variety of cytokines which resulted in antitumor and antiseptic effects. We further purified $\alpha$-(1$\longrightarrow$6)-glucan and $\beta$-(2$\longrightarrow$6)-fructan from the ginsan with size exclusion and ion-exchange column chromatography successively. In this study, we performed the structure-based activity of ginsan by comparison with known polysacchrides such as $\beta$-glucan, curdlan, laminarin, levan, dextran, lentinan and OK-432. Methods: To investigate the immunostimulatory activity of several polysaccharide compounds, we investigated the stimulation of lymphocytes proliferation, the generation of activated killer cells and the secretion of nitrites from activated macrophages. Results: Of polysaccharides tested, curdlan and ginsan stimulated lymphocyte proliferation, suggesting that the molecular weight and composition of polysaccharide are dependent on the mitogenic activity. The production of nitric oxide was significantly increased in curdlan, levan, ginsan and its fraction, indicating that fructan has also capacity to activate macrophages and may devote to kill pathogens. In addition, the activation of macrophages was seemed to be independent of molecular weight of polysaccharide. The generation of AK cells was exhibited in order of curdlan, OK-432> F1, ginsan, F3> levan> etc. The AK activity may be dependent on molecular weight and composition of polysaccharides. Conclusion: Unfortunately, purified polysaccharide from ginsan were less active on immunostimulatory activity than mixed compounds of polysaccharides. From the viewpoint of structure and activity relationships, we found several characteristic features.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.120-127
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• 1998

Peroxisome proliferators induce hepatic peroxisome proliferation and hepatic tumors in rodents. These chemicals increase the expression of the peroxisomal $\beta$-oxidation pathway and the cytochrome P-450 4A family, which metabolizes lipids, including eicosanoids. Peroxisome proliferators transiently induce increased cell proliferation in vivo. However, peroxisome proliferators are weakly mitogenic and are not co-mitogenic with epidermal growth factor (EGF) in cultured hepatocytes. Earlier study found that the peroxisome proliferator ciprofibrate is cornitogenic with eicosanoids. In order to study possible mechanisms of the comitogenicity of peroxisome proliferator ciprofibrate and eicosanoids' we hypothesized that the co-mitogenicity may result from synergistic or additive increases of second messengers in mitogenic signal pathways. We therefore examined the effect of the peroxisome proliferator ciprofibrate, prostaglandin $F_2_{\alpha}$($PGF_2{\alpha}$) and the combination of ciprofibrate and $PGF_2{\alpha}$ with or without growth factors on the protein kinase C (PKC) activity, and inositol-1, 4, 5-triphosphate ($IP_{3-}$) and intracellular calcium ($[Ca^{2+}]_i$) concentrations in cultured rat hepatocytes. The combination of ciprofibrate and $PGF_2{\alpha}$ significantly increased particulate PKC activity. The combination of ciprofibrate and $PGF_2{\alpha}$ also significantly increased EGF, transforming growth factor-$\alpha$ ($TGF_2{\alpha}$) and hepatic growth factor (HGF)-induced particulate PKC activity. The combination of ciprofibrate and $PGF_2_\alpha$greatly increased $[Ca^{2+}]_i$. However, the increases of PKC activity and $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ by ciprofibrate and $PGF_2{\alpha}$ alone were much smaller. Neither ciprofibrate or $PGF_2{\alpha}$ alone nor the combination of ciprofibrate and $PGF_2{\alpha}$ significantly increased the formation of $IP_3$. The combination of ciprofibrate and $PGF_2{\alpha}$, however, blocked the inhibitory effect of $TGF-{\beta}$ on particulate PKC activity and formation of $IP_3$ induced by EGF. These results show that co-mitogenicity of the peroxisome proliferator ciprofibrate and eicosanoids may result from the increase in particulate PKC activity and intracellular calcium concentration but not from the formation of $IP_3$.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.71-74
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• 2010

Cell proliferation is governed by precise and orderly process the regulation of which involves many different proteins. The key enzyme for cell growth and arrest is cyclin dependent kinases (cdks). In human cells, several cdks orchestrate four distinct cell cycle phases (M, $G_1$, S and $G_2$ ) and they sequentially operate in an order of cdc1, cdk4, cdk6 and cdk2. The regulatory components of cdks consist of cyclins and two family of cdk inhibitors, INK4 (inhibitors of cdk4) and KIP (kinase inhibitor protein). $G_1$ regulatory molecules for cdk mainly respond to environmental cues of mitogenic and anti-mitogenic stimuli and therefore influence activities of $G_1$ cdks, namely, cdk4/6 and cdk2. $G_1$ inhibitors include $p21^{CIP}$ and $p27^{KIP1}$. Between them, $p27^{KIP1}$ has attracted attentions of many researchers because of its characteristic regulatory features and diverse functions. Besides, the role of $p27^{KIP1}$ in cancer development warrants further studies in the future. Therefore, this review will focus on the recent findings and especially on the complexity of regulatory mechanisms of $p27^{KIP1}$.