• The Korean Journal of Mycology
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.33-39
• /
• 1982

Carpophores of ten Korean strains of Lentinus edodes (Berk.) Singer, an antitumor polysaccharide producing fungus, were extracted with 0.1N NaOH solution. The extracts were dialized for seven days in distilled water and lyophilized to produce crude polysaccharide powders. Thus obtained crude polysaccharide samples were assayed for sugar contents by colorimetric method with anthrone reagent. Among ten strains examined Lentinus edododes-DMC7 was found to be the richest strain in polysaccharide content of carpophores. By shake culture experiment for biomass production, L. edodes-DMC7 was found to be the second most productive strain among seven strains examined. Cultural characteristics of L. edodes-DMC7 were investigated by shake culture method. The best result was obtained when L. edodes-DMC7 was cultured in the medium containing glucose 8g, starch 80g, yeast extract 12g, $KH_2PO_4\;0.87g,\;MgSO_4{\cdot}7H_2O\;O.5g,\;CaCl_2\;0.3g,\;FeSO_4{\cdot}7H_2O\;10mg\;ZnSO_4{\cdot}7H_2O\;4mg,\;CuSO_4{\cdot}5H_2O\;lmg,\;MnCl_2{\cdot}4H_2O\;7mg\;per\;11\;at\;28^{\circ}C$, 180 rpm, for 12 days. Thus thirty-three grams of dry mycelia was obtained per one liter of medium.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.32 no.11
• /
• pp.865-871
• /
• 2022

Tenebrio molitor larvae is well known as edible insect. Then, although it has been widely studied that Tenebrio molitor larvae has various bioactive functions such as antioxidant, anti-wrinkle, and anticancer. Nevertheless, antioxidant effects of Tenebrio molitor larvae water extract (TMH) has not been well described in Adult Retina Pigment Epithelial cell line (ARPE-19). In this study, we demonstrated that antioxidant effects of TMH against H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress in ARPE-19. Thus, we selected for our studies and performed a series of dose-response assay to determine the working concentration that lead to a consistent and high degree of cytotoxicity, which we defined as the level of H₂O₂ that killed 40% of the ARPE-19 cells. ARPE-19 cells were pre-treated with various concentrations of TMH (0.1 up to 2 mg/ml) before exposure to 300 µM H₂O₂. As we expected, TMH effectively prevented ARPE-19 cells from 300 µM H₂O₂-induced cell death in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, TMH inhibited the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) such as extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38. Overall, the inhibitory effects of TMH on H₂O₂-induced apoptosis and oxidative stress were associated with the protection cleaved caspase-3, Bax, Bcl-2, and HO-1. The TMH suppressed H₂O₂-induced cell membrane leakage and oxidative stress in ARPE-19 cells. Thus, these results suggest that the TMH plays an important role in antioxidant effect in ARPE-19.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.45 no.4
• /
• pp.846-860
• /
• 1998

Background: Endotoxin (LPS : lipopolysaccharide), a potent activator of immune system, can induce acute and chronic inflammation through the production of cytokines by a variety of cells, such as monocytes, endothelial cells, lymphocytes, eosinophils, neutrophils and fibroblasts. LPS stimulate the mononucelar cells by two different pathway, the CD14 dependent and independent way, of which the former has been well documented, but not the latter. LPS binds to the LPS-binding protein (LBP), in serum, to make the LPS-LBP complex which interacts with CD14 molecules on the mononuclear cell surface in peripheral blood or is transported to the tissues. In case of high concentration of LPS, LPS can stimulate directly the macrophages without LBP. We investigated to detect the generation of proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin 1 (IL-1), IL-6 and TNF-$\alpha$ and fibrogenic cytokine, TGF-$\beta$, by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) after LPS stimulation under serum-free conditions, which lacks LBPs. Methods : PBMC were obtained by centrifugation on Ficoll Hypaque solution of peripheral venous bloods from healthy normal subjects, then stimulated in the presence of LPS (0.1 ${\mu}g/mL$ to 100 ${\mu}g/mL$ ). The activities of IL-1, IL-6, TNF, and TGF-$\beta$ were measured by bioassaies using cytokines - dependent proliferating or inhibiting cell lines. The cellular sources producing the cytokines was investigated by immunohistochemical stains and in situ hybridization. Results : PBMC started to produce IL-6, TNF-$\alpha$ and TGF-$\beta$ in 1 hr, 4 hrs and 8hrs, respectively, after LPS stimulation. The production of IL-6, TNF-$\alpha$ and TGF-$\beta$ continuously increased 96 hrs after stimulation of LPS. The amount of production was 19.8 ng/ml of IL-6 by $10^5$ PBMC, 4.1 ng/mL of TNF by $10^6$ PBMC and 34.4 pg/mL of TGF-$\beta$ by $2{\times}10^6$ PBMC. The immunoreactivity to IL-6, TNF-$\alpha$ and TGF-$\beta$ were detected on monocytes in LPS-stimulated PBMC. Some of lymphocytes showed positive immunoreactivity to TGF-$\beta$. Double immunohistochemical stain showed that IL-1$\beta$, IL-6, TNF-$\alpha$ expression was not associated with CD14 postivity on monocytes. IL-1$\beta$, IL-6, TNF-$\alpha$ and TGF-$\beta$mRNA expression were same as observed in immunoreactivity for each cytokines. Conclusion: When monocytes are stimulated with LPS under serum-free conditions, IL-6 and TNF-$\alpha$ are secreted in early stage of inflammation. In contrast, the secretion of TGF-$\beta$ arise in the late stages and that is maintained after 96 hrs. The main cells releasing IL-1$\beta$, IL-6, TNF-$\alpha$ and TGF-$\beta$ are monocytes, but also lymphocytes can secret TGF-$\beta$.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.171-180
• /
• 2001

Purpose : Expression of TIMP, intrinsic inhibitor of MMP, is regulated by signal transduction in response to genotoxins and is likely to be an important step in metastasis, angiogenesis and wound healing after ionizing radiation. Therefore, we studied radiation mediated TIMP expression and its mechanism in head and neck cancer cell lines. Materials and Methods : Human head and neck cancer cell lines established at Asan Medical Center were used and radiosensitivity $(D_0)$, radiation cytotoxicity and metastatic potential were measured by clonogenic assay, n assay and invasion assay, respectively. The conditioned medium was prepared at 24 hours and 48 hours after 2 Gy and 10 Gy irradiation and expression of TIMP protein was measured by Elisa assay with specific antibodies against human TIMP. hTIMP1 promoter region was cloned and TIMP1 luciferase reporter vector was constructed. The reporter vector was transfected to AMC-HN-1 and -HN-9 cells with or without expression vector Ras, then the cells were exposed to radiation or PMA, PKC activator. EMSA was peformed with oligonucleotide (-59/-53 element and SP1) of TIMP1 promoter. Results : $D_0$ of HN-1, -2, -3, -5 and -9 cell lines were 1.55 Gy, 1.8 Gy, 1.5 Gt, 1.55 Gy and 2.45 Gy respectively. n assay confirmed cell viability, over $94\%$ at 24hrs, 48hrs after 2 Gy irradiation and over 73% after 10 Gy irradiation. Elisa assay confirmed that cells secreted TIMP1, 2 proteins continuously. After 2 Gy irradiation, TIMP2 secretion was decreased at 24hrs in HN-1 and HN-9 cell lines but after 10 Gy irradiation, it was increased in all cell lines. At 48hrs after irradiation, it was increased in HN-1 but decreased in HN-9 cells. But the change in TIMP secretion by RT was mild. The transcription of TIMP1 gene in HN-1 was induced by PMA but in HN-9 cell lines, it was suppressed. Wild type Ras induced the TIMP-1 transcription by 20 fold and 4 fold in HN-1 and HN-9 respectively. The binding activity to -59/-53, AP1 motif was increased by RT, but not to SP1 motif in both cell lines. Conclusions : We observed the difference of expression and activity of TIMPs between radiosensitive and radioresistant cell line and the different signal transduction pathway between in these cell lines may contribute the different radiosensitivity. Further research to investigate the radiation response and its signal pathway of TIMPs is needed.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
• /
• v.16 no.4 s.33
• /
• pp.199-208
• /
• 1977

Activities of various hydrolytic enzymes produced by three plant pathogenic fungi, Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc., Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lieb.) deBary and Helminthosporium sigmoideum var. irregulare Crallery et Tullius, were measured. Activties and amounts of the enzymes in mycelia, cultural filtrates, and sclerotia(except of sclerotia of H. sigmoideum var. irregulare) were estimated at various pH levels in order to find out optimal pH for their enzymatic activities. Enzymes such as cellulase (ex), invertase, xylanase, $\beta-amylase$, polymethylgalacturonase, polygalacturonase, phosphatase and protease were estimated. Culture solution for production of enzymes was prepared by adding of 10g, D-glucose, 1.3g $NH_4NO_3,\; 0.5g\; MgSO_4,\;7H_2O,\; and\; 1.0g\; KH_2PO_4$ into 1 liter of potato decoction plus 2ml of micro element solution consisting of 0.2mg. Fe, 0.2mg Zn, and 0.1mg Mn as the sulphates into 1 liter of distilled water. All tested mycelia and cultural filtrates were obtained from the cultures incubarted in previous solution for ten days at $25^{\circ}C$, and sclerotia were harvested from PDA plates of 3. days old, The crude enzyme solutions were prepared according to the method of Miyazaki etal. Ten days after incubation, activities of Cx produced by Scl. sclerotiorum were higher than those of the other fung and each of Cx from three fungi showed different pH optima, such as S. rolfsii and Scl. schlerotiorum in acid side (around pH 3.0), H. sigmoideum var. irregulare in neutral side (around pH 6.3). Invertase activities of S. rolfsii were 20 times higher than those of the other fungi in all samples. All tested fungi, however, showed no significant difference between the enzymatic activities of their cultural filtrate and mycelia and the activities in sclerotia of S. rolfsii and Scl. sclerotiorum were hardly recognized. There were multiple peaks on the xylanase activity curves of three fungi in terms of pH values. High activities of the xylanase were revealed in sclerotia of S. rolfsii and Scl. sclerotiorum, and in mycelia of H. sigmoideum var. irregulare. The highest activities of $\beta-amylase$ were shown both in mycelia and cultural filtrate of H. sigmoideum var. irregulae among the tested fungi, and their optimal pH was 6.2 in both mycelia and cultural filtrate. In the S. rofsii and Sel. sclerotiorum, however, the activities of cultural filtrates were higher than those of the other fungi, and optimal pH was 3.0 and 6.2 for cultural filtrate and both mycelia and sclerotia, respectively. Activities of PMG were high in cultural filtrates of all tested fungi, especially in Scl. sclerotiorum and H. sigmoideum var. irregulare. Mycelia of themalso showed the considerable activities. Optimal pH for enzymatic activities were variable with thekind of fungi or with the samples measured. The highest activities of PG were presented by mycelia of S. rolfsii and Scl. sclerotiorum. $9.l\mu /min.\; and\; 9.5\mu g/min.$, respectively. Optimal pH for activity of PG in mycelia was around 4.5 in S. rolfsii and around 3.0 in Scl. sclerotiorum. Phosphatase of S. rolfsii and Scl. sclerotiorum was more active in acid side (optimal PH3. 5) and that of H. sigmoideum var. irregulare showed one peak each in acid, neutral and alkaline side. But the highest peak was at pH 9.5. Protease of all tested fungi was more active at pH 10.0, especially that of the cultural filtrate of H. sigmoideum var. irregualre.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.166-179
• /
• 1999

Apical sealing is essential for the success of surgical endodontic treatment. Root-end cavity is apt to be contaminated with moisture or blood, and is not always easy to be dried completely. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of dry methods of retrocavity on the apical seal in endodontic surgery. Apical seal was investigated through the evaluation of apical leakage and adaptation of filling material over the cavity wall. To investigate the influence of various dry methods on the apical leakage, 125 palatal roots of extracted human maxillary molar teeth were used. The clinical crown of each tooth was removed at 10 mm from the root apex using a slow-speed diamond saw and water spray. Root canals of the all the specimens were prepared with step-back technique and filled with gutta-percha by lateral condensation method. After removing of the coronal 2 mm of filling material, the access cavities were closed with Cavit$^{(R)}$. Two coats of nail polish were applied to the external surface of each root. Apical three millimeters of each root was resected perpendicular to the long axis of the root with a diamond saw. Class I retrograde cavities were prepared with ultrasonic instruments. Retrocavities were washed with physiologic saline solution and dried with various methods or contaminated with human blood. Retrocavities were filled either with IRM, Super EBA or composite resin. All the specimens were immersed in 2% methylene blue solution for 7 days in an incubator at $37^{\circ}C$. The teeth were dissolved in 14 ml of 35% nitric acid solution and the dye present within the root canal system was returned to solution. The leakage of dye was quantitatively measured via spectrophotometric method. The obtained data were analysed statistically using one-way ANOVA and Duncan's Multiple Range Test. To evaluate the influence of various dry methods on the adaptation of filling material over the cavity wall, 12 palatal roots of extracted human maxillary molar teeth were used. After all the roots were prepared and filled, and retrograde cavities were made and filled as above, roots were sectioned longitudinally. Filling-dentin interface of cut surfaces were examined by scanning electron microscope. The results were as follows: 1. Cavities dried with paper point or compressed air showed less leakage than those dried with cotton pellet in Super EBA filled cavity (p<0.05). However, there was no difference between paper point- and compressed air-dried cavities. 2. When cavities were dried with compressed air, dentin-bonded composite resin-filled cavities showed less apical leakage than IRM- or Super EBA-filled ones (p<0.05). 3. Regardless of the filling material, cavities contaminated with human blood showed significantly more apical leakage than those dried with compressed air after saline irrigation (p<0.05). 4. Outer half of the cavity showed larger dentin-filling interface gap than inner half did when cavities were filled with IRM or Super EBA. 5. In all the filling material groups, cavities contaminated with blood or dried with cotton pellets only showed larger defects at the base of the cavity than ones dried with paper points or compressed air.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.181-185
• /
• 2004

This study was conducted to examine whether activation treatments, source of oocytes and culture conditions affect in vitro developmental ability of caprine oocytes. Mature Korean native goats were pretreated with intravaginal CIDR for 10 days. The goats were then treated with a single intramuscular injection of 1,000 IU PMSG on Day 8 or twice daily injection of a total of 70 mg FSH for 3 days from Day 8 of CIDR insertion for superovulation. All the goats were injected with 10 mg PGF/sub 2a/ on Day 8 and 400 IU hCG on Day 10 of CIDR. Oocytes were surgically collected by oviduct flushing(in vivo maturation) or direct follicle aspiration(in vitro maturation) through mid-ventral incision at 35 h after hCG injection. Fifteen to twenty oocytes were placed in TCM-199 medium containing 25 mM Hepes and hormones under mineral oil at 39℃ in a humudified atmosphere of 5% CO₂ in air for 22 to 24 h. After maturation, the oocytes were activated by electric stimulation or ionomycin + 6-DMAP. The activated oocytes were then cultured in M16, TCM-199 and mSOF media supplemented with proteins at 39℃ for 6 to 7 days. Activation treatments did not affect cleavage of the oocytes. The cleavage rates were 64.1% (41/64) in oocytes activated by electric stimulation and 76.5% (218/285) in oocytes activated by ionomycin + 6-DMAP. The proportion of development to blastocyst was 15.6% (34/218) in oocytes activated by ionomycin + 6-DMAP, but activation by electric stimulation did not support embryos developed beyond morula stage. There were no differences in the cleavage rates of activated oocytes experiencing in vivo (86.8%, 66/76) and in vitro maturation (69.0%, 127/184). However, the development rate to blastocyst stage was significantly (P<0.05) higher for oocytes matured in vivo (50.0%, 33/66) compared to in vitro (0.8%, 1/127). Culture conditions did not affect the cleavage of -activated oocytes. The cleavage rates were 51.6% (49/95) in M16, 64.3% (18/28) in TCM-199 and 81.0% (145/179) in mSOF, respectively. By contrast, the development rate of activated oocytes to stage was greater (P<0.05) for oocytes cultured in mSOF medium (23.4%, 34/145) than in M16 or TCM-199 (0.0%). Our results suggest that source of oocytes and culture conditions are major factors affecting in vitro development of caprine parthenogenetic oocytes.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
• /
• v.14
• /
• pp.147-157
• /
• 1973

I. The effect of excessive soil moisture(at the time of germination) on germination of barley and crop damage of herbicides was investigated. Machete(Butachlor) and TOK(Nitrofen) were treated, respectively, at the rate of 150g ai/10a on each pot whose different soil moisture content was controlled by suppling 30, 40, 50 and 60ml of water per 100gr of air-dried soil, respectively. The results are summarized as follows: 1. Excessive soil moisture beyond field moisture capacity caused great inhibition, from 20 to 100%, of the germination of barley even at untreated pots(check pots). Also, further development of root and growth of barley were greatly inhibited even though the seeds germinated. 2. The same tendency in inhibition of germination and growth as at untreated pots was observed at treated pots, too. As a whole, however, the damage were heavier at treated pots. II. Wanju naked spring barley was seeded on four different soils and covered with soil to a depth of 1 em, and then Machete, TOK, Saturn and HE-314 were treated at the rate of 180, 150 and 200, 150, and 250g ai/10a, respectively, and the effect of soil texture on crop damage of the herbicides was investigated. The results are summarized as follows: 1. Machete(emulsion and granule, at 180g ai/10a) The degree of crop damage was quite different from one soil texture to another: while almost no crop damage was observed on a clay loam soil regardless of the type of formulation, the damage became heavier as the soil texture became sandier as sandy clay loam, volcanic ash loam and sandy loam, and great inhibition of growth was observed on sandy loam soil. In general heavier damage was caused by the application of emulsion than by granular formulation. 2. TOK(Wettable powder, at 150, 250g ai/l0a) Almost the same tendency as in the application of Machete was observed, and the damage became heavier as the application rate increased. 3. Saturn(at l50g ai/l0a) No great difference in crop damage among soil textures was observed. 4. HE-3l4(at 250g ai/l0a) Almost no difference in crop damage among soil textures was observed at this rate of 250g ai/l0a. III. To study a difference of crop damage on soil covering depth(4 levels), 9 herbicides(TOK, MO, HE-3l4, Machete, Saturn, Simetryne, Simazine, Gesaran, Lorox) were treated on the pots with two different soils, and the effect of soil covering depth on crop damage of the herbicides was investigated. The results obtained in this experiment are summarized as follows: Light Clay Soil 1. The growth of barley in relation to depth of soil covering at check pots followed the order vigorous to weak; lcm>1.5cm>0.5cm>0cm. And in case of 0 and 0.5cm covering the growth of barley was very poor. 2. The damage at 0 and 0.5cm covering at treated pots was very severe, but Saturn, Machete, MO and TOK at 100 to l50g ai/l0a, respectively and He-3l4 at 250 to 375g ai/l0a were relatively safe to barley at the depths of lcm and above. 3. Simazine, Lorox and Simetryne caused slight damage even at 1.5cm covering. Sandy Loam Soil The growth of barley in relation to depth of soil covering at untreated pots followed the order, from vigorous to weak; 1.5cm 0.5cm 3cm 5cm. While MO was safe to barley at 1.5cm covering, for other chemicals more than 3cm covering was require for safe use. Machete and Saturn at 100g ai/l0a, and HE-3l4 at 250g ai/l0a was relatively safe at more than 3cm covering. Simazine, Lorox, Simetryne and Gesaran were unsafe on sandy soil regardless of covering depth.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.41 no.3
• /
• pp.231-238
• /
• 1994

Backgroud: Since the demonstration of the fact that vascular relaxation by acetylcholine(Ach) results from the release of relaxing factor from the endothelium, the identity and physiology of this endothelium-derived relaxing factor(EDRF) has been the target for many researches. EDRF has been identified as nitric oxide(NO). With the recent evidences that EDRF is an important mediator of vascular tone, there have been increasing interests in defining the role of the EDRF as a potential mediator of hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction. But the role of EDRF in modulating the pulmonary circulation is not compeletely clarified. To investigate the endothelium-dependent pulmonary vasodilation and the role of EDRF during hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction, we studied the effects of $N^G$-monomethyl-L-arginine(L-NMMA) and L-arginine on the precontracted pulmonary arterial rings of the rat in normoxia and hypoxia. Mothods: The pulmonary arteries of male Sprague Dawley(300~350g) were dissected free of surrounding tissue, and cut into rings. Rings were mounted over fine rigid wires, in organ chambers filled with 20ml of Krebs solution bubbled with 95 percent oxygen and 5 percent carbon dioxide and maintained at $37^{\circ}C$. Changes in isometric tension were recorded with a force transducer(FT.03 Grass, Quincy, USA) Results: 1) Precontraction of rat pulmonry artery with intact endothelium by phenylephrine(PE, $10^{-6}M$) was relaxed completely by acetylcholine(Ach, $10^{-9}-10^{-5}M$) and sodium nitroprusside(SN, $10^{-9}-10^{-5}M$), but relaxing response by Ach in rat pulmonary artery with denuded endothelium was significantly decreased. 2) L-NMMA($10^{-4}M$) pretreatment inhibited Ach($10^{-9}-10^{-5}M$)-induced relaxation, but L-NMMA ($10^{-4}M$) had no effect on relaxation induced by SN($10^{-9}-10^{-5}M$). 3) Pretreatment of the L-arginine($10^{-4}M$) significantly reversed the inhibition of the Ach ($10^{-9}-10^{-5}M$)-induced relaxation caused by L-NMMA($10^{-4}M$) 4) Pulmonary arterial contraction by PE($10^{-6}M$) was stronger in hypoxia than normoxia but relaxing response by Ach($10^{-9}-10^{-5}M$) was decreased, 5) With pretreatment of L-arginine($10^{-4}M$), pulmonary arterial relaxation by Ach($10^{-9}-10^{-5}M$) in hypoxia was reversed to the level of relaxation in normoxia. Conclusion: It is concluded that rat pulmonary arterial relaxation by Ach is dependent on the intact endothelium and is largely mediated by NO. Acute hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction is related to the suppression on NO formation in the vascular endothelium.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.42 no.5
• /
• pp.669-676
• /
• 1995

Background: The cell-mediated immunity is needed for eradicating the tubercle bacilli. Prostaglandin(PG), especially PG $E_2$, is involved in cellular immunosuppression. It is known that the PG $E_2$ is suppressed by indomethacin. For using indomethacin as a immunomodulator of intractable pulmonary tuberculosis(Tbc) patients, we measured the tuberculin skin test(TST) and the plasma PG $E_2$ levels. Method: The forty-eight inpatients with sputum positive acid-fast stain bacilli were classified into 6 groups according to antiTbc chemotherapy history(new and intractable cases), plain chest roetgenogram(minimal and far advanced cases), and TST reaction(nagative and positive cases). Except for one group(n=2; new, minimal, and negative cases of TST reaction) of the 6 groups, all subjects(n=46) were measured for the plasma PG $E_2$, levels with radioimmunoassay. Results: 1) There was no significant difference in the plasma PG $E_2$ levels among A group(far advanced and positive TST reaction cases, n=10, $11.22{\pm}2.86\;pg/ml$), B group(minimal and negative TST reaction cases, n=9, $11.35{\pm}2.20$) and C group(far advanced and positive TST reaction cases, n=7, $11.11{\pm}2.30$) in the new cases(p>0.05). 2) There was no significant difference in the plasma PG $E_2$ levels between positive(n=10, $9.25{\pm}2.21$) and negative(n=10, $8.25{\pm}1.13$) groups by TST in the intractable cases(p>0.05). 3) Comparing the plasma PG $E_2$ levels between new(n=26, $11.35{\pm}2.41$) and intractable(n=20, $8.75{\pm}1.78$) groups, the intractable group had significi- andy lower plasma PG $E_2$ levels(p<0.05). 4) There was no significant difference in the plasma PG $E_2$ levels between negative(n=19, $9.88{\pm}2.43$) and positive(n=27, $10.46{\pm}2.56$) groups by TST(p>0.05). 5) There was no significant difference in the plasma PG $E_2$ levels between male(n=32, $10.07{\pm}2.44$) and female(n=14, $10.56{\pm}2.70$)(p>0.05). 6) There was no significant difference in the plasma PG $E_2$ levels among 2nd(n=5, $10.21{\pm}2.86$), 3rd(n=9, $9.97{\pm}2.47$), 4th(n=13, $11.35{\pm}2.33$) and 5th(n=19, $9.57{\pm}2.48$) decades(p>0.05). 7) There was no significant correlation between the induration sizes of the TST and the plasma PG $E_2$ levels(r=0.054, p>0.05). Conclusion: From the above results, the plasma PG $E_2$ levels of intractable group are not higher as the authors had expected. There was no significant difference in the plasma PG $E_2$ levels by the lesion sizes of plain chest roentgenogram and the induration sizes of TST, so more study will be needed to use the indomethacin as a immunomodulator for intractable pulmonary tuberculosis patients.