• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.197-202
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• 2007

Background: Immunomodulators enhancing MHC-restricted antigen presentation would affect many cellular immune reactions mediated by T cells or T cell products. However, modulation of MHC-restricted antigen presentation has received little attention as a target for therapeutic immunoregulation. Here, we report that lectins isolated from mushroom Fomitella fraxinea enhance MHC-restricted exogenous antigen presentation in professional antigen presenting cells (APCs). Methods: Lectins, termed FFrL, were isolated from the carpophores of Fomitella fraxinea, and its effects on the class I and class II MHC-restricted presentation of exogenous ovalbumin (OVA) were examined in mouse dendritic cells (DCs) and mouse peritoneal macrophages. The effects of FFrL on the expression of total MHC molecules and the phagocytic activity were also examined in mouse DCs. Results: DCs cultured in the presence of FFrL overnight exhibited enhanced capacity in presenting exogenous OVA in association with class I and class II MHC molecules. FFrL increased slightly the total expression levels of both class I (H-$2K^b$) and class II (I-$A^b$) MHC molecules and the phagocytic activity of DCs. Antigen presentation-enhancing activity of FFrL was also observed in macrophages isolated from mouse peritoneum. Conclusion: Lectins isolated from the carpophores of Fomitella fraxinea increase MHC-restricted exogenous antigen presentation by enhancing intracellular processing events of phagocytosed antigens.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.33-38
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• 2010

Objectives : This study was designed to investigate therapeutic effects fo NR on allergic asthma in terms of measurement of cytokine profiles, distribution of BAL and expression levels of asthma induced by OVA. Methods : C57BL/6 mouse was divided into normal, NRI, control, and NRII, and Notopterygii Rhizoma Extract was orally administered to the C57BL/6 mice in the normal group and the normal mouse in NRI group while it was orally administered to the control group after inducing asthma by OVA and NRII. The study measured them by means of ELISA after dividing BALF of each group, and analyzed RT-PCR by using lung tissues. Results : In our results, lung weight and the number of total cells in the lung and of Leukocyte and Eosinophils in BALF were significantly decreased. In addition, IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, and IgE in BALF were significantly decreased compared to the control group. Conclusions : These results demonstrate that NR Extract be a desirable altemative therapy for allergic asthma by inhibiting the expressin of immune cells, the activation of inflammatory mediator.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.137-142
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• 2008

Background: CD11c, also known as integrin alpha x, is one of the optimum markers of dendritic cells. However, the regulation of the CD11c expression in mouse has not been identified yet. In this study, in order to analyze the regulation of CD11c expression, the promoter of CD11c was cloned and characterized. Methods: To identify the promoter portion, various sizes of what are considered to be CD11c promoter fragments was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), using mouse genomic DNA as a template. After sequence was obtained, these fragments were transfected into various cell lines including mouse dendritic cell lines such as JAWSII and DC2.4 and L929 as control cell line.. The promoter activity of three promoter fragments was measured and compared by luciferase activity in the transfected cells. Results: Three clones with size of 1kb, 3kb and 6kb were obtained from mouse genomic DNA. Flow cytometry analysis of JAWSII cells revealed that 52% of the cells expressed CD11c, which was confirmed by RT-PCR analysis. On the contrary, L929 and DC 2.4 cells did not express CD11c. The CD11c+ JAWSII cells were enriched from 52% to 90% with cell sorter. The comparative luciferase activity analyisis demonstrated that the region responsible for tissue specific expression was contained within -3 kb and the clone with size of 3 kb particularly showed higher luciferase activity than 6 kb and 1 kb clones. Conclusion: The CD11c promoter region containing the region responsible for tissue specificity was successfully cloned and -3 kb region showed the highest activity.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.105-109
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• 2005

Background: Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most potent APCs (antigen-presenting cells) and playa critical role in immune responses. Galectin-3 is a biological lectin with a beta-galactoside binding affinity. Recently, proteomic analysis revealed the presence of galectin-3 in the exosome of mature DCs. However, the expression and function of galectin-3 in DCs remains unclear yet. Methods: We used bone marrow-derived DCs of mouse and showed the expression of galectin-3 in DCs by using flow cytometry analysis and Western blot analysis. Results: Galectin-3 was determined as single band of 35 kDa in Western blot analysis. Flow cytometry analysis showed the major growth factor for DCs, granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and maturing agents, anti-CD40 monoclonal antibody (mAb) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) consistently increased the intracellular expression of galectin-3 in DCs compared to medium alone. In addition, DCs treated with maturing agents did marginally express galectin-3 on their surface. Conclusion: This study suggests that galectin-3 in DCs may be regulated by critical factors for DC function.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.536-541
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• 2021

In this study, we investigated whether Hibiscus manihot flowers (HMF) exhibits immunostimulatory activity in RAW264.7 cells. HMF increased the production of immunostimulatory factors such as NO, iNOS, IL-1β and TNF-α in RAW264.7 cells. TLR2 and TLR4 blocked HMF-mediated production of immunostimulatory factors in RAW264.7 cells. In addition, the inhibition of MAPK signaling pathway reduced HMF-mediated production of immunostimulatory factors. From these results, HMF is thought to promote the production of immunostimulatory factors through activating TLR2/4/MAPK signaling in macrophages. It is believed that HMF can be developed as an agent related to immune enhancement in the future.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.349-353
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• 2012

Activated T cells express inhibitory receptors such as CTLA-4 that can downregulate immune responses. Blockade of or genetic deficiency in CTLA-4 can result in autoimmunity. Therefore, strategies to increase the inhibitory function of CTLA-4 may be attractive in settings of undesirable T cell responses such as autoimmunity or transplant rejection. We have tested the hypothesis that transgenic constitutive expression of CTLA-4 can further attenuate immune responses when compared with normal inducible expression. Our results indicate that transgenic expression of CTLA-4 in mouse T cells (CTLA-4-Tg T cells) results in reduced cell cycle progression and increased apoptosis of TCR-stimulated T cells. CTLA-4-Tg T cells display reduced T cell proliferation in an in vivo model of graft versus host disease (GVHD). These results further our understanding of how CTLA-4 can be manipulated to inhibit immune responses and may help development of new therapeutic strategies for clinical settings of autoimmunity and transplantation.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.710-718
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• 2006

The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of Chihyo-san (CHS) administration on asthma induced by Alum/OVA treatment in the mice. In CHS-treated animal group, lung weight, which was increased after asthma induction, was significantly decreased, and total number of cells in the lung, peripheral lymph node (PLN) and spleen tissue was significantly decreased in CHS-treated group compared to the asthma control group. The number of immune cells including natural killer (NK) cells in asthmatic animals was largely regulated by CHS treatment, showing a similar pattern as that of CsA-treated positive control group. Levels of mRNAs encoding inflammatory cytokines IL-5, IL-13, $TNF-{\alpha}$, and eotaxin were determined by RT-PCR in the lung tissue and showed decreases in CHS-treated group to the similar levels of CsA-treated control group, Histamine level in the serum was significantly lower in CHS-treated group than asthma-induced control group. Both haematoxylin and eosin staining and Masson's trichrome staining results showed decreased number of inflammatory cells, reduced immune cell infiltration, and normalized epithelial cell layering in the bronchial tissue of CHS-treated mouse group. Thus, the present findings suggest that CHS may be useful for protecting bronchial tissues from consistent inflammatory damages that occur in asthma patients.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.117-121
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• 2006

Ability of pectic polysaccharides isolated from Eleutherococcus senticosus EN-3 to inhibit tumor metastasis and induce antigen-specific immune response after oral administration in mice was assessed. Consecutive oral administration of EN-3 before tumor inoculation dramatically inhibited tumor metastasis produced by colon26-M3.1 and B16-BL6 cells. When Peyer's patch cells isolated from mouse intestine were co-cultured with EN-3, proliferation of Peyer's patch cells was induced. Mice co-administered with EN-3 and ovalbumin (OVA) showed significantly higher production of OVA-specific IgA in intestinal washing as well as IgG in serum than those administered with OVA alone. Payer's patch cells of mice immunized with OVA plus EN-3 showed much higher proliferating activity than those of mice immunized with OVA alone. Proliferating activity increased dose-dependently, indicating EN-3 specifically enhanced mucosal immune response to OVA. These results suggested EN-3 could significantly stimulate Peyer's patch cells either non-specifically or antigen-specifically, possibly playing important role in enhancement of mucosal and systemic immune systems.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.3 no.1_2
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• pp.33-42
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• 1988

Dose-dependent, immune modulatory effects of aconitine and heated aconitine were studied in mice. Mice, administered aconitine and heated aconitine intraperitoneally every other day for 4 weeks, were sensitized and challenged with sheep red blood cells. Serum antibody titer, foot pad swelling and rosette forming cell number were measured to evaluate hurmoral and cell mediated immune responses. The results show that Humoral immune response was suppressed by aconitine 0.05 mg/kg and heated aconitine but increased by aconitine 0.10 mg/kg administration. Cell mediated immune response was suppressed in all groups. Especially heated aconitine administration significantly suppressed the cell mediated immune response. The number of peripheral circulating white blood cell was reduced by aconitine but was not affected by heated aconitine.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.306-313
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• 2017

Purple bamboo salt (PuBS) is commonly used as a medicinal food in Korea and has beneficial potentials such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Rubus coreanus is called Bokbunja, which is used as a traditional medicine for treating asthma, impotence, and allergic diseases in Korea. The aim of present study was to investigate the immunostimulatory effect of PuBS composed with Rubus coreanus (PuBS-R). We performed comparative analysis between PuBS and PuBS-R in Raw264.7 cells, which is a mouse macrophage cell line, and peritoneal macrophages isolated primarily from the mouse peritoneal cavity. We evaluated cytotoxicity and the immune cytokine response in PuBS- and PuBS-R-treated cells. Both PuBS and PuBS-R did not have any cytotoxicity in Raw264.7 cells up to $500{\mu}g/mL$. Gene and protein levels of immune cytokines such as tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ ($TNF-{\alpha}$), $interferon-{\gamma}$ ($IFN-{\gamma}$), interleukin (IL)-10, and IL-12 were significantly elevated by PuBS-R more than PuBS in Raw264.7 cells. Moreover, we evaluated the immunostimulatory effects of PuBS-R on mouse primary peritoneal macrophages. Protein levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase, $TNF-{\alpha}$, $IFN-{\gamma}$, IL-10, and IL-12 were significantly higher in PuBS-R-treated peritoneal macrophages than PuBS-treated peritoneal macrophages. These results suggest the potential immunostimulatory effect of PuBS-R for immunity against harmful infection.