• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.27-33
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• 2014

Objectives : The aims of this study were to exploring the therapeutic effect of Imperatae Rhizoma Extract(IRE) on Asthma. Methods : To investigate biological modulation activities of IRE, we conducted the cell-based assay whether IRE could regulate T helper 2 cells activity with EL4 T cells and mouse splenocytes, and followed animal study to conform the efficacy of their therapeutic potential on OVA-induced asthmatic mouse. Results : In cell study, IRE suppress the nuclear translocation of GATA binding protein-3 protein in phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate/Ionomycin-stimulated EL4 T cells and Interleukine(IL)-4, IL-5 and IL-13 production in splenocytes at concentration dependent manner. In animal study, IRE-treated groups both 100mg/ml and 200mg/ml improve airway hypersensitibility reaction(AHR) response to methacholine about 30% and 40% with positive control group. Peritoneal blood analysis reveal that eosinophil number and ovalbumin-specific IgE is reduced by IRE treatment. Cell number of eosinophil is also reduced in bronchoalveolar lavage of IRE group like to peritoneal cell and real time-polymerase chain reaction data show that expression levels of IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13 were down regulated in lung tissue. Finally, histological analysis indicate that IRE protect the bronchial tissue damages through the accumulation of inflammatory cells and collagen, and these effect may be cause by interfering Th2 cells activity. Conclusions : Our data represent that IRE potentiates therapeutic activities to the allergic diseases such as asthma by regulating Th2 cells differentiation.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.1443-1448
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• 2004

The present study was conducted to evaluate the immunomodulatory effects of Dangguijakyak-san(당귀작약산). We investigated the effects of cell proliferation in mouse spleen cell and RAW 264.7 macrophages cells. Dangguijakyak-san enhanced mitogenic activity in the dose-response manner in mouse spleen cells and RAW 264.7 macrophages cells. In nitric oxide (NO) synthesis and iNOS mRNA expression by Dangguijakyak-san, Dangguijakyaksan alone had an effect on NO synthesis and iNOS mRNA expression in RAW 264.7 cells. NO production and iNOS mRNA expression which is excessively induced by LPS decreased after treatment of Dangguijakyak-san. The expressions of cytokine gene by Dangguijakyak-san investigated using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). In RT-PCR, IL-1α, IL-1β and IL-6 mRNA expressions induced in Dangguijakyak-san-treated RAW 264.7 cells. These data indicate that 1) Dangguijakyak-san can modulate various immune response and 2) the immunomodulatory effects of Dangguijakyak-san may be, in part, associated with the regulation of NO synthesis, the expressions of these cytokine as well as the mitogenic effect on spleen cells and macrophages cells.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.215-220
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• 2005

Background: Transforming growth factor-${\beta}$ (TGF-${\beta}1$) directs class switch recombination (CSR) to IgA isotype, which is a predominant antibody in mucosal surfaces. Although IgA is preferentially committed in mucosal lymphoid tissues, it is not definitely established whether hallmarks of IgA CSR such as IgA germ-line transcripts (GLT ${\alpha}$), post-switch transcripts (PST ${\alpha}$) and circle transcripts (CT ${\alpha}$) are readily expressed in such tissues. Therefore, we compared the expression of these transcripts among mouse Peyer's patches (PP), mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN), and spleen. Methods: Levels of GLTs, PSTs and CTs were measured by RT-PCR in isolated PPs, MLNs and spleen cells. Results: GLT ${\alpha}$ and PST ${\alpha}$ were well expressed in PP and MLN cells but in spleen cells. Similar patterns were observed in the expression of GL ${\gamma}$2b and PST ${\gamma}$2b. On the other hand, these transcripts were only inducible in spleen cells upon stimulated with LPS and TGF-${\beta}1$. In addition, CT${\alpha}$ and CT${\gamma}$2b were detected in PP cells. Conclusion: PP B cells readily express IgA GLT, PST, and CT. Overall expression patterns of these transcripts were similar in MLN cells. Thus, these results suggest that microenvironment of PP and MLN influences spontaneous IgA CSR, which lacks in systemic lymphoid tissues such as spleen.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.269-275
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• 2007

In this experiment, the effects of Asterina pectinifera extracts on the activation of immune cells were studied. An immune cell activating factor was partially purified from starfish, Asterina pectinifera, by means of physiological saline extraction, acetone precipitation and heating inactivation. Starfish extracts increased the proliferation of spleen cells and induced the production of IL-6 and $IFN-{\gamma}$ by spleen cells. Also, it increased the proliferation of purified B cells and production of IgM and IgG in the presence of Asterina pectinifera extracts. Starfish extract self-induced NO synthesis in mouse macrophage cell line (RAW264.7). When cell lines was treated with extracts, the mRNA expression of inducible NO synthetase (iNOS), $TNF-{\alpha}$, IL-6, and GM-CSF were markedly increased in RT-PCR analysis. Therefore starfish extract can self-activate spleen cells, B cells and macrophages. These results might be useful in further studies into a possible immune activating agent from the starfish, Asterina pectinifera, for the development of functional foods and drugs.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.133-140
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• 2013

Since the discovery of the immunomodulation property of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) about a decade ago, it has been extensively investigated whether MSCs can be used for the treatment of immune-related diseases, such as graft versus-host disease (GvHD). However, how to evaluate the efficacy of human MSCs for the clinical trial is still unclear. We used an MHC-mismatched model of GvHD (B6 into BALB/c). Surprisingly, the administration of the human MSCs (hMSCs) could reduce the GvHD-related mortality of the mouse recipients and xenogeneically inhibit mouse T-cell proliferation and $IFN-{\gamma}$ production in vitro. We recently established a new protocol for the isolation of a homogeneous population of MSCs called subfractionation culturing methods (SCM), and established a library of clonal MSC lines. Therefore, we also investigated whether MSCs isolated by the conventional gradient centrifugation method (GCM) and SCM show different efficacy in vivo. Intriguingly, clonal hMSCs (hcMSCs) isolated by SCM showed better efficacy than hMSCs isolated by GCM. Based on these results, the MHC-mismatched model of GvHD may be useful for evaluating the efficacy of human MSCs before the clinical trial. The results of this study suggest that different MSC lines may show different efficacy in vivo and in vitro.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.716-721
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• 2005

This experiment was designed to investigate the effect of Farfarae Flos(FF) on immune cells and cytokines in murine asthma model. C57BL/6 mice were sensitized and challenged with OVA(ovalbumin) for 9 weeks(3 times a week). The experimental group was treated with Farfarae Flos extract(FF) for the later 6 weeks(5 times a week). We measured IL-4, 1L-5, 1L-13, IgE, IFN-${\gamma}$ in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of ovalbumin induced asthmatic mouse and observed murine lung tissue. The results were obtained as follows: Total leukocytes and eosinophils in BALF of the mice group treated with FF decreased significantly compared with those of control group. The concentration of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, IgE in BALF of the mice group treated with FF decreased significantly compared with those of control group. The concentration of IFN-${\gamma}$ in BALF of the mice group treated with FF increased significantly compared with that of control group. According to the above results, it is suggested that FF extract might be useful applied for prevention and treatment of allergic asthma.

• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2003

This experimental study was carried out to evaluate the effects of Kimchi intake of Acanthopanacis cortex extract (APCE) supplementation on cytokine-induction and immune response in mice. To study in experiments using male Balb/c mice fed Kimchi and Kimchi of APCE supplementation (addition of 2% of total Kimchi weight) containing fed experimental diet during 2 weeks. Experimental mice were fed control diet or diet containing freeze-dried Kimchi at the level of 5%(w/w) or 5% freeze-dried Kimchi with 2% APCE supplementation. The main ingredient of Kimchi was Korean cabbage and fermentation was carried out at $4^{\circ}C$ for three weeks. Freeze-dried 2% APCE supplementation was added to Kimchi at the begining of fermentation. In order to investigate the effect of Kimchi intake of APCE supplementation (5%Kimchi-2%APCE), the following was performed; body weight, food intake, hematological parameter, serum level of mouse interleukin-4 (mlL-4) and mouse interferon-$\gamma$ (mIFN-$\gamma$ ), and, the percentage of CD3+/CD4+, CD3+/CD8+, B220+ in splenic cells. The results of final body weight, and food diet intake of two Kimchi groups were lower than those of the control group (not supplemented experimental diet). The hematology change obtained from the level of WBC (white blood cell) and platelet were not affected by feeding different dietary regiments, but the level of RBC (red blood cells) HB (hemoglobin), and spleen weight of two Kimchi groups were increased significantly than those of the control group. The serum level of IL-4 and IFN-$\gamma$ of two Kimchi groups were increased significantly than those of the control group, also enhanced the percentages of the CD3+/CD4+ and CD3+/CD8+ by 5% freeze-dried Kimchi, and 5%Kimchi-2%APCE group were 43.9 and 65.2%, and 96.0 and 208% than those of the control group, respectively. From these results, it can be concluded that Kimchi itself has an immuno-stimulatory effect and Kimchi contaning 2% APCE supplementation has the more pronounced effect in vivo system.

• BMB Reports
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.63-68
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• 2016

The serine/threonine kinase mTOR is essential for the phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3K) signaling pathway, and regulates the development and function of immune cells. Aberrant activation of mTOR signaling pathway is associated with many cancers including leukemia. Here, we report the contributions of mTOR signaling to growth of human leukemic cell lines and mouse T-cell acute leukemia (T-ALL) cells. Torin, an ATP-competitive mTOR inhibitor, was found to have both cytotoxic and cytostatic effects on U-937, THP-1, and RPMI-8226 cells, but not on Jurkat or K-562 cells. All cells were relatively resistant to rapamycin even with suppressed activity of mTOR complex 1. Growth of T-ALL cells induced by Notch1 was profoundly affected by torin partially due to increased expression of Bcl2l11 and Bbc3. Of note, activation of Akt or knockdown of FoxO1 mitigated the effect of mTOR inhibition on T-ALL cells. Our data provide insight on the effect of mTOR inhibitors on the survival and proliferation of leukemic cells, thus further improving our understanding on cell-context-dependent impacts of mTOR signaling. [BMB Reports 2016; 49(1): 63-68]

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.469-476
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• 2016

This study was undertaken to evaluate the immunomodulatory effect of dead nano-sized Lactobacillus plantarum (nLp) in RAW 264.7 cells and murine primary splenocytes. nLp is a dead, shrunken, processed form of L. plantarum nF1 isolated from kimchi (a traditional Korean fermented cabbage) and is less than 1 μm in size. It was found that nLp treatment stimulated nitric oxide (NO) production more in RAW 264.7 macrophages than pure live L. plantarum (pLp), and that the stimulatory properties were probably largely derived from its cell wall. In addition, nLp induced murine splenocyte proliferation more so than pLp; in particular, a high dose of nLp (1.0 × 10¹¹ CFU/ml) stimulated proliferation as much as lipopolysaccharide at 2 μg/ml. Moreover, according to our cytokine profile results in splenocytes, nLp treatment promoted Th1 (TNF-α, IL-12 p70) responses rather than Th2 (IL-4, IL-5) responses and also increased Th17 (IL-6, IL-17A) responses. Thus, nLp stimulated NO release in RAW 264.7 cells and induced splenocyte proliferation more so than pLp and stimulated Th1 and Th17 cytokine production. These findings suggested that dead nLp has potential use as a functional food ingredient to improve the immune response, and especially as a means of inducing Th1/Th17 immune responses.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Pathology
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 1997

The cellularity and composition of the spleen lymph node thymus and peripheral blood and tempo of regeneration were studied at various time points after syngeneic bone marrow transplantation(BMT) in C3H/Hen mice. Significant depression of absolute lymphocyte count was noted on week 1 after lethal whole-body irradiation and BMT. In comparison to the lymph node thymus and spleen had an rapid regeneration of cellularity. The distinct cell populations($CD4^+,\;CD8^+,\;CD28^+,\;B220^+) have determined in the lymphoid tissue of mice subjected to irradiation. The relative representation of these subpopulations was significantly different from that in nonirradiated control. $CD4^+\;and\;CD8^+$ cells were present in very low numbers whereas the $B220^+$ cells reached more than normal range at 2 weeks after BMT. The number of $CD4^+$ cells returned to normal relatively soon than $CD8^+$ cell. At week 4 after BMT, the cellularity and composition of spleen lymph node and peripheral blood lymphocyte reached about 50% of the normal range therefore we can choose this time point for the other tests of immune function after BMT.