• Development and Reproduction
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.53-62
• /
• 2020

Natural killer (NK) cells are innate lymphocytes that play an essential role in preventing cancer development by performing immune surveillance to eradicate abnormal cells. Since ex vivo expanded NK cells have cytotoxic activity against various cancers, including breast cancers, their clinical potential as immune-oncogenic therapeutics has been widely investigated. Here, we report that the pyrazole chemical XRP44X, an inhibitor of Ras/ERK activation of ELK3, stimulates NK-92MI cells to enhance cytotoxic activity against breast cancer cells. Under XRP44X stimulation, NK cells did not show notable apoptosis or impaired cell cycle progression. We demonstrated that XRP44X enhanced interferon gamma expression in NK-92MI cells. We also elucidated that potentiation of the cytotoxic activity of NK-92MI cells by XRP44X is induced by activation of the c-JUN N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway. Our data provide insight into the evaluation of XRP44X as an immune stimulant and that XRP44X is a potential candidate compound for the therapeutic development of NK cells.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.25 no.10
• /
• pp.1697-1701
• /
• 2015

The anticancer and anti-inflammatory activities of probiotic Lactococcus lactis NK34 were demonstrated. Treatment of cancer cells such as SK-MES-1, DLD-1, HT-29, LoVo, AGS, and MCF-7 cells with 10⁶ CFU/well of L. lactis NK34 resulted in strong inhibition of proliferation (>77% cytotoxicity, p < 0.05). The anti-inflammatory activity of L. lactis NK34 was also demonstrated in lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW 264.7 cells, where the production of nitric oxide and proinflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-18, and cyclooxygenase-2) was reduced. These results suggest that L. lactis NK34 could be used as a probiotic microorganism to inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells and production of proinflammatory cytokines.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.28 no.11
• /
• pp.1282-1286
• /
• 2005

The in vivo immunomodulatory function of the activity of murine natural killer (NK) cells induced by high mannuronic acid-containing alginate (HMA) was examined. HMA was injected i.p at doses of 25 and 100 mg/kg. The NK activity was 3 times higher with 100 mg/kg HMA than the baseline. In addition, in vitro studies of splenocytes cultured with HMA for 20 h showed a significant increase in NK activity at E:T ratio of 100: 1; a 160$\%$ and 210$\%$ increase at 10 and 100 $\mu$g/mL, respectively. There was a six fold increase in interferon-$\gamma$ production in a postculture of splenocytes with 100 $\mu$g/mL HMA. HMA had no suppressive effects on the lymphocyte function in the presence or absence of mitogens. This suggests that HMA is useful in cancer immunotherapy.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.2599-2605
• /
• 2013

The study aimed to evaluate immune-stimulating effects of a well-known Thai folkloric remedy when used for adjuvant therapy with conventional chemotherapeutics for treatment of breast cancer. Immunostimulating influence of the remedy (215 mg/kg body weight per day) on NK cell activity and TNF-${\alpha}$ release from the monocytes/macrophages were investigated in a total of 15 healthy women and 13 female patients with breast cancer (Group 1). The effect of breast tumor surgery on NK cell activity was further investigated in 18 female patients with breast cancer (Group 2). NK cell cytotoxic activity was determined by chromium release cytotoxic assay using K562, an erythroleukemic cell line. TNF-${\alpha}$ release from monocytes/macrophages separated from blood samples was determined through a biological assay using actinomycin D-treated L929 mouse fibroblast cells in the presence and absence of LPS. Baseline NK cell activity of the monocytes/macrophages separated from Group 2 patients expressed as %cytotoxicity was significantly lower than in the healthy subjects at E:T ratios of 100:1 and 25:1. In healthy subjects, there was no change in NK cell cytotoxic activity (%cytotoxicity or LU) following 1 and 2 weeks of treatment with the remedy compared with the baseline at various E:T ratios but the binding activity (%binding) was significantly increased after 2 weeks of treatment. The addition of one or two conventional chemotherapeutic regimens did not significantly reduce the NK cytotoxic activity but did affect release of TNF-${\alpha}$ in both unstimulated and LPS-stimulated samples. Surgery produced a significant suppressive effect on NK cell activity. The use of the remedy as an adjunct therapy may improve therapeutic efficacy and safety profiles of conventional chemotherapeutic regimens through stimulation of the immune system in cancer patients.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.3-10
• /
• 1995

A comparison was made between the effect of subjective stress and that of objective stress on immune function in male medical college students. Interaction between perceived stress, psychopathology and natural killer-cell(NK) activity was assessed during an exam period, non-exam period, and vacation. No significant difference was found in NK activity among these three periods, but scores of perceived stress related to unusual happenings during an exam period and related to interpersonal relationship during vacation were found to have significantly positive correlation with NK activity, respectively. In psychopathology, only scores of anxiety during an exam period had significantly positive correlation with NK activity. These results suggest that immune function is more likely to be affected by subjective stress than objective stress and that subjective stress such as some perceived stress and subclinical level of anxiety may positively affect immune function.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.317-322
• /
• 2012

In this study we investigated the effects of supplementation with fucoidan from brown alga on the function of natural-killer (NK) cells to evaluate the possibility as an immunomodulator in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. A total of 18 female Wistar rats (six weeks) were used this study and 12 rats were OVX, and the rest of rats were sham-operated. The sham and one OVX group were fed standard diet, and the remaining OVX group received fucoidan (0.05% supplemented diet). After 12 weeks of supplementation, rats were sacrificed to assess the tumoricidal activity of the NK cells and the NO-iNOS regulation from splenocytes. The mass of body and the immune organs such as spleen and thymus were also studied. In OVX rats, body and thymus weights increased, however fucoidan supplementation did not change the body mass and organs weight compared to OVX group. Fucoidan supplementation increased NK cell activity and reduced NO-iNOS production in OVX rats. Ex vivo treatment of fucoidan increased NK cell activity in splenocytes from shame and OVX rats. Ex vivo, we confirmed that fucoidan partially reduced the NK cell activity in the presence of iNOS inhibitors in OVX-splenocytes. These results indicate fucoidan supplementation has a NK cell tumoricidal activity, which are regulated by the iNOS production in OVX rats. This suggests that fucoidan is useful for potential therapeutic strategies as a nutrient in regulating the NK cells in postmenopausal osteoporosis patients.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2003.04a
• /
• pp.697-700
• /
• 2003

Lactococcus lactis NK24, Lactobacillus plantarum NK181, and strain HW161 were previously isolated from Jeot-gal. For antioxidative activity, the culture supernatants of there probiotic strains were shown to be 78, 77, and 81% by DPPH method. Also, the peroxidation of linoleic acid of them was investigated and they were about 3.5, 4.6, and 2.0%. And cholesterol-lowering activity of Jeot-gal probiotic strains were about 40, 33, and 60%, respectively.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.19 no.6
• /
• pp.111-124
• /
• 2002

A line of study reported that electroacupuncture(EA) modulate natural killer cell(NK Cell) activities. One report suggested that EA enhanced splenic interferon-gamma($IFN-{\gamma}$), interleukin-2(IL-2), and NK cell activity in Sprague-Dawley rats. Another study suggested that $IFN-{\gamma}$ mediates the up-regulation of NK cell activity, and endogenous ${\beta}$-endorphin secretion also play a role in the up-regulation of NK cell activity induced by EA stimulation. In order to better understand the molecular regulation underlying the activation of NK cell induced by EA, we have utilized cDNA microarray to elucidate how EA alters program of gene expression of spleen in rats. First, we divided three groups, group I was EA group treated with EA in restriction holder, group II was sham group with only holder stress, and last group III was control group with no treatment. We measured NK cell activity after EA stimulation three times for 2 days using $^{51}Cr$ release assay. Second, Biotin-labeled cDNA probes synthesized from EA group and sham group, were competitively hybridized to the microarray that contained variable genes. Such high-throughput screening has identified a number of EA-responsive gene candidates. Of these, we found that EA induced a subset of genes of genes that functionally could modulatory effects on NK cell activity. Genes(vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, protein-tyrosine kinase, CD94 mRNA) related to boost NK cell activity, were increased by EA And, genes(protein-tyrosine-phospatase mRNA, protein-tyrosine phosphatase(SHP-1) mRNA) related to inhibit NK cell activity, were decreased by EA. These EA-responsive genes may provide key insights from which to understand mechanisms of activation of NK cell induced by EA.

• Journal of Photoscience
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.475-478
• /
• 2002

In zoological research, penetration of light has been reported of the frontal bones of fish, birds, and reptiles, suggesting the existence of physiologically direct photic routes to frontal lobes and/or deep parts of the brain. We studied the influences of frontal exposure to photodiode light on frontal alpha wave and peripheral NK cells. Repetitive exposure of the subject's forehead to a red light diode (660nm) significantly increased the effective amplitude of the frontal alpha waves (using a mean frequency with a range of +1.0 Hz), peripheral NK activity, and the level of CD57-CD16+. Frontal alpha wave activity and the level of CD57-CD16+ increased, suggesting the possibility of a non-invasive procedure for the activation of the frontal lobe and the increase of NK cells. This light is considered to penetrate the frontal bones of humans directly, and to act on the frontal lobe and/or other immunological regulatory centers in the brain, resulting in some neuro-immunological changes.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.500-509
• /
• 2019

The study looked at the effect of body food on stress reduction and NK cell activity in improving natural healing for nurses, and examined whether it is effective in preventing and curing human health. The study was conducted for 30 days on 22 nurses who currently worked for more than a year at a general hospital in Gyeonggi Province. Stress measurements were conducted through pulse wave measuring instrument, and blood tests were conducted on the activity of NK cells. Treatment of collected data was performed by Paired t-testing through the Stat program SPSS 21 and providing body food suitable for the physical quality of participants after the classification of the body based on the internal diameter of the emperor and scholarship. Studies have shown that the effect on reducing the stress of body food has significant positive effects and that body food is effective for the activity of NK cells. This study has the following significance: First, the main health threat factor for modern people is the increased resistance of natural healing through body food to stress, which has the potential to prevent disease. Second, immunodeficiency in disease prevention and treatment is very important, which can increase the natural healing power of the human body by increasing the activity of NK cells through body food.